EN Japanese Brasserie
435 Hudson St
Manhattan
Hirohisa
73 Thompson St
Sakagura East Village
231 E 9th St
Sakamai
157 Ludlow St
Tonchin
13 W 36th St
Tsukimi
228 E 10th St
Wokuni
327 Lexington Ave
Yakiniku Futago
37 W 17th St
Zauo
152 W 24th St
Queens
Takumen
5-50 50th Ave
EN Japanese Brasserie
EN Brasserie’s extensive menu of Japanese dishes are fresh and topnotch in terms of quality, even across a broad range of cooking styles and specialties. The space offers excellent private dining rooms for special occasions, and a slew of other seating options for more low-key or intimate meals.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Daishichi Shoka Daiginjo: A deep full-bodied sake with elegant aroma and lengthy, satisfying aftertaste
Kokken Yamahai Junmai: A satisfying sip notable for its round, complex flavor and aged aroma
Okunomatsu Tokubetsu Junmai: A well-structured and medium bodied sake with a mild aroma and rich flavors
Pair the flight with Agedashi Tofu—lightly fried tofu served in a savory dashi broth with assorted mushrooms.“Dashi broth and sake are best friends! This dish will relax you like you're at a Japanese onsen spa!,” explains EN’s assistant general manager, Azuki Yamashita.
Hirohisa
Chef Hirohisa Hayashi’s eponymous Soho restaurant explores Japanese kappo style cuisine with regional specialties from his hometown of Echizen, Japan. The menu at Hirohisa is seasonal and market focused, offering omakase tasting menus and small plates a la carte.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Okunomatsu Daiginjo Shizuku Sake 18th Ihei: A precious sake made via a gentle, slow fermentation method using a natural dripping process
Daishichi Masakura: A mild sake with refined notes and deep richness
Suehiro Densho Yamahai Junmai: A well-balanced Yamahai sake with round, smooth notes and gentle sweetness
Chef Hayashi, who is a certified sake sommelier, suggests pairing this sake flight with Hirohisa’s creamy, umami-rich Shino Miso Ni soup featuring seasonal seafood, which is served as part of their tasting menu.
Sakagura East Village
Integral to acquainting New York City with the delights of sake, Sakagura has been one of the spirit’s top purveyors since opening its original location in Midtown East in 1996, expanding in 2018 with an outpost in the East Village that offers an equally impressive selection of sake varieties.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Kinpou Shizenshu Kan-Atsurae: Mild and sweet, produced with their own kobo yeasts in a Kimoto method
Benikanbai Momoiro Nigori Junmai: Sporting a distinctive foggy pink color, courtesy of the sake’s natural yeast, and a sweet and sour flavor profile
Ninki-Ichi Purple Junmai Daiginjo: An aromatic and semi-dry well-balanced sake
Try Tokachi Herb Beef Tataki, made with aged Garnet beef. “The strong umami of the beef pairs well with the sake’s rich umami and the refreshing sauce goes well with the sake with fruity notes,” says Sakagura’s sake sommelier, Ryoma Miki.
Sakamai
This stylish New York-style Izakaya restaurant and sake bar on the Lower East side offers fun Japanese dishes with an extensive Japanese beverage menu featuring sake, shochu, and whiskey. Fun facts: Sakamai means “sake rice,” and the eatery’s kanji characters translate to “drink and dance.”
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Honjozo Kimoto: A well-balanced, medium dry sake that’s a modern, refined tasting option
Suehiro Yamahai Junmai: A remarkably smooth yamahai-style sake with well-rounded flavors
Ninki-Ichi Silver Ginjo: A mellow flavored sake, full on the palate yet easy to drink
The flight will be served at Sakamai’s bar area, but each sake can be ordered individually in the main dining room
Sakamai suggests sipping Fukushima sake with their famous Uni Mazemen. The umami-filled, brothless noodle dish melds irresistible, rich delicacies of both land and sea.
Tonchin
At this Midtown West ramen spot, offers vary from excellent bar bites to a classic, rich tonkotsu ramen. Supplement a steaming bowl of ramen with tasty small plates, and don’t miss the creative riffs on classic cocktails using Japanese ingredients, like wasabi vodka tonic.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Okunomatsu Ginjo: The IWC (International Wine Challenge) 2018 Champion Sake with a balanced fragrance and fruity lightness
Nagurayama Junmai Ginjo Yokikana: A well-balanced, light sake soft on the palate
Naraman Junmai Muroka: Fruity sake with higher acidity and dry finishing notes
Enjoy the flight with their signature and addictive Spicy Chicken Wings seasoned “Tokyo-style” with white and pink peppers, teriyaki sauce and lime.
Tsukimi
The modern kaiseki restaurant located in the East Village offers a twelve-course tasting menu of exquisitely crafted and plated dishes. Tsukimi translates to ‘moon viewing,’ a nod to the traditional festival in Japan that honors the moon and symbolizes contemplation, gratitude, and togetherness.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Tsukimi is showcasing a single sake in lieu of a flight, to be savored along at a specific point in the dozen-dish kaiseki tasting menu—the Tenmei Junmai Ginjo paired with Tsukimi’s owan (soup) course.
This particular sake is aged for one year in highly specific conditions to achieve its topnotch flavor profile. The resulting brew tastes sturdy and sweet to start, before closing with an acidic finish.
Wokuni
This Japanese seafood restaurant in Midtown offers dishes with bluefin tuna cultivated in their own fish-farm in Nagasaki, and an array of other seafood dishes that The New York Times critic Pete Wells raved about in his 2018 review. Chef Kuni suggests pairing the below flight with the restaurant’s popular Wokuni Sashimi, comprised of an assortment of three to five different kinds of fish.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Daishichi Junmai Kimoto: A sake that superbly balances richness and acidity
Naraman Junmai Muroka: Fruity sake with higher acidity and dry finishing notes
Tenmei Junmai: A well-rounded sake with robust umami, sweetness, and acidity
Wokuni’s flight comes with a warm dashi soup; first, diners can enjoy the sake on its own, and then taste dashi soup to indulge in the umami-rich combination of the sake and the soup.
Yakiniku Futago
A Japanese yakiniku restaurant offering a plethora of high-quality cuts, including lesser-seen offal delicacies, which are grilled at the tables kitted out with their own compact grills.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo: A refined, silky and smooth sake, featuring an elegant aroma, and finishes with a long aftertaste
Kokken Yamahai Junmai: An aged sake with mature aroma as well as a round, complex flavor notes
Kissui Hidariuma Junmai Ginjo: This sake starts off with notes of fruity sweetness and tartness, contrasting with a dry, sharp after-note
Try this varied sake flight alongside Niku Sushi—befitting the restaurant’s meat expertise, this popular dish involves exceptionally tender, flavorful raw beef.
Zauo
If you’re seeking an immersive, fun seafood feast, how about fishing for your dinner? Head to Zauo in Chelsea to do precisely that. Zauo’s friendly staff is on hand to help you catch your fish from their indoor pools. The slew of tasty preparation options range from tempura fried to grilled to soy-simmered.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Daishichi Junmai Kimoto: Enjoy this sake’s beautiful balance of richness and acidity, with a clean after-taste
Tenmei Junmai: A plump yet crisp sake with a great balance of umami and softness
Kokken Tokubetsu Junmai Yume no Kaori: This sake has a hint of citrus aroma with refreshingly dry after-note
Takuya Takahashi of Zauo USA recommends sampling this flight with an Anago Oshi-Zushi, a pressed anago (sea water eel) sushi with a sweet-savory sauce that pairs well with the selected sakes.
Takumen
The Long Island City restaurant is an all-day (and night) find that’s equally as appealing as a neighborhood gem for locals and a destination-worthy outing from further afield, and offers an array of izakaya dishes plus hearty noodles. Takumen’s space is equally creative and appealing, featuring handmade ceramics plus a rotation of local artists’ works that changes every few months.
Menu for Fukushima Sake Week 2019 Dec. 02-08
Aizu Homare Junmai Ginjo Tatsumigura: A dry, clean and gentle flavor with a faintly fruity and crisp note
Sakaegawa Junmai Daiginjo: Brewed slowly at low temperatures resulting in calm yet well-defined aromas of fruits and flowers
Kinpou Shizenshu Kan-Atsurae: A refreshing yet vibrant and gentle sake with a hint of sweet honeysuckle notes
More Fukushima Sake available!
Enjoy sipping on these sake with a special assortment of Takumen’s popular Izakaya bar snacks, offered especially for Fukushima Sake Week.
