Café Absinthe

Osaka gets taste of the green devil

Johnny Depp is only one of its modern-day champions, and what else holds enough mystique to both profoundly influence Picasso, and incline Van Gogh to hack his own ear off?

Absinthe has always held a fascination for the artistically-inclined, from its left bank origins as the drink/drug of choice for the assorted free thinkers of early Paris to its present day resurgence throughout Europe. Osaka now gets a taste of the green devil, and what better place to enjoy it than the bohemian surroundings of the burgeoning Horie scene?

The brainchild of Miho Irie and her husband Dmitri Farberov,
Café Absinthe is the latest addition to what is rapidly becoming Osaka’s answer to the Left Bank. After some time spent in Israel, Miho returned to Osaka this year with Dmitri. Impressed with the developments of Nishi-ku, they decided to get in on the act and, inspired by their recent travails through Europe, opened the café. Absinthe is a place for the couple to cultivate their mutual interest
in café culture and art.

Despite its newness (you can almost still smell the paint drying), Absinthe has made its mark in Horie — the area, with its galleries
and design studios, embraces the freethinking café as one of its own. Horie is rapidly gaining prominence as a place to appreciate life, and Dmitri and Miho are becoming instrumental in deciding the areas future as a center of independent, emergent art.

The walls of the café are, at the moment, blank. The couple’s
idea is to use their space as a canvas for young artists, both foreign and Japanese, eager to showcase their talents. The interior, fresh and modern, lends itself to their artistic tastes, which in turn reflects the ethos of the café — a kind of art décor/European gothic style.

The look of the café is central to how the clientele react to their surroundings, and Dmitri and Miho have aimed to promote an atmosphere that blends style and comfort.

And so to the absinthe. There are currently four types on sale
at the café — three are French and one is Czech, which holds the dubious distinction of being the strongest and which has the highest concentration of wormwood (the ingredient that supposedly is a mild hallucinogen). Absinthe typically has an alcohol percentage of around 55%, but the stylized manner in which it is drunk – by melting a sugar cube into it and mixing in water – means that it doesn’t lend itself to the quick-fix drinking ethos of many of Osaka’s foreign-owned bars. Café Absinthe is a place for connoisseurs and those who appreciate a good drink.

Accordingly, there is a plan in the works to introduce an ‘Absinthists’ night, when aficionados and the curious alike can gather to do a little appreciation of the drink and learn something of the history behind it.

There is also an extensive array of fine cocktails, both regular
and absinthe-influenced. Mixed drinks start from ¥500, and more specialized cocktails – the bartender specials – go from between
¥800 to ¥1200, each unique to the café and bearing the signature
of the experienced bartenders who run the shop.

Of course, there is more to the café than just the drink. October sees an extended menu, along the lines of Dmitri and Miho’s recent life in the Israel — a Mediterranean theme, with light moussakas and kebabs to round off the summer. Food is available until 11:30 in the evening, and ranges from ¥500 to ¥1200 per dish. In addition to the food, the couple brought back some sheeshas (middle-eastern water pipes) from Israel to help you digest your meal, if you are so inclined. There is also a brisk lunch trade, although you may want to lay off the absinthe if you want to function properly for the remainder of the day.

Dmitri brings his extensive DJ skills to the bar, playing out on special occasions and arranging the background music for the regular nights. Expect chilled-out housy/electronic beats.

Café Absinthe
Kita-horie 1-16-18, Nishi-ku
Nearest train station: Nishi-ohashi (Nagahori-Tsurumiryokuchi line) Exit #4
Open: 11:30am–1:00am, 7 days a week (at time of print)
Tel: 06-6534-6635

Text and Photos: Eua McKirdy