Yasuhiro Abe -- Eve no Restaurant（イブのレストラン）

 

Well, we're a day early for Urban Contemporary Friday on "Kayo Kyoku Plus", but heck, I think we can sneak in a bit of caviar-and-champagne sophisticated City Pop, especially when it's about Christmas. And especially when the recording artist is Yasuhiro Abe（安部恭弘）.

From his 8th album "Tengoku wa Mattekureru"（天国は待ってくれる...Heaven Can Wait） released in November 1991, I offer you "Eve no Restaurant" (Christmas Eve Restaurant). Written by Chinfa Kan（康珍化）and Ren Takayanagi（高柳恋）and composed by the singer himself, it's one charming and optimistic tune (always love the horns) that's probably like Abe's character who's putting on the dog-and-pony show that he'll always be on his girlfriend's side. Now, let's eat at that expensive and stylish restaurant on December 24th after which Abe will be paying the bill in five installments on his credit card into the New Year. That's the Japanese way! 

I did find this video from YouTuber Chotto Ohgui Joshi（ちょっと大食い女子...Little Big Eating Lady） where she had her Christmas dinner up at the New York Grill at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Tokyo. Methinks this is quite the step up from Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Fujiya Strawberry Shortcake. However, I believe that the New York Grill has been shut down for the next little while because the Hyatt will be undergoing major renovations for the next several months.