Saikindō begins with a convincing piece of misdirection. At the end of the Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi lobby on Al Maryah Island, guests arrive at what appears to be a fashion atelier, lined with embroidered sukajan jackets and accessories inspired by 1980s Japan. A concealed door then opens onto a densely layered world of analogue sound, yakitori smoke and Bōsōzoku biker swagger. The bar takes its name from an informal Japanese way of asking, ‘How have you been?’ – apt for a watering hole aimed at the island’s after-work crowd.
Wallpaper* drinks at Saikindō, Abu Dhabi
The mood: James Bond in a sukajan jacket
AvroKO built the concept around three references: Japan’s 1960s Metabolism movement, the timber craft of vintage speakers and ‘Bond-zoku’. The studio describes the latter as James Bond having ‘traded the tuxedo for a sukajan jacket from the Bōsōzoku gang’.
The entrance corridor repeats circles and squares across its walls, its carved openings and backlighting recalling both radio static and modular Metabolist structures. In the main lounge, shallow timber speaker forms climb the walls; oak, jade velvet and polished metal give the room the warmth of vintage audio equipment. The central DJ booth directs the layout, flanked by vinyl shelves and two diagonal mixing stations, while the flush bar counter places bartenders and guests at the same eye line.
Elsewhere, the private Kūkan room pairs a concealed DJ booth with embroidered flaming tigers. Outside, a woven mural recasts Ultraman, King Kong and Godzilla as decorative craft.
The drinks: twelve songs on two sides
Beverage director Marco Corallo and head mixologist Ann Pinsuda structured the Aji No Hibiki (‘Resonance of Flavour’) menu like a record, dividing its 12 song-inspired cocktails between Side One and Side Two. The bassline, tempo and melody of each track informed its flavour profile. Big Poppa combines sotol, Campari, wasabi, tomato dashi and vanilla; Like Sugar uses vodka, black sesame, banana, tonic and blueberry balsamic. Several drinks are also available as free-spirited serves.
Food comes from the 18-seat Robata Room, where chef Slamet Wahyudi serves A5 wagyu tartare with smoky mustard and a charcoal bun; lobster negima grilled with yuzu kosho butter; and Kobe sirloin skewers with yolk tare and torched spring onion.
Saikindō is located at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi Global Market Street, Abu Dhabi, UAE