The Blogosphere has been abuzz lately wondering about the winners of the 2007 UrbanSake.com Golden Masu Awards. I know people were concerned that 2007 would draw to a close without the sake blogging world’s highest honors being bestowed this year. Fear Not! Just in the nick of time, the 2007 Golden Masu Awards are here. […]
If New York City had a Town Crier, I know exactly what he’d be shouting right about now: “Hear ye, Hear ye Sake fans! New York’s first dedicated sake shop is now open: Sakaya!!!” In Japanese “sakaya” means sake shop, so this seems the perfect name for a stateside temple to Nihon-shu. This beautiful store […]
Ever wonder what it might be like to jump inside a comic book like that 80’s A-ha Video? Well, me neither – but you can experience it nonetheless with a trip to Tribeca’s Tokyo Bar (277 Church Street New York, NY 10013). The soaring walls and ceiling in this place are covered with comic book […]
Attending a sake tasting at the Japanese Consul General’s private residence was a unique experience. Upon arriving, we went through security and found ourselves in the grand foyer of a town house that looked like it belonged to a robber baron of the Golden Age… with a touch of Liaisons Dangereuses decor thrown in. Think […]
My trip to Japan was exhilarating, but exhausting. After days of struggling to find my way around around Kyoto and embarrassing myself trying to use broken Japanese, I was glad to be back in my crowded, loud, but favorite city: New York, baby! Still, I didn’t want to leave Kyoto totally behind. What’s a samurai […]
After my adventures in Yamaguchi, it was back to Kyoto for a final few days in Japan. After a week of thrilling ‘firsts’ (first shinto ceremony, first bullet train, first brewery visit…) it was time for another very important “first”… my first visit to a Japanese Sake Shop! Attached to the huge Kyoto train station, […]
After my fantastic introduction to the production process at Dassai, Mr. Sakurai Sr. and Mr. Sakurai Jr took me out for a fantastic all-blowfish dinner. Known as “Fugu” in Japanese, yes… it is that deadly, poisonous fish. Yeah, that’s the fish you need to have two years of training and a special license to cut […]
I was honored to receive an invitation to visit Asahi Brewery, makers of the delicious Dassai Brand Sake located in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The beautiful Sakurai Family generously opened their home and their business to this curious American/fledgling Samurai, and I was rewarded with a real insider’s view of life at the brewery. This adventure made […]
After my morning and afternoon of sipping and spitting sake at the Kyoto Sake Samurai sake tasting, I dashed off to Chion-in Temple by Taxi and tried to find my way to the sake tasting dinner. My hosts were gallantly looking for me on the vast temple grounds and luckily I was found and quickly […]
Day 2 of the Sake Samurai events had me up early to head off to a very large sake tasting connected to the Sake Samurai Association. I felt pretty good after last night but was in for a long day of tasting… and we were starting early – 10AM! When I arrived at the tasting, […]
On Oct 19th, 2007, my first full day in Japan, I had the honor of being named a Sake Samurai by the Japan Brewer’s Association’s Jr Council. Ok, this experience was definitely once in a lifetime. The day started with my arrival by taxi at the UNESCO World Heritage site known as Shimogamo Shrine. It […]
Tomorrow, I’m leaving on a jet plane for my first ever trip to Japan. That statement, in and of itself, is exciting. However, when I think about why I’m going to Japan, words can’t quite express what I feel. In short, I’ve been invited to Japan for a tremendous honor: to become a Sake Samurai. […]
Scott took me out for a special dinner and we went to perhaps the most well known sushi restaurant in New York: Sushi Yasuda. Because it’s such a famous temple to the art of sushi, it’s been on my “must try” list for a long time. What amazing Sushi and Sake combinations await me here!? […]
October 1 is International Sake Day a.k.a. “Sake No Hi”. Even I will admit Sake Day is not yet as well known as other Hallmark-type holidays such as Valentines Day or Groundhog Day… but I have a dream, people! One day, Sake No Hi will rank up there with the other holidays of note or, […]
The Joy of Sake event is the highlight of New York’s annual Sake week. It’s the largest sake tasting event outside of Japan and a definite “Don’t Miss” on the sake circuit. At Last year’s Joy of Sake, I was an innocent newbie, untrained in the ways of mega sake tastings. This year however, I […]
My first message from Melinda, the mastermind behind Tokyo through the Drinking Glass Blog, arrived in early July 2006. After a few messages back and forth it became clear that we were kindred sake otaku and so began our (online, 21st-century, cyber blogging) fast friendship. Together with Melinda, we not only chatted back and forth […]
Sake week in NYC is upon us. And boy oh boy, did I find an event to kick it off in style! This evening brought me back to a new favorite spot of mine – Chanto. Just like my last visit to Chanto, they offered up an amazing triple play for the evening! This time […]
Sake education is hard to come by in the US. I’ve been anxious to learn as much as I could about sake, but beyond reading books and going to tastings, there have been few opportunities to learn in a classroom setting – until now! On August 27, 28 and 29, 2007, Mr. John Gaunter – […]
Have you every wondered what kind of sake is best suited to your personality? Well now is your chance to find out! Take this SAKE PERSONALITY QUIZ and learn what type of sake is best for you! Go to the QUIZ now>
New York Japanese restaurant Chanto was host recently to a fantastic evening of Daiginjo Sake, Tuna and dancing. The sake was really top notch. It was all Daiginjo or Junmai Daiginjo – some of the best stuff to be had. A huge piece of tuna was cut up and served in many ways and was […]
Here is a quick video showing off one of my favorite T-shirt designs in my line of shirts custom made for fashion forward sake fanatics. If you want to see more sake shirts, visit Urbansake.com/shop. Kanpai! Play Quicktime version
Our Friends over at the Akita Sake Connoisseurs’ Club hosted another gathering to celebrate summer and to celebrate some awesome Akita Sake. Thanks to their efforts, Akita sakes are getting even more props in New York. One of the wonderful parts of this event was the fantastic kimono worn by the hosts which added to […]
New York’s Upper East Side is a bastion of Old Money, well preserved traditions as well as many well preserved ‘Ladies who Lunch’. Kinda goes without saying that this mostly makes for a decidedly un-hip place to hang out. On my last trip to the UES, my search for sake took me to delightful Donguri […]
Our friend Toshi at Sake Hana was host to another Late Night tasting devoted this time to the fantastic Dassai brand sakes from Asahi Brewery in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The July 20th tasting was indeed late – starting at 11pm, but in the name of sake research, I persevered. An entire tasting devoted to one brand […]
Here are four unique Junmais I’ve reviewed in the month of July. Click through to the Full review page to see more. If you’ve tried any of these, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! Ohyama Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Sake Grade: Junmai Brewery: Ohyama Prefecture: Yamagata Ricetype: Seimaibuai: 60% Alchohol Content: 15.5% […]
Hello. My name is Timothy and I’m SobaKoh-dependent. It all started out so innocently. A little nibble of tempura here, a sip of sake there and before I knew it I was loudly and forcefully slurping soba broth and gulping sake with wild abandon. Let this be your warning – if you read further – […]
I took Scott out for his birthday to a fantastic new sushi restaurant – 15 East. They have an amazing sake selection to boot. So, it turned out to be a treat for both of us. In this video I just wanted to give you a flavor of what we experienced. I also highlight some […]
Down old East Village way is a little soba place called Soba-ya that is just the bees knees. I’ve been there twice now, so it’s finally time to post on the sake happenings at this terrific soba joint. First thing to know – there will always be a wait to be seated if you arrive […]
New York is crowded and hot. Yuck! what better reason to head out of the city and do a little “sake research”? Zip across NJ and before you know it, you’re in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. I wanted to see how much sake lovin’ was going on in the city that bore witness […]
The idea behind our International Cyber Sake tasting is to have sake bloggers from all over the world taste the same sakes on the same evening and report in on their blogs as to how these sakes stacked up in their part of the world. To get an idea of how Manhattan reacted to these […]
Check out this new feature here at UrbanSake.com. I’ve put together an interactive map of New York City that highlights sake bars, restaurants and retailers. I’ll be expanding and updating this map on a regular basis but please contact me if you want to add a NYC sake location to this map. Also, please be […]
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This event is sold out. For 100 years, Japan’s National Sake Appraisal has pushed brewers in a spirit of friendly competition toward continuous improvement in the art of sake making, as manifested in its flavors and aromas. Unlike industries that change as a result of new technologies, sake making still depends largely on the subtle […]
Just a quick post today to show you the various sake bottle sizes available for purchase. Once you know your 720s from your 300s, you’ll never be in the dark about how much sake you’ll actually get when you buy a bottle. As always, comments and feedback are appreciated. Play Quicktime version
In December 2005 I tried that Saint Mark’s stand-by Yakitori Taisho. That experience left me feeling like i’d been run thru the Maytag spin cycle and was also my unfortunate introduction to rough and overpowering taru sake. Recently, I discovered however that Yakitori Taisho had opened a sister restaurant down the block called “Oh! Taisho” […]
Just the name “NOBU” conjures up ideas of elegance and exclusivity. Nobu has been on my list of “must try” places forever, but I never quite got around to it. Why was Nobu on my must try list? well, it’s so famous it must be good… right? Scott came to the rescue and sweetly offered […]
Today, we take a look at a terrific nama Sake: Harushika “Shiboribana” (Harushika Brewery, Nara Prefecture, Junmai Ginjo Namazake, SMV +5, Acidity 1.4, Seimaibuai: 60%, ALC 16-17%). This is a great introduction into the world of Nama (unpasteurized) sake. The fresh, alive flavor you get from namas is really special and I hope you try […]
Today I’m posting my first video Sake Review. I’m taking a closer look at Shirataki Jozen Mizunogotoshi (Shirataki Shuzo, Niigata prefecture, Junmai Ginjo, SMV +3, Acidity 1.4, Seimaibuai: 55%, ALC 15.5%). It’s a delightful, clean drinking and super smooth charmer. I hope you enjoy. If you have had this sake, please let me know what […]
This is another video in the “Sake 101” series which explains the 6 major classifications of sake. These different categories can effect both price and taste of your sake, so it’s worth learning about. I hope you find this useful and informative. Once you know these basics, you’ll be honjozo-ing with the best of ’em. […]
This is the first in a series of “Sake 101” video blog entries. This entry is about the ingredients Sake is made from. In future Sake 101 episodes, I’ll discuss the sake production process and sake terminology etc. Please leave a comment or feedback – I look forward to hearing from you. Play Quicktime version
Hi everyone! I’m starting a new chapter today on Urban Sake – Video Podcasting! I hope you enjoy and stay tuned for more episodes soon! Please leave me feedback, comments or questions – I’d love to hear from you. Play Quicktime version
One pop culture memory from the ’80’s that’s is hard to shake loose is the Solid Gold! Dancers strutting their stuff on TV. The creators of that show knew that gold has a glittering, glamorous allure that is second to none. Let’s face it, a show featuring the Sterling Silver! dancers would have flopped, big […]
Spending New Year’s eve at Sakagura is a tradition Scott and I started last year. It’s a new tradition that’s hard to argue against. What better way to ring in the new year? Drinking some of the best sake to be found in New York! Sakagura Manager, Mr. Kadoi, greeted us warmly at the door […]
In New York City, we have more opportunities sip Japanese sake than maybe just about anywhere outside Japan. On the one hand, this may very well be the reason I have never been able to find the money for a down-payment for a condo. On the other hand, Scott and I have discovered some superb […]
Sake Captain’s Log, Stardate 1215.6 — I was recently invited to join some friends at awesome Sake Hana (265 E. 78th St btw 2nd and 3rd Ave 212-327-0582) to try Tsukasabotan “Space Sake”. Sake from outer space? Well, not exactly… It’s actually sake made from yeast that was blasted into orbit. Houston, do we have […]
Every year, my office partakes in the age old tradition of “secret santa”. Everyone gets a name at random of someone in the department and has to buy them a $10 gift which are exchanged at the holiday luncheon. Now, the operable word here is “secret”. My office takes this very seriously and the giver […]
I’ve been on the lookout for a sake bar that could become my “Cheers“. You know – “where they they always know your name…” Sake Bar Hagi has been on the short list since our first visit last September and a recent trip there made Hagi’s a front runner! There’s a lot going for this […]
I first heard of Kyotofu back in October when they provided yummy tofu desserts for a Landmark Sake Seminar. They were a few weeks away from opening at that point, but I made a note to visit when I got the chance. That chance arrived when I got an email announcing a Sake-Dessert pairing at […]
I always had a feeling that there were japanese bars and restaurants out there that were hidden speakeasy type places that you had to know a friend of a friend to learn the Japanese password and find their secret location. My recent trip to Tsukushi restaurant (300 East 41st Street; 212-599-8888) hinted at this kind […]
The first review I read about the new Williamsburg restaurant Zenkichi called it a “funhouse”. I was a little bit puzzled bu this until I went my self and Scott and I were shown to our table. It seems the designer thought that it would be a good idea in this darkly light space to […]
I live in the Chelsea area of Manhattan and I really love my neighborhood. I love it so much I live and work here. It’s honestly one of my true luxuries that I can walk just a few blocks to work. I know those 3 blocks between my apartment and my day job very well. […]
Toshi over at innovative Sake Hana (265 E. 78th St. Bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) surprised me again with a notice about a “late night” sake tasting. The timing was definitely off-hours being 11pm to 1am but it was a really fun idea! I’ve often been up drinking sake to the wee hours – why […]
After my friend Nell heard about all the fun we had at the International cyber-sake tasting, she suggested another event: an at-home B.Y.O.S. (bring your own sake) tasting. Bring Your Own Sake events are such fun – you never know what the heck is going to show up! I mean Sake-wise, of course! I thought […]
From all the pictures I’ve seen, Akita Prefecture is a place of great natural beauty and they make some pretty darn good sake, too. I was thrilled when I heard about a tasting that would focus specifically on the sakes from this Prefecture. I love these region specific tastings – it’s the closest you can […]
One of the really surprising things about the study of Sake is that once you think you know something, you find out, you really know nothing at all. Yes, Sake can humble you in this way. Whatever you’ve learned, there is always more to explore. “Kan Sake” or “warmed sake” is one of these areas. […]
My sake friend Nell works at an amazing robata grill restaurant on the east side called Aburiya Kinnosuke (213 East 45th, 212-867-5454). After many promises to visit, I was overdue to give Nell’s workplace a try. Once I found out Aburiya was owned by the same folks that run Torys and Yakitori Totto – two […]
I feel like i’m getting a little more adventurous every so often and trying some new sake bar, or izakaya or sushi place that may be a little bit out of my comfort zone. That was indeed the case for Donburi-ya (137 East 47th, 212-980-7909). This place is odd and didn’t sit with me quite […]
Question: What would you get if all the sake bloggers in the world had a tasting of the same sakes on the same night? Answer: Why, you’d get the World’s First Cyber Sake Tasting, that’s what! Working with my sake blogging friends Valerie of The Sake Diaries in Minneapolis, Melinda of Tokyo Through the Drinking […]
One of the most interesting and truly educational sake tastings I’ve been to this season was the amazing Nanbu Bijin event at the wonderful Sake Hana (265 E. 78th St, 212-327-0582). The Nanbu Bijin was a brewery little know to me thus far – but no more. I’m now a big fan! This evening was […]
I recently had an opportunity to return to our only local Izakaya outpost here in Chelsea. Newly re-named “Izakaya Ten” (207 10th Ave, 212-627-7777, formerly “Anzu”), this place has undergone thoughtful updates both inside and out. The first changes I noticed was the striking mural enveloping the facade. The giant Kanji character above the door […]
The Sake retailer closest to my house, Landmark Wine & Sake, was hosting another afternoon sake tasting seminar. The last one I attended in April ’06, was great, and I knew this one would be, too. Mr. Kazu Yamazaki of the Japan Prestige Sake Association lead the seminar and gave his comments on each sake […]
It’s no big secret that Yakatori is (happily for me) taking the world by storm. The latest outpost in the Big Apple is Torys (248 E 52nd st. 2nd Floor; 212-813-1800). This place was opened by the folks that run the amazing Yakatori Totto (251 W 55th St; 866-333-8047). Totto is perhaps my very favorite […]
Recently, Scott invited me to travel with him to Minnesota for his college reunion. I know… Minnesota is out there, but I knew deep down there would be some sake adventure somewhere to be had, so off I went – and I’m glad I did. After a little research and a few emails with our […]
Ok, we’re now entering the home stretch of NYC Sake Week ’06. Day 6 was centered around a wonderful event at the Japan Society called “For the Love of Sake”. The evening started with a lecture by the restaurateur and star chef David Bouley. Mr. Bouley described in detail how he learned about Japanese cooking […]
For the record, I wasn’t hungover from the Joy of Sake event last night… Maybe a touch dehydrated, but no worse for wear. Hmm… if i’m dehydrated I had better get some liquids in me right away. Luckily, Landmark Wine and Sake had scheduled a sake tasting for that very afternoon! Instead of Hair of […]
I’ve been looking forward to the 2006 Joy of Saké event for a whole year! In a nutshell: I wasn’t disappointed. It was an awesome evening of great food, wonderful people and above all – a chance to taste scores of delicious and unique sakes! The sheer number of sakes being offered (299) was a […]
NYC Sake Week ’06 continues… for day 3 we’re off to Yamagata. Stunning En Japanese Brasserie hosted a beautifully curated tasting of 60 sakes all from the well known production region of Yamagata prefecture. The lounge of EN was set up with tables lining the walls and about 60 sakes out on display for the […]
Day 2 of NYC Sake Week was all about Dassai! I was so happy to get an email from Toshi at Sake Hana informing me about a special Dassai event. I really like tastings that are targeted around a specific sake brand or region as it gives a wonderful focus that is missing at larger […]
For the next few days, Sushi Samba is offering their Sake-Centric spin on a traditional Chef’s choice “omakase” menu which they call “omaSaKe”. This Pairing menu was created in honor of Sake week here in NYC with Mr. Paul Tanguay selecting the sakes. Paul was also recently the winner of the New York Regional Kikisaké-shi […]
From the outside, Izakaya Izu (9 E. 13th St, NYC 10003) looks like a sake lover’s wet dream. The windows are stacked high with glowing sake bottles lit from below. The extensive sake menu is proudly displayed by the front door. Everything seems in order, but cracks in the surface of this sake wonderland start […]
The internet is quite a treasure trove. So much information right at your fingertips. Every once in a while, however, you stumble upon something that is, well, just plain special. While doing my usual internet sake “research”, I came across some fun info at the Kiku-masamune sake website called “Manners for Sake Party“. Sounds fascinating. […]
One of the true blessings of living in New York City is that there are so many, many places to drink sake and eat japanese food. One of the curses of living in New York City is that not all the many Sake bars and Japanese restaurants can measure up to the best. Anzu is […]
Two very well known sake brands were represented at the September ’06 Sake tasting at Astor Wines: Ichinokura and Wakatake. Astor has continued to impress me with their growing selection and impressive offering. Their efforts to bring in Sake importers and brewery reps just underscores their commitment to sake in NYC. yeah! I must admit, […]
The phone in my office rang bright and early last week. It was Scott asking me “Did you see the Times?!?!” well, at that point in the morning I’m usually just staring down at my iced coffee, not the newspaper. Scott proceed to inform me that the coveted “$25.00 and under” food column in the […]
Can I get an Amen?! Who knew saké was so popular in the nation’s heartland? I predict Nihon-shu will be bigger than Nascar. Well, we all know that Saké can be a religious experience… p.s. Check out this site if you want to spread your own bit of Gospel.
“Japanese Roulette” is a dangerous game. This is what I call the act of blindly picking unkown sakes off the menu just to “try something new”. The highest risks can have the best rewards, but sometimes things don’t quite go your way. Scott and I have been to Tomoe several times, and it’s our open […]
I’ve been a hard working sake-geek lately and you’ll see in the navigation links above, I published some new pages on my blog that I hope everyone will find interesting and/or useful! 1) Tim’s Sake Database. I’ve started a database to record all the sakes I taste. I only have about 20 sakes in there […]
Just like Weezie and George Jefferson, I made my way on up to the East Side last sunday afternoon. It’s not a common haunt of mine, but predictably, it was sake that lured me out of my geographic comfort zone. My Sake Buddy KC organized a really fun and relaxed B.Y.O.S. event at the ‘De-luxe […]
Summertime – and the living is easy… or so the song goes. With back to back Summer-themed tastings put together by NYC Sake Sommelier extraordinaire Cheez, it has indeed made this summer’s living quite easy to enjoy. I attended a tasting dinner last monday at amazing Sakagura and was treated to, as usual, a really […]
I go on and on all the time about how lucky I am to live in new york… and how amazing all the NYC sake bars are… and how the Liquor stores in the Big Apple have such a great selection of sake… and did I mention how lucky I am to live in New […]
Hidden up a flight of stairs, Cha-an is a quaint little tea house on east 9th street. Once you enter, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported to Japan. The interior is understated, zen and totally beautiful. The main attraction here is usally the tea ceremony, but if i’m headed out to an event in […]
Boy, I was in a bind! Now that I’m known as the “Sake-Guy” among my friends, It always falls to me to pick the location and the drink when we decide to go out for a little nihon-shu sipping. My College buddy Brad and I were long overdue for drinks and we wanted to catch […]
Sake Buddy KC contacted me with a great opportunity to hang out with a brewery representitve and some other friends and have an informal sake-klatch over some great nihon-shu. He suggested we all meet at matsuri and off I went! We were lucky enough to have drinks with Mr. Sakurai from Dassai Brewery. Sakuari-san was […]
Joto Sake is a Sake importer run by Henry Sidel. Henry is a great guy who tirelessly promotes the gospel of sake. All his efforts and hard work have brought us here in New York the chance to sample some very unique sake, hand picked from smaller breweries we might never have heard about otherwise. […]
When somebody special to you has a special birthday, you want to do something, well, Special. Scott was turning Yon-Ju years old on June 13, and I wanted to cook up a special treat for him. A special treat for him that somehow involved Sake for me. The perfect plan emerged when I remembered Sugiyama. […]
After reading about the homestyle japanese cooking at the new japanese place Naka Naka (458 W 17th St. New York, NY 10011), Scott concluded we had been working hard and deserved a treat.We made a reservation for early on a saturday night and off we went. Let me start off by saying that the food […]
When you’re a Manhattan-loving, Brooklyn-fearing snob like me, it’s not often that you get on the train and head off to Brooklyn for the whole day on purpose. However, I see now that Scott really knows what he’s doing. To entice me to go with him to a Brooklyn event, he promised me dinner -and […]
Flashback with me to 1980’s New York, won’t you? Picture Breakdancing in Washington square park, Act Up blocking traffic on 5th Ave and absolutely no one checking their email on a cell phone. Now Picture little timmy arriving at his NYU Dorm and reviewing some ‘safety guidelines’ in his Freshman Orientation packet. It was something […]
Spur of the moment is sometimes best. Scott and I were headed out of town for an afternoon drive to mitsuwa. I realized that sake buddy KC alerted me to an Astor Wines sake tasting that very afternoon. Scottie was very sweet and agreed to stop by with me before our saturday afternoon escape. I […]
If you keep your eyes and ears open, opportunities to learn about sake can arrive out of the blue. This happened this week as I got an email from Landmark Wine and Sake announcing a sake tasting for the next night. Luckily I ‘just happened’ to have no plans that evening (does this make me […]
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