I recently attended a wonderful dinner at Yuwa Japanese Cuisine that paired Sake from Yoshinogawa with specially created dishes from Executive Chef Masahiro Omori.

Yoshinogawa has a tradition dating back 460 years of  producing the best Sake in the rice-growing heartland of Niigata province Founded in 1548. Yoshinogawa is the oldest brewery in the famed Sake producing region of Niigata Japan.

To start we enjoyed the following dishes and sake pairings:

1^st course

Awabi Umani (albacore Tuna) a beautiful dish

Paired with the Gokujo Yoshinogawa -Ginjo 55%

2nd course

Zensai set featuring a Soy braised Fraser Valley Duck, Shungiku, Blue Fin Tuna, Fukiyose – spot prawn karaage, Hidaka Kombu Kelp, BC Dungeness Crab

Paired with the Yoshi Special Premium – Junmal Ginjo 60% and Umi Blue Premium – Ginjo 60%

3rd course

Hagi Shinjo (lingcod Fish Cake pate in soup)

4^th course

Local Matsutake Tempura

Paired with Yoshinowgawa sake Gensen Karakuchi – Honjozo 65% in a Wooden cup

5^th course

Grilled BC Sablefish Yuan Yaki

Paired with the Yoshinowgawa Nakagumi – Daiginjo Genshu 50%

6^th course

 

Braised veal cheek with turnips, tender, delicious

Paired with Kome Dake Sake – Junmai 65% warmed

7^th course

Nigiri Sushi course

Paired with Toji no Banshaku -Brwemasters choice – Honjozo 65%

8^th course

Fuji apple sorbet and Coffee Panacottta

Paired with Yoshinowgawa Daiginjo 40%

This was a spectacular dinner, not only did I enjoy each of the dishes, I also learned so much more about the making of sake as well as Yoshinowgawa. Locally you can find these sake through their distributor Blue Note Wines.

Yuwa Japanese Restaurant is located at 2775 West 16th Avenue in Vancouver. You can find them on twitter @yuwa_japanese 

By: Richard Wolak