Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2009

We didn’t know much about Splitz Aoyama before heading there, save that it had an interior like a ski lodge and drinks starting at ¥380. Being fans of kitsch and a good bargain, this was all the information we needed.

As it turns out, there’s a lot more to this Aspen-meets-Aoyama joint. Splitz is sponsored by Suntory, so it’s not surprising that the drink of choice is whisky and soda—specifically, the brand’s iconic “Kaku” blend. Brewed on the premises, dusky unmarked bottles of the stuff line the upper shelves like moonshine. The other specialty of the house is a selection of infused whiskies, whose delightfully random flavors (probably the result of intensive market research) include orange, mixed berry, honey ginger, rosehip and Darjeeling.

Given Kaku’s classic (read: old-fashioned) image and the stylish Kotto-dori location, it would appear that Suntory is trying to turn younger generations on to their grandfathers’ favored drink. And the tactic seems to be working: we showed up on a Friday night in the waning hours before the last train and felt lucky to grab the one remaining table. Our fellow revelers were all smartly dressed 20- and 30-somethings. A number of tables for two, with cushy backless stools that leave you leaning forward, give Splitz a date vibe, while the upbeat soundtrack, long counter bar and open terrace keep the atmosphere light and lively.

Turning our attention from the wooden beams and antler chandelier overhead to the menu before us, we selected a seasonal Mango Splitz (¥550) and a Kaku Orange (¥600). Both went down like juice. Moving on to the next column, we opted for the Mix Berry Sling (¥650), which proved a bit cloying, and the more refreshing Honey Ginger Rickey (¥550).

Midway through a round of sweet beverages turned out to be an inconvenient time to feel the twinges of hunger, as the food list—consisting of meaty, nutty, fishy and pickled things—didn’t really seem to match the cocktails. Drinking up, we pondered that age-old menu riddle: does cheap mean small portions or low quality? We placed our bets on gobo chips (¥200), soda bread with potato and cod dip (¥300), and octopus ceviche (¥550). All turned out to be pretty tasty—which meant, of course, that the dishes were laughably tiny.

We washed them down with a round of the bar’s signature Splitz, available in “dry” (with soda water) and “mild” (with tonic water). The fabled ¥380 tipple turned out to be the surprise hit of the evening: uncomplicated and totally drinkable.

Picking apart this concept-heavy, corporate-backed bar made for good sport during the evening. However, when the bill at the end of the night came to just slightly over ¥2,000 apiece, and we remembered that this was Aoyama, we knew that we’d be eating—and drinking—our words in the near future.