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For your next tasting you will be trying out three different Japanese dishes, paired with two different, delicious types of Sake and a plum wine. Each have been paired up so that the flavors complement each other and highlight the best elements of each dish. Enjoy!
A FLORAL START
Sake just means alcohol in Japan, whereas the rice-based drink that we know as sake is in fact called ‘nihonshu’, Japanese alcohol made from rice. It’s been made in Japan for over a thousand years, but in the form of premium sake such as ginjo, only around 50 years.
OKA sake is made from a combination of half Dewasansan and half Haenuki rice polished down to 50%. It has an inviting floral bouquet with a touch of almond nuttiness and vanilla and a gentle background note of savoury umami character. It fills the mouth with a richly textured and concentrated rice quality that’s gently pear-like with a slight liquorice taste and initially creamy before gripping the palate with a fine mouthfeel.
We have paired the first sake with a seared butter sashimi with a truffle ponzu (sauce).
Why they are the perfect pair
The rich taste of the buttered sashimi compliments the floral sake as both fish and sake have rich umami ingredients, and by combining these two umami, you get a synergistic effect. That’s why food and drink with a similar flavor generally go well together. The stronger fragrance of the sake matches the buttery flavor of the sashimi and you get to enjoy a ‘typical sake’ aroma.
BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY
The second tasting you will be indulging in is a dry sake- Izuma. This sake, with its fresh aroma and acidity balanced against a young bitterness, evokes a cheerful scent and crispness. This is a refined, straightforward, and dry sake. This drier sake has been paired with a salmon nigiri.
Sake is meant to be enjoyed like a fine wine, but it plays with a similar palette, in terms of artistry, that you would see in beer.
Why they are the perfect pair
The richer, oilier salmon, plays with your taste buds as you try the dry sake that has earthy, spicy, mushroom tones with clean, mineral notes landing in the middle. Sampling sake in the context of food can be an effective means of developing an understanding of the spectrum on which sake falls.
Much like a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with a hearty steak, different categories of sake can complement various styles of sushi. In this case the dry sake is incredibly light, soft and refreshing. The dryness elevates some of the sweeter character in the salmon flesh, and cools the smoky tones, making the sake even more savory.
A SWEET FINISH
Your final tasting is a Japanese plum wine.
Plum Wine or Umeshu (梅酒) is a Japanese liqueur made by steeping fresh Japanese plum (ume) in shochu/white liquor and sugar. The sweet and sour flavors with the fruity aroma are very appealing and you can make many kinds of drinks with it.
This has been paired with Nasu Dengaku- a miso aubergine small plate.
Why they are the perfect pair
This traditional Japanese Nasu Dengaku recipe is made with tender broiled eggplant slices and brushed with a sweet miso glaze. The flesh of the eggplant is tender and the caramelised miso glaze an umami-mazing hit. The plum wine is a typically balanced liquor. Paired with the Nasu Dengaku it creates a rich, sweet, and aromatic taste acquired from its fruit Ume.
This concludes your wine tasting here. Thanks for stopping by!
Are you ready to move on?
Make your way outside and back down Bethnal Green Road towards Shoreditch High Street station.
You’ll pass under a giant train bridge and you need to use the crossings to get yourself over the crossroads, as you’re heading to Lounge Bohemia at 1A Great Eastern Street
Once you reach the address you will find a secret door next to a newsagents where you’ll have to buzz in (wink wink, nudge nudge..). If you are having trouble finding the door, call the host at 07720 707000 and they'll buzz you in.
You'll walk through a small, dark hallway covered in Czech newspaper print and down a flight of stairs before entering into a small room with oversized lamps and 50s-esque couches. It all feels very Soviet Russia…
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