Albente Champagne Cafe

Targeted toward the luxury end, but Albente is unpretentious with friendly staff, offers a relaxing place to enjoy Champagne after work. Unusual for calling themselves a Champagne Cafe not a bar, this tiny place is definitely a bar not a café, it  serves a small menu of food, nothing to rave about but would give them a 7.5 out of 10 considering their efforts from a tiny kitchen at the back.

Reading their Champagne menu is like going into a candy store, I have no idea how they manage to source such an interesting selection. Besides the typical big names, like Moet, Velve, Laurent Perrier, Bollinger, Krug, etc, there are many other names that are not commonly found in Tokyo. Below is a short list of the unusual ones:

Ruinart Balnc de Blancs
F. Vauversin "Fût de Chéne"
Serge Mathieu Blanc de Noirs
Pertois Moriset 2000 Millesime
Larmandier Bernier Blanc de Blancs
Charles Pougeoise Blanc de Blancs
Gatinois Brut Grand Cru
Perrier Jouet "Belle Époque '99"

In terms of pricing, I would say is about 2X to 2.5X retail. You can find a few bottles below 10,000 yen mark, and most of them are between 10,000 and 20,000.  I have had one in the 20,000 plus range, it was exquisite but difficult to go on the evening at that level.

The best deal they have I am not sure they are still doing that since I have not been back there at lunch time, blamed on the recession!  They offer a short menu of 5 different variety of Champagne at 7,000 yen per bottle from noon to 6pm on Friday and weekend.

Besides, Champagne, they also stock a good selection of high end French wine from Bordeaux and Bourgogne regions, including an impressive '78 Chateau Lynch Bages, waiting for the day to taste that one.

I am usually not a cocktail person, but their champagne cocktails are so well made and delicious, however pricy. 1470 yen for Mimoza, 1570 yen for Champagne Mojito, and 2100 yen for Black Velvet.  The Mimoza and Mojito are absolutely divine and refreshing for the summer, not sure what Black Velvet yet, but at that price, I’d rather have a bottle of Champagne.

Just writing about this place makes me very thirsty!