Reporters get a lot of unexpected perks. Occasionally, our editor will demand we interview a porn star or go stuff donuts in our faces on the company dime. That’s great, for sure. But truth be told, the greatest perk of being a reporter is that not only is it expected you’ll be drunk around lunchtime, it’s even encouraged!
And so it went that we were asked to sample some shaved ice doused in Dom Perignon, because everything is better doused in Dom Perignon. Go ahead, pour a bottle over your head and walk down the street. See if you don’t get a couple of phone numbers.
We expected to be sent to the Imperial Palace or flown to Dubai to experience this completely unnecessary luxury, but in fact, Dom Perignon kakigoori shaved ice is served right in the middle of downtown Tokyo; the Akasaka area, to be exact, in an otherwise unassuming cafe.
But the cafe pulls out all the stops for this glamorous summer treat: even the ice is made by freezing some fancy herb drink from England I’d never heard of. There are also four flavors available (muscat grape, cherry tomato, mango, pink grapefruit), and the Dom Perignon is poured over the shaved ice straight from a bottle, right in front of your eyes.
As much as we wanted to order every flavor, that would have left us well drunk, and like the characters from Mad Men, we RocketNews24 writers are expected to always be only pleasantly buzzed – as well as dashingly handsome and smartly dressed – to get the creative juices flowing.
So, satisfying ourselves with just two, we kicked things off with the most popular flavor: muscat grape.
This one was as refreshing as it gets, and the kick of the Dom Perignon goes great with the sweet and sour muscat. It’s almost like you’re eating an expensive cocktail.
Next, the cherry tomato.
This one came with a cranberry and hibiscus syrup. The cherry tomatoes, grown here in Japan, were also plump and sweet, making for a very sophisticated taste only an adult palate could appreciate; not that you should be letting your kids try this anyway.
If you’ve got a designated driver coming with you (Japan operates a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to booze and driving), the cafe also offers non-alcoholic sparkling wine as an alternative to Dom Perignon, but we can’t imagine it tastes even half as good.
▼ Adult refreshment here we come…
▼ Dreaming of spending every summer afternoon this way.
If you’re in the area on business or just visiting, be sure to stop by for a little frosty tipple. We promise you won’t be disappointed.
Cote de Rouge Asakusa
Address: Maxim’s de Paris, Akasaka Biz Tower, Minato-ku 5-3-1, Akasaka, Tokyo
TEL：03-5545-4505
Open: 11:00 ~ 16:00 (lunch/tea time), 16:00 ~ 23:00 (dinner), closes at 21:30 Sunday
URL: http://cr.maxim-s.co.jp/
Photos: RocketNews24
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