Ep 9. The Bar's Face

On a rainy night in Ginza, Miwa runs towards Eden Hall seeking shelter from the storm only to find a 'Reserved' sign posted on the front door. A nearby street vendor explains to her that every year on this particular day, the bar is closed for a single customer; the vendor proceeds to tell the story in flashback of Ryū's early days as an apprentice at Bar Saito when he served an inappropriate cocktail. On that evening, an important looking businessman named Ryūichi Minegishi arrived at Bar Saito with an attractive companion, Kanako, she ordered a champagne cocktail and Ryū served her Champagne Pick-Me-Up in a tall flute glass which Kanako rejected. Ryū later learned that drinking from a tall glass would have exposed her neck and lines of ageing, it transpires that Minegishi is actually quite poor, but likes to maintain the impression of being wealthy. The cocktail featured in this episode is the Gin & Tonic.