One-Stop Nightspot

R2 Supper Club

‘Speakeasy’ could well be a contender for 2012’s most overused word (a close run second to ‘prohibition-style’), but occasionally along comes a club that really delivers such an evocative jolt of ‘secret hideaway’ frisson that you can forgive the ubiquitous monikers.
 
Just such a place is Tokyo’s R2 Supper Club in Roppongi. With its roots and inspiration in the underground 1930s jazz clubs of yore, but with a full throttle influx of C.21st design that renders it a serious candidate in the style bar wars, the scorching hotspot also boasts a triple threat, 3-strong creative team at the helm, namely Matthew Crabbe, Nathan Smith and Edward Baffoe, famed for their highly successful Two Rooms Bar & Grill.

With its sweeping, spacious main salon of polished concrete, huge U-shaped bar, oversized art courtesy of Masashi Ozawa and warm wood and leather furnishings, the stage is set for the comfort classic redux menu offering up appetite whetters like the Grey Goose Yuzu Kosho Bloody Mary oyster shot and divine vintage parmesan hand cut cheese fries, plus main event 300g Australian Ranger’s Valley Black Angus 320 day grain fed beef with foie gras.

The drinks list is equally strong with no less than 14 martinis, 10 mojitos and 18 margaritas, perhaps the most sinful of which is the decadent Valrhona Chocolate concoction of tequila, Cointreau, Baileys, Cacao Brown, Valrhona chocolate ganache and cream. With DJ and live sax or trumpet most evenings, it really is a one-stop nightspot.