On Thursday, May 17, 2018, Tsubaki welcomed Kensuke Shichida, owner of the 140-year old Tenzan brewery in Kyushu, for an intimate dinner featuring his line of Shichida sakes.

Although the brewery has a long history spanning six generations, Shichida is a continuous innovator, always pushing boundaries and focusing on brewing sake with a low polish rate, no dilution or charcoal filtration, and several years of in-house aging. His sakes are deep, soulful, and umami-filled, and pair well with the rich flavors of the izakaya cuisine at Tsubaki.

We poured six sakes from Shichida, including one limited-release seasonal bottle and an earthy yamahai never before available in Southern California. To accompany the various bottlings, we also offered a tasting menu of dishes inspired by the brewer’s own favorite pairings, and of course, the company of Mr. Shichida, who shared his own stories and thoughts on sake.

MENU

SASHIMI freshly grated wasabi, aged soy

SHICHIDA junmai ginjo

FOIE GRAS TERRINE sake-macerated market strawberries, milk bread

SHICHIDA junmai daiginjo

KANI CREAM KOROKKE dungeness crab croquette

SHICHIDA junmai

SORIRESU binchotan-grilled chicken oysters, yuzu kosho

SHICHIDA junmai ginjo muroka nama genshu

BUTA KAKUNI hatcho miso-braised pork belly, hot mustard

SHICHIDA umakuchi yamahai

GYU SUMIBI-YAKI grilled dry-aged steak, grilled baby corn, japanese mushrooms

SHICHIDA 75 yamada nishiki