Continued from my previous post: Ultimate summer food and sake paring: Part 1

6. Wakaebisu, Mie with Ayu Himono

Ayu or sweetfish from Wakaebisu’s local river was dried first, then grilled. The bitter aftertaste of the charred fish went well with a very fruity Gizaemon. Wakaebisu is in Iga City in Mie, the hometown of Ninja. So, what’s their sake label for export?

Wakaebisu-Gizaemon, Mie Yamada Nishiki with ayu

7. Urakasumi, Miyagi with Grilled Hoya

This was my first time to have grilled hoya, a local delicacy from the Miyagi coast. I often associate this firely ball under the sea with sumono or vinegarette, but the grilled texture was similar to oyster. So, having hoya with a rather gentle Urakasumi junmai nama made me think of our fun evening of oyster overload in their hometown, Shiogama.

Urakasumi Junmai Nama with grilled hoya

8. Gokyo, Yamaguchi with Aji Namero

Chilled aji-no-namero or horse mackerel tartar flavored with miso, nihonshu, and herbs went perfectly with very clean sake with some depth. I have been a big fan of Gokyo lately.

Gokyo Junmai Nama with aji-no-namero

9. Tenju from Akita with Iwagaki from Yuri-kaigan

Iwagaki, or rock oyster, from the Yuri coast in Akita was mixed with ponzu vinaigrette. Very light summery Tenju junmai ginjo made with rice harvested at the brewery nicely washed down the citrusy umami.

Tenju Junmai Ginjo Nama with iwagaki

10. Umenishiki, Ehime with Chikuwa

Pieces of unpretentious chikuwa made from shrimp and snapper was a perfect way to wind down the dinner. As the label on the bottle says, this particular Ehime sake is so gentle and easy to drink. Even at 40 Celsius, I could just sit there and continue to drink Umenishiki as the night deepened.

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Umenishiki Junmai Ginjo with chikuwa

I loved everything that night, but I have such a soft spot for Kochi from my trip to Kami-no-kae. My favorite pairing for the night was a bit of lightly-warmed Tsukasa Botan Hacchu Funasaku with katsuo-no-tataki. I was lucky to be sitting next to my sake otaku friend who always has his low-tech portable kan gadget to warm up the brew. Grilled hoya with Urakasumi Junmai Nama was a tie. What’s your favorite?

About Takara

Address: Tokyo Kokusai Forum B1 3-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
東京都千代田区丸の内3-5-1 東京国際フォーラムB1
Phone: 03-5223-9888
Website in English: http://r.gnavi.co.jp/fl/en/g107805/
Access: Takara is located at Tokyo International Forum .1 min. walk from JR Yurakucho Station