Inside Bar Selecta, the 10-Seat Listening Bar Where Sake Meets Soul
Melbourne'sBar Selectadoesn't shout, it hums. Located on Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, this 10-seat listening bar is the work of six hospitality veterans:Joey Tai(ex–Flower Drum),Masaki Hisaike(sake sommelier),Kelvin Low(The Elysian),Adam Ong(Golden Monkey), andMichaelandEleena Tan(Brand Works).
The concept pays homage to Japan's intimate vinyl bars, where the music takes centre stage. Expect 1950s jazz records, obscure Japanese funk and throwbacks fromLana Del Reyto De La Soul, played through vintageJBLsin a space framed by red onyx, orange glass bricks and mid-century modern minimalism.
Behind the red onyx marble bar, drinks riff off the vinyl energy. Try the Sailor Moon Gimlet, a neon mix of Japanese gin, cherry blossom cordial, and Midori, or sip premium saké out of a wine glass, guided by mood and flavour rather than pretence.
The venue also features a 25-person lounge and laneway terrace, with Sunday BYO vinyl sessions and yakitori on the horizon. The vibe is summed up by the team's quiet mantra: 'Softly spoken. Deeply felt.'
For those chasing thoughtful cocktails, rare sake and warm frequencies, Bar Selecta hits the right note.
Bar SelectaRear entry, 717 Glenferrie RdHawthorn VIC 3122
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Los Angeles Times
8 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
A viral cafe in Little Tokyo brings an epic anime series to life
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Luffy, who dreams of becoming the Pirate King, and his band of Straw Hat Pirates as they seek the 'One Piece' treasure. Fans of the anime have flocked to the Little Tokyo storefront, eager to try Japanese dishes inspired by 'One Piece' characters like Sanji's 'Diable Jambe' Chicken Katsu Sando, with 24-hour brined chicken served on sweet honey milk bread, and Zoro's Onigiri, in honor of the character's love of rice and a nod to his precision as a swordsman. The interior dons a nautical theme, with walls that mimic the wooden deck of a pirate ship and characters depicted inside portholes. Branded merchandise includes Luffy's signature straw hat, themed key chains and even a 'Wanted' license plate. Drinks, ranging from slushies to matcha horchata, come in collectible cups. 'It's not [like] just they slapped the name 'One Piece' onto a random restaurant,' said customer Imelda Cardenas. 'They really did it justice with the interior and the menu, and the merch they sell inside is really great too.' Initially premiering in 1999, the 'One Piece' anime has 1,136 episodes and counting, with ardent fans deeply immersed in the lore. The manga, by creator Eiichiro Oda, is the bestselling manga of all time. New audiences were also introduced to the franchise in 2023, when Netflix released a massively successful live-action rendition of the anime. 'If you're a fan of 'One Piece,' then you think it's the best anime of all time,' explained Karime Benmbarek, who came with his older brother Yassine from Northridge to experience the Little Tokyo restaurant. 'Even if you're just a chill fan, you still feel the love through the community.' Restaurants themed around Japanese pop culture have recently gained footholds in L.A., with Gudetama Cafe and Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe — both within the Sanrio universe — opening in 2024. Local excitement for 'One Piece,' however, seems to be approaching the mainstream. In June, the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted a One Piece Night, featuring a limited edition 'One Piece' card drawn by Oda. The Los Angeles Lakers collaborated with 'One Piece' for their February matchup against the Clippers; exclusive merch from the match now resells for up to $250. ''One Piece' has a pretty big community, and especially with the Lakers and Dodgers collaborating with One Piece, L.A. is bringing anime into their culture as well,' said Yassine, who immediately alerted his younger brother after seeing a TikTok about the restaurant opening. The brothers bond over watching the show and, lured by the chicken katsu sandwich in particular, quickly made a plan to visit in person. Karime, who tried the chicken katsu sandwich and curry, said, 'I'd definitely come back — if my brother can take me.' As anime, manga and other elements of Japanese pop culture have become mainstream, the understanding of Little Tokyo as a place where people can engage in those interests has also skyrocketed, said Kristin Fukushima, the executive director of Little Tokyo Community Council. This interest in Japanese subcultures — evidenced in the virality of One Piece Cafe — can have a positive impact on other small businesses in Little Tokyo. After the Benmbarek brothers finished their meal, they planned to make a day of wandering through Little Tokyo. Another group of friends planned to hunt down a collectible in the nearby shops after visiting the restaurant. 'If you become more into anime and manga, that means you're seeing depictions of not just culture, but also food,' Fukushima said. 'So you have more people knowing what real ramen is versus the Maruchan instant ramen, or people who want real sushi and not just California rolls that they can buy in Ralphs.' 'I think it's just a growing familiarity with what Little Tokyo has to offer,' she said. 'Like, how do I further participate in this?' The timing of One Piece Cafe's opening comes as Little Tokyo is emerging from June's ICE protests. Located minutes from City Hall and the Metropolitan Detention Center, Fukushima said many small business owners found themselves in a 'lose-lose situation,' with images from the local news keeping people away from downtown out of fear. Fans of 'One Piece,' with its themes of friendship and freedom, are primed to be attuned to these tensions. 'I really like how 'One Piece' has a lot of nuanced messages about government powers and how oppressed people can come together,' said Daniel Orozco, who first learned about the restaurant at Anime Expo. 'It's really cool and especially relevant right now with everything going on politically.' Cardenas started watching 'One Piece' during the pandemic and quickly caught up by watching 12 episodes a day. Describing that time, she said, 'Everything was really scary and uncertain, and people just wanted answers and a distraction.' 'There's a message of hope in 'One Piece' because the protagonist Luffy wants to be the Pirate King, but underneath it all he's just fighting for justice,' she said. 'There's a lot of symbolism that can be taken into the real world.' One Piece Cafe is located at 241 S. San Pedro Street and open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Associated Press
13 hours ago
- Associated Press
POP MART Joins Forces with BlueX to Launch a New Era of Toy-Based RWA and Ignite a Global Blind Box Meme Craze
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Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
In Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe, the King Of The Monsters returns to stomp us, again
Godzilla has had one hell of a run. His famed Japanese franchise has produced 38 movies over 70 years with a merchandise and media bonanza that continues to reap profits. The King Of The Monsters has also invaded the comics realm—there was a 12-year run from Dark Horse between 1987 and 1999, followed by IDW's consistent series and one-shots that have been released since 2011. It makes sense that Marvel Comics would want to get a piece of the action with their recent one-shot crossovers and new Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe five-issue event. This isn't the first time Marvel has tried to capitalize on Godzilla's popularity: The comics titan released the first American Godzilla comics series between 1977 and 1979. The kaiju king was tied into the Marvel Universe with the immediate appearance of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the debut issue, with some superhero teams (notably, the Champions, Fantastic Four, and Avengers) woven into the narrative after that. 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After that, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers team up to try to stop the stomp—emphasis on 'try.' This is Godzilla we're talking about. The mighty, blustery Thor thinks it'll be a piece of cake until he gets tail-swatted into outer space. When The Thing sees a giant lizard foot looming over the FF, he surmises, 'Looks like it's getting clobbered time.' Even the usually steely Captain America is befuddled when an attempt to fatally wound Godzilla fails. 'Today's really gonna stink,' he sighs, before hightailing it with Quicksilver. If you're looking for a deeper human interest story like the one presented in the recent hit movie Godzilla Minus One, it isn't there. With so many characters crammed into this issue—including a total of 18 superheroes by the last panel— there isn't room to elaborate on much more than the imminent threat to mankind. So far, this saga is all about the chaos and carnage and occasional wisecracks, and it delivers on that front. If you're a casual comics fan who likes kaiju, it might feel discombobulating to be tossed into the fray right away. Knowing Marvel shorthand makes it easier to dive into this series and its six one-shot predecessors, which emerged in the half-year-long buildup to this spectacle. Clearly, Duggan and Garrón know their audience, its demands, and the comics history of their material, so they quite literally cut to the chase at the start. Duggan also summons similar quippy humor from the earlier Spider-Man crossover to keep things moving—there's even a goofy J. Jonah Jameson cameo that recalls a funnier one from way back in Godzilla #23—then turns the tables by delivering a tragic moment during the last three pages. The six separate one-shots released earlier this year acted as a prelude to this new series, although they were not interconnected, and you don't need to have read them to appreciate this. But they serve up some interesting ideas and take place during different periods along the Marvel timeline. In the '60s-era Godzilla Vs. The Fantastic Four, King Ghidorah becomes the new herald to Galactus, and the Big G needs an infusion of the Silver Surfer's Power Cosmic to take on the three-headed beast. In the late '70s-era Godzilla Vs. Hulk, the angry green giant's gamma-infused blood helps Godzilla battle a genetically engineered Hedorah. In the '80s-era Godzilla Vs. Spider-Man, Spidey's newly acquired symbiote suit infects Godzilla, who has to wage an inner battle with the alien parasite. Many revered Toho characters like Mothra, Jet Jaguar, and two Mechagodzillas also make appearances. These one-shots are relevant to Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe because the preview panel for the second issue presents an image of Godzilla's growling visage being consumed by Venom, and Spider-Man fans know that could reap disastrous consequences for the world if the symbiote succeeds this time. Thus, elements from these other stories, even the '70s run, may tie into the next four issues of this one. Perhaps Dr. Demonicus will return with another monster menagerie or Galactus will show up to wreak more havoc, tossing a cosmic monkey wrench into the mix. (Or perhaps a giant cosmic monkey?) In the '70s series, a young man named Rob Takaguchi was convinced of Godzilla's goodness and even managed to get him to stop rampaging in New York and peacefully disappear into the ocean. A narrative twist and different end game for our kaiju king might lie in the wings here. No matter how many times this colossal kaiju returns to decimate different urban landscapes, fans return for more. You can't keep an ornery kaiju down, and we really seem to like that. Godzilla Destroys The Marvel Universe #1 is available now. More from A.V. Club The first openly gay baseball player also invented the high five Whisper Of The Heart left a lo-fi legacy unique to Studio Ghibli John Oliver calls Colbert cancellation "terrible news for the world of comedy" Solve the daily Crossword
