Sake Cocktail, and Sake Pairing Experience
at swrl. in Shibuya, TOKYO
We recently launched an innovative paring experience that tied in various cuisine with a wide range of Kubota sake and creative cocktails.
The pairings have met their match at swrl. The cocktail bar newly opened in the heart of Tokyo’s ever hip Shibuya. Together with The SG Club next to swirl. they are produced by the world renowned bartender/entrepreneur, Shingo Gokan. Furthermore, enthusiastically he opened numbers of bars and restaurants within Japan and overseas. There seem no limits to his Shibuya-centered global projects.
The coupling of sake cocktails and fusion cuisine is an unexpected, surprising, and fun marriage. We are delighted to have guests from various backgrounds and see their smiles and surprises with joyful feedback of amazement and rediscoveries of sake. The menu for this exclusive event is as follows.
1. Beef tartare
Enjoy with herbs and chipped potato
Paired with a COCKTAIL
Ingredients : KUBOTA SUIJYU
apricot
majoram
and Absinthe
The crisp cocktail has a subtle sweetness with a hint of exotic flavor by marjoram and Absinthe. Among that SUIJYU’s fruity notes amidst a bright freshness were the key ingredients adding an elegant silky texture. It is paring well with the marinated raw beef with the rich aroma of herbs and just the right amount of saltiness.
2. Soft shell turtle consommé flan
A delicate consommé infused with seasonal fungi and gingko
Paired with
KUBOTA JUNMAI DAIGINJO
Maitake mushrooms and gingko nuts are immersed in the soup looking like a Matisse cutout. Surprising idea of soft-shell turtle consommé to pair with this “tanrei-karakuchi” sake. However, the full-flavored soup and the fruity, rich-bodied JUNMAI DAIGINJO naturally blend together.
3. “Lady Silk” shiitake mushroom with seaweed butter
A sauce made from butter, hamaguri clam stock, and seaweed, accented with pistachio dukkah
Paired with a COCKTAIL
Ingredients : KUBOTA HEKIJYU
SG Shochu Imo
bonito
and Laphroaig
The main dish was the most popular among guest feedback. The steak-like chunky Shiitake with creamy seafood and nutty sauce is well-balanced with a rich flavor and silky texture. The main ingredient of the cocktail, HEKIJYU tastes the earthiness with the complexity of umami by the traditional yamahai brewing method. Imo Shochu from Shingo Gokan’s SG Shochu and Laphroaig are mixed. It is quite strong but bonito, Japanese dashi staple ingredient, adds mild flavor. Surprisingly both strong characters made unique chemistry in the mouth.
SG Group Bar Manager
