Codename Mixology serves inventive, wonderfully oddball drinks, and just might be our favorite cocktail bar in Tokyo. The bartenders make use of fresh herbs, seasonal fruits and vegetables, artisanal and home-made spirits, and science-lab techniques from the world of molecular gastronomy to deliver some truly amazing creations.

Just browsing through the menu is an adventure, as you try to fathom recipes with ingredients like foie gras vodka, fresh pumpkin puree, smoke, and liquid nitrogen. Savory flavors are perhaps more common than sweet ones - for example the Tom Yam Cooler (our favorite here) incorporates tamarind syrup, coriander leaf, lime juice, white balsamic vinegar, pepper sauce and tom yam vodka, while the "Breakfast" somehow captures the essence of bacon and eggs in a glass.

Sweeter drinks include a nice espresso-cacao martini, and cocktails made from various fresh fruit. Monthly special cocktails showcase seasonal ingredients.

The daily menu of side dishes is creative and well executed. We enjoyed some extremely tender Hokkaido venison "cha shu" fillets, and a platter of assorted smoked delicacies that was well matched to our drinks.

Most seating is at the spacious ten-seat counter in the main bar area, where you can watch the bartenders at work; there are also a few booths and tables in back for groups. The decor is plush, and the overall atmosphere is relaxed and somewhat subdued.

Drinks average around Y1,500-2,000, plus 5% service charge and a cover charge of Y800 - all in all quite reasonable for this level of quality.