Summer is here, the season of lethargy and listlessness, of sweat and stunted appetites. There are ways to ameliorate (if not actually beat) the big heat, but very few of them involve eating. For us, summer is about sitting outside in the cool of the evening, a nice cold beer at hand, or a bottle of crisp white wine. Snacks are required, though certainly nothing too substantial. But the most important factor is the location. Here are a couple of places with al fresco annexes that come into their own at this time of year.
The opening of the V28 building last September marked the arrival of 21st-century, glass-and-steel architecture at the hitherto sedate end of Omotesando. Inside is just as impressive, as you will find if you ride the see-through elevators up to the fourth floor, occupied by the sexy, stylish flagship of the Soho's chain.
The restaurant itself is a cavernous space with high ceilings, curving walls of sleek aluminum, a glass-fronted kitchen and deep purple velvet curtains to screen off the leather sofas of the VIP area. It makes for spectacular dining, but we prefer the cool chic of the adjacent bar area, with its long, sweeping counter and low tables for two looking out through huge picture windows onto the Harajuku skyline.