mrsake_vol3

Saketora - Arising Star in the sake world

Do you know what is the commonality between Cantonese cuisine and sake? In fact, it is “umami”. With both emphasizing “umami”, they can easily complement each other and create a better dining experience. In celebration of the first anniversary of Saketora, we have just held a sake dinner pairing with Cantonese food and are so glad to have Mr. Namisato Naoya, one of the most talented young sake sommeliers, join us. 4 completely different sakes and traditional Cantonese dishes were ordered that night. Let’s see how well they can go with each other!

Selected Sakes



Shrimp Dumplings
The shrimp is fresh and sweet while the wrappers are soft and light. A crisp and dry sake with a short finish like Toko Dry Junmai Daiginjo is a perfect match. The Daiginjo of Jokigen is complex, so it would go better with greasier and saltier food such as pan-fried dumplings. Maborashinotaki Junmai Ginjo is an aged sake, so it overwhelms the fresh taste of the shrimps. Myokozan Foret du Fruit is so fruity that the harmony can be easily lost when with seafood.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★☆☆
Toko: ★★★★★
Maboroshinotaki: ★☆☆☆☆ Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Shrimp Dumplings
The shrimp is fresh and sweet while the wrappers are soft and light. A crisp and dry sake with a short finish like Toko Dry Junmai Daiginjo is a perfect match. The Daiginjo of Jokigen is complex, so it would go better with greasier and saltier food such as pan-fried dumplings. Maborashinotaki Junmai Ginjo is an aged sake, so it overwhelms the fresh taste of the shrimps. Myokozan Foret du Fruit is so fruity that the harmony can be easily lost when with seafood.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★☆☆
Toko: ★★★★★
Maboroshinotaki: ★☆☆☆☆
Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Ribs in Black Bean Sauce
It is actually my first time to try Chinese black beans and I find them like an intense version of Miso. Together with the ribs, this dish is meaty and savory, so a complex sake like the Jokigen Daiginjo is an ideal combination. As it is fermented in the Yamahai method, its prominent notes of cream-like tartness also complement well the greasiness in the meat. Maboroshinotaki is not bad but it would go better with food that has more intense flavors. Toko might be too simple while Myokozan too fruity for this dish.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★★
Toko: ★★★☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★☆☆(3.5) Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Ribs in Black Bean Sauce
It is actually my first time to try Chinese black beans and I find them like an intense version of Miso. Together with the ribs, this dish is meaty and savory, so a complex sake like the Jokigen Daiginjo is an ideal combination. As it is fermented in the Yamahai method, its prominent notes of cream-like tartness also complement well the greasiness in the meat. Maboroshinotaki is not bad but it would go better with food that has more intense flavors. Toko might be too simple while Myokozan too fruity for this dish.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★★
Toko: ★★★☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★☆☆(3.5)
Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Cantonese Roast Pork Belly
Pork belly itself is greasy and rich. After the skin is baked, it becomes even juicier and more flavorful. Again, a complex sake like the Daiginjo of Jokigen will be a good match because its pleasant tartness can scrape the oiliness in the pork left in your mouth. Its prominent notes of white rice also create a harmony with the saltiness in the meat. Maboroshinotaki is a bit too intense for it and would probably go better with Chinese stewed pork. Toko is too light for it, so it’d be nicer with seafood platter while Myokozan is fruity, so salad might be better.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★★
Toko: ★★★☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★☆☆ Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Cantonese Roast Pork Belly
Pork belly itself is greasy and rich. After the skin is baked, it becomes even juicier and more flavorful. Again, a complex sake like the Daiginjo of Jokigen will be a good match because its pleasant tartness can scrape the oiliness in the pork left in your mouth. Its prominent notes of white rice also create a harmony with the saltiness in the meat. Maboroshinotaki is a bit too intense for it and would probably go better with Chinese stewed pork. Toko is too light for it, so it’d be nicer with seafood platter while Myokozan is fruity, so salad might be better.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★★
Toko: ★★★☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★☆☆
Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Braised Tofu
With the salty sweet sauce and grilled tofu, the dish is so flavorful and intense. It can go well with a fuller-bodied sake like this Maboroshinotaki. As it has been aged 3 years, it shows the hints of almond and malt, which can complement the flavors of the dish. The Jokigen Daiginjo is less complex and a bit lighter, so I bet Maboraoshinotaki is slightly better. If you are pairing with steamed Tofu, Toko would be nice while Myokozan is more suitable with Tofu salad.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★☆
Toko: ★★☆☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★★★ Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Braised Tofu
With the salty sweet sauce and grilled tofu, the dish is so flavorful and intense. It can go well with a fuller-bodied sake like this Maboroshinotaki. As it has been aged 3 years, it shows the hints of almond and malt, which can complement the flavors of the dish. The Jokigen Daiginjo is less complex and a bit lighter, so I bet Maboraoshinotaki is slightly better. If you are pairing with steamed Tofu, Toko would be nice while Myokozan is more suitable with Tofu salad.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★☆
Toko: ★★☆☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★★★
Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Braised Eggplant with Salted Fish
It is a dish I’ve never tasted before. With the saltiness from the fish, spiciness from ginger and garlic and sweetness from oyster sauce, it is beyond doubt the most savory and richest dish of tonight. Maboroshinotaki is a full-bodied sake, so definitely it is the most ideal choice. The hints of malt and caramel complement well the spicy flavors of the dish. Jokigen is the second option but it would go better with the dishes that have less sauce. If you are having simple grilled eggplant, Toko would be great. Pasta salad with eggplant could be a nicer choice for Myokozan.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★☆
Toko: ★☆☆☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★★★ Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Braised Eggplant with Salted Fish
It is a dish I’ve never tasted before. With the saltiness from the fish, spiciness from ginger and garlic and sweetness from oyster sauce, it is beyond doubt the most savory and richest dish of tonight. Maboroshinotaki is a full-bodied sake, so definitely it is the most ideal choice. The hints of malt and caramel complement well the spicy flavors of the dish. Jokigen is the second option but it would go better with the dishes that have less sauce. If you are having simple grilled eggplant, Toko would be great. Pasta salad with eggplant could be a nicer choice for Myokozan.
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ★★★★☆
Toko: ★☆☆☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ★★★★★
Myokozan: ★☆☆☆☆
Almond Jelly
As the most popular Chinese dessert in Japan, almond jelly is mildly sweet and yummy enough by itself. But how about pairing with sake? (After pairing with all the sakes) Honestly, the sweetness of the dessert overwhelms the freshness of the sake, so they don’t really match each other. To everyone, if you are having dessert, my advice would be pair with green tea. (Chuckle)
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ☆☆☆☆☆
Toko: ☆☆☆☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ☆☆☆☆☆ Myokozan: ☆☆☆☆☆
Green Tea: ★★★★★
Almond Jelly
As the most popular Chinese dessert in Japan, almond jelly is mildly sweet and yummy enough by itself. But how about pairing with sake? (After pairing with all the sakes) Honestly, the sweetness of the dessert overwhelms the freshness of the sake, so they don’t really match each other. To everyone, if you are having dessert, my advice would be pair with green tea. (Chuckle)
-MATCH RATE-
Jokigen: ☆☆☆☆☆
Toko: ☆☆☆☆☆
Maboroshinotaki: ☆☆☆☆☆
Myokozan: ☆☆☆☆☆
Green Tea: ★★★★★

Summary
Since both Cantonese food and sake emphasize “umami”, they can pair with each other easily. However, as there are many variations in them, to have a better “Mariage”, it’d be better to choose a sake by considering how light or how heavy the food you are going to have. For light food such as seafood platter, a crisp and dry sake like “Toko Dry Junmai Daiginjo” would be an ideal option. For heavier dishes, a more complex sake such as “Jokigen Daiginjo Nakagumi” is preferred. If the food contains a lot of spices, a full-bodied one like “Maboroshinotaki Aged 3 Years” would be nicer. However, if you are going to have an extremely fruity one like “Myokozan Foret du Fruit”, our suggestion is to serve it as aperitif or dessert wine and pair it with nuts or fruit. Food pairing is so fun and let’s explore more by comparing different sake with more food!