Home is where the heart is, as they say. Well, the hottest new home for the after-office crowd in Roppongi, it would seem, is Heartland bar in the Roppongi Hills complex. This is where, as every evening unfolds, you will find a steady flow of both foreign and Japanese coworkers and friends dropping by for a drink or two after work. And come Friday night, the place gets mobbed. But why, I found myself wondering, is Heartland so popular?

Obviously all things new are alluring, and the recently opened Roppongi Hills complex -- with its numerous swanky restaurants, chic coffee shops and stylish bars -- is a mega-magnet. While everyone there is doing brisk business, Heartland seems to be enjoying terrific success, despite the fact that it is basically a prepackaged bar sponsored by Kirin, one of Japan's brewing giants and the makers of Heartland beer.

One reason could be its sleek modern interior -- which is quite refreshing compared with other well-known Roppongi bars. There are simple white plaster walls with white leather benches face and a curving, central glass-topped bar, the entire length of which is backed by a ceiling-high drape of white cloth that doubles as a movie screen. In the middle of the room are a handful of stools and tall tables, also glass topped, In summer the crowd can spill out to a small outdoor terrace area.