August 2007
Choose Your Sake by Category

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True Sake In The News - Spirit Magazine, Market Watch, SF Chronicle
The second hit was from a "Marvin Shanken" publication called MarketWatch, which is not available on-line - sorry! It is pretty much a trade rag for the wine, beer and spirits sector. And they did a very nice job covering the "angles" of sake in today's restaurant settings. "Sake's New Age" by Bridget Eldridge in the July-August issue. They used several of our store's photos and the usual suspects in the sake world get quoted, but I think that I spent the most time speaking with Bridgett so the take is heavily skewed to the True Sake impressions of sake. That said there are several glaring mistakes with some of the numbers that she aggregated.
Lastly, there is a summary of the Cocktail event that I spoke at in New Orleans in the SF Chronicle. This is a cocktail-centric event that flew me down to speak the gospel of a fermented beverage to those devilish distilled folks.
With 85 different kinds of sake, Ozumo has the widest selection on the West Coast. Pine floors, cushioned banquettes, and soft lighting create an elegant setting for newcomers to try a flight—a sampler arranged according to intensity—for an instant education. Veterans should consider a rare bottle like Tedorigawa Mangekyo, limited to just 200 in the United States.
161 Steuart St.
Visitors to the MGM Grand shouldn't skip Shibuya. Named after one of Tokyo's super-trendy neighborhoods, the bar's fittingly sleek design features traditional Japanese woodwork. The glass-walled sake cellar houses vintages from Hiroshima to Hokkaido. Ask Shibuya's full-time sommelier for a recommendation. I prefer sakes from the Niigata prefecture, the Napa Valley of Japan. Try the sushi with Shibuya's fresh wasabi grated straight from the root.
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Designed with lots of exposed brick and wood, Sasaya is a cozy, comfortable izakaya—meaning "sake culture," but it might as well mean "sake pub." Ads adorn the walls promoting 16 sake varieties that change every six months. Order a dry, smooth Otokoyama or a sweeter, spicy Kikusui. If you're unsure, tell the bartender your favorite wine, and he'll give you a comparable recommendation. 'Izakayas are sake pubs where people go after work to relax—the Japanese equivalent of the bar in Cheers'
11613 Santa Monica Blvd.
Located in the basement of an East Village tenement since 1993, Decibel sells sake for common folks. Relax in the hip, unpretentious atmosphere while sampling recommendations from the sake-savvy waitstaff. I like the dry, light Suishin and the fragrant, full-bodied Umenishiki. An intimate bar setting, small tables, and generously poured servings make Decibel a perfect place to learn about sake without worrying about price or pretense.
240 E. Ninth St.