Book your next private drinks party at the Omakase Bar at The Aubrey
Japanese bar and restaurant The Aubrey is hosting a new drinks tasting experience in its intimate, ‘by appointment only’ Omakase Bar. Literally translated as “I’ll leave it up to you”, omakase is a Japanese tasting menu where the chef prepares a series of striking dishes – sometimes but not always sushi.
The Aubrey’s spin on the concept is altogether boozier, focusing on fine Japanese spirits and liqueurs, paired with snacks from the kitchen. The events are hosted by the Aubrey’s award-winning, remarkably young bar director Pietro Rizzo, who demonstrates the mixology skills that have seen him shake cocktails everywhere from Glastonbury to Bangkok.
The intimate events are designed to be booked by a single group of between three and six guests, occupying the six-seater counter. If you’re already a spirits nerd you can talk through the drinks you would like to try in advance, and while tickets cost from £198 per person, that can rise as far as your wallet will allow (it’s all pre-paid so there’s no chance of a nasty surprise at the end of the night).
Rizzo is an exceptional host and an incredibly knowledgeable bartender, presenting a series rare and unusual drinks, from a tomato liqueur highly prized on the Japanese drinks scene, to a gin as salty as the sea, to a martini made with cherry blossom vermouth. Presentation is key, with Rizzo and a member of his team carving fist-sized orbs of ice and spinning cocktail shakers like Tom Cruise.
The amuse bouche-style dishes are also excellent, with mushrooms on brioche toast and slices of raw hamachi being the stand-outs, although I’d recommend eating something before you arrive as the boozeto-food ratio is high enough to ensure the unprepared will wake up the next morning with a sore head.
The Omakase Cocktail Experience can be reserved for between three and six guests at 7.30pm Wednesday to Friday from £198 plus a 13.5% service charge per person. For more information or to book call 020 7201 3833