Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2010
Successful bars rely on a fruitful confluence of all kinds of factors: concept, location, decor, staff, clientele, vibe, music, smell—and that’s before you even get started on the drink menu. What fizzes in one particular neighborhood, or even just on one particular street, might fizzle miserably in another.
We already knew we liked Shibuya’s Stand S, a slight out-of-the-way standing bar with a hip crowd, beer cocktails and sauna-esque decor. But when we heard about its new sister shop in Marunouchi—on the first floor of the exclusive Shin-Maru Building, no less—we weren’t so sure it would work. Much as the area has blossomed from a salaryman graveyard into a genuine go-to destination over the past few years, it still draws a very different crowd. And, well, those lofty office blocks aren’t exactly the most intimate of surroundings.
Stand T occupies the lucrative corner spot that was once home to PG Cafe Paris, celebrity chef Pierre Gagnaire’s short-lived sop to the ladies-who-lunch set. The enormous, curved glass façade creates a space that’s both eye-catching and a bit exposed, but they’ve done a good job of filling it, transplanting Stand S’s IKEA-esque pine wood floors and surfaces. Perhaps inevitably, it lacks the buzz of its Shibuya counterpart (you’ll have to head up to Henry Good Seven on the seventh floor if you want that kind of vibe). However, it’s an agreeable—not to mention affordable—place to grab a few drinks.
When we visit in the midst of a mid-August heat wave, we can’t resist starting off with a glass of Heineken Extra Cold (¥600) and a Lemon Beer (¥500), which is given a zesty injection of fresh citrus juice. Both hit the spot, but if you’re only going to try one drink here, make it the Mojito Beer (¥800). Mixed in a tall glass with Kirin Ichiban, ice, lime cordial and fresh mint, it’s a real thirst quencher, even if we can’t imagine quaffing more than a couple in the course of a night. The wine list includes varieties from Australia, Italy and France, starting at ¥500 per glass (¥3,000 per bottle).
The food menu has a smattering of same-old, including Buffalo wings and fried potatoes, though these are outweighed by the more esoteric offerings. Everything’s priced at a flat ¥500, which encourages delving: fancy some green tomato pickles, smoked salmon & egg or calamari fritters? The well-seasoned stewed tripe and beans gets a thumbs-up, though we’ll have to pass on the “stewed beef gristle” until they come up with a more appetizing English translation. Life’s too short.
