Ask Beau - "Name one local flavor that goes well with sake!"
Ahhhhhhh Yes! I am often reminded that many foodies love sake. It's true and I am very blessed to have so many great customers come to the store to share their foodie exploits from personal production to meals they had at various restaurants or trucks! Sara H. from Oakland asked me the other day what are some of my favorite flavors that I enjoy and does sake go with them? I was quick to add that I am a "salty savory" guy through and through! So I obviously like Yakitori places! As you know Yakitori are those small little chicken on stick places in alleys across Japan. They cater to the working class folks with cheap but extremely tasty chicken parts served hot off coals. From the heart and neck to the butts and skin they basically cook every part of the chicken. Each part has a succulent flavor and texture. My favorite is Torikawa or chicken skin! Greasy and salty and semi- chewy, basically you feel like Hannible Lecter at dinner. And one of my current favorite providers of good Yakitori is a restaurant called Ippuku in Berkeley. What is funny is they serve some very good sakes on a bar list loaded with Shochu. When I say funny I only do so, because they serve one sake from a cool brewery called Tedorigawa. So I eat Torikawa with Tedorigawa! Here are my thoughts as I wrote them down on my last visit:
Torikawa is $5
Tedorigawa Yamahai is $8 by the glass or $16 by a 300ml server
"The skin is fatty and the brew takes the oil. Good wash good feeling. Dry in general but Tedorigawa drinks with a hint of fruit with the skin. The acidity of the brew breaks up and cleans the oils. Add a little pepper and the acidity holds! The saltiness of the chicken skin is consumed by the balance of the sake."
$13 well spent!
Please send your sake specific questions to askbeau2 @ truesake.com. (This address is not for general questions and I only review the questions once per month. All other correspondence should use info @ truesake.com.)