First look: Inside Adelaide's tiniest bar
For Vini Wang, Japan’s Ginza bar is the apotheosis of cocktail culture. And with that in mind, he has opened an entirely new style of bar for Adelaide.
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“Omotenashi” is a Japanese word that has no equal in English. Loosely translated, it refers to hospitality service that is so good your host anticipates your every need.
And it’s the ethos behind Japan’s 100-year-old small bar culture, which is centred on Tokyo’s Ginza district.
For Vini Wang, the Ginza bar is the apotheosis of bar culture. He’s taken the time to compare styles and offerings in the district, and has sought out similar bars in Singapore and his home nation of South Korea. And with that knowledge in mind, he has opened his 12-seater Bar Peripheral – an entirely new style for Adelaide.
“I’ve been fascinated by the way Japanese do hospitality. Korean hospitality is pretty much the same, but … Japanese people do go above and beyond,” he says.
“But for some people, Japanese-style hospitality can be a bit too much – it’s also a bit impersonal. So what I’m trying to do is blend Japanese and Australian service. I’ve kept the high-quality service but added a touch of personality and sincerity.”
As with Ginza bars, Peripheral is a place of moody jazz, noir sophistication and classic cocktails taken to the highest level.
“Whatever you’ve had at another bar, order it here,” Vini says. “The taste will be different, the way it is presented will be different, the garnish will be different.”
Bar Peripheral is named for its city-edge location and its style, a fringe take on bar culture. “I wanted to move away from that Hindley St and Rundle St culture,” Vini says. “There, you get 150 patrons, maybe five or six bartenders, and a party atmosphere. I’m going the opposite way: just 12 patrons, one bartender and a relaxed atmosphere.
“And this bar is surrounded by a residential area – so it’s a place where local people can come in, instead of being a place you travel to.
“I wanted to make a place of respect – you finish your work at 6 or 7 o’clock, come in, and have a relaxing drink on the way to going home. It’s a place where you keep it slow. One drink over a few hours is fine.”
Vini’s cocktail-led journey began 16 years ago, when, as a 12-year-old he was taken by the forbidden mystery of mixology.
“I was a kid, just reading books and seeing those vivid red- and blue-coloured cocktails. I was just fascinated. I was fascinated by the glassware, too. I spend days imagining how cocktails would taste.”
Vini’s passion for cocktails took him from the seaside town of Gangneung in Korea to Adelaide, where he has worked in bars, and met his now wife Suji Jeong.
Suji, Vini and local furniture maker Taku Kamikawa worked together to create Vini’s new kind of drinking space.
“This place is purely based on Vini’s dream bar,” says Suji. “Since we met he’s been talking to me about what he wanted to do and what kind of bar he wanted to have. We experimented with bartops and lights, so it became visual to him. And because we’re married we could talk about it day and night.”
Taku’s custom-designed oak bar shelf holds 360 bottles. Tiny spotlights illuminate the 12m jarrah bar. By raising the floor, the padded leather stools are kept 20cm lower than standard bar stools – making them easier to sit on, while still allowing Vini to be at eye level with those he is serving.
The drink menu here is different here. It’s far more than a price list. It starts with a prologue explaining the Bar Peripheral concept, before taking drinkers through the methodology of each type of drink, accompanied by detailed sketches from South Korean artist Jaekwang So.
“This way, people know exactly what they’re getting,” explains Vini. “And there’s nothing classier than customers who know what they want to drink. Spending up to $20 is a big gamble for a drink, so I’m showing people how they can avoid losing on that gamble.
“The way I price my drinks is also different. It is a bit cheaper than most cocktail bars – any mix is a 50ml serve as a default, not a 30ml serve. And while I do have a price set for a 30ml pour, for a 50ml pour I only add a dollar – and the remaining 20ml is calculated by the cost to me. I’m not making any money extra if someone orders the extra pour. It’s cost price.”
Bar snacks consist of the option of a soup on arrival, and seasonal vegetables served julienne style with a dipping sauce. Bigger dishes are planned – perhaps a zucchini or eggplant escabeche. Tea is on the house.
“My goal is to make sure that no matter what mood you’re in when you arrive, and no matter how your day went, you feel a little better when you leave.”
See Facebook for launch night – tipped for early next week. Then Mon-Sat, 5pm-midnight, 447 Pulteney St, city