Nanbu Bijin / Tengumai Pairing Dinner

Sunday 10/09, we held a pairing dinner with a variety of sake from two breweries: Nanbu Bijin and Tengumai.


from left:

* Nanbu Bijin - Sparkling Plum Sake (no added sugar)
* Nanbu Bijin - Tokubetsu Junmai
* Tengumai - Yamahai Junmai
* Nanbu Bijin - Daiginjo
* Tengumai - Daiginjyo
* Nanbu Bijin - All Koji
* Nanbu Bijin - Plum Sake (no added sugar)


It was warmer than expected on this day, so at the last moment we changed the order and pairing of the sake - Therefore, if you had previously read our menu plan, the following is a tiny bit different.


Amuse Bouche
Gyusujii Nikomi Choux:
Shichimi choux stuffed with braised beef tendon

pairing with Nanbu Bijin - Sparkling Plum Sake

We paired here the salty-sweet taste of the braised beef with the sweetness of the plum, plus the richness of the beef tendon and the bubbles of the sake.

1st Course
Bonito Tataki Salad with yogurt/miso sauce

pairing with Nanbu Bijin - Tokubetsu Junmai

We initially planned to pair the acidity or the Yamahai with the fermented elements of the yogurt miso sauce, but at the last moment changed the sake to contrast the refreshing feel of the Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai with the fattiness of the autumn bonito.


2nd Course
Dashimaki Tamago

Cooked Egg served with mushroom ankake/micro mitsuba
(chanterelle, porcini, shimeji, shiitake, maitake mushroom)

Pairing with Tengumai - Yamahai Junmai (warm)

Key of the pairing here: Mushrooms with the warmed Yamahai to accentuate its earthiness.




3rd Course
Grilled Eel (shirayaki), eggplant & shishito pepper tempura
served with tomato miso sauce, balsamic reduction, micro chive

pairing with Nanbu Bijin - Daiginjo

The fullness of the aroma of this sake was paired with the earthiness of the grilled eel and the acidity of the tomato,
and its long finishing laced up with the balsamic sauce.



4th course

We did not take any photo, but we here served some nigiri, 3 pieces each from the following:
Tuna Zuke w/wagarashi (Japanese mustard)
Kanpachi w/yuzu kosho
Fluke cured with konbu seaweed w/yuzu zest
Botan shrimp w/ lobster miso
Ankimo (monk fish liver) w/Nara zuke (Radish pickles)
Uni / Ikura (Sea urchin / Salmon Roe)

Pairing with Tengumai - Daiginjyo

For a Daiginjyo, this one is not overwhelmingly flagrant but instead has a very good body to its taste, so we chose for it sea derived ingredients with rich taste, some spicy element and citrus.


Entree
Kamo Soba

Roasted duck, leg confit, sauteed foie gras, buckweat noodle, mizuna, served with bonito broth

pairing with Tengumai - Yamahai Junmai

The particular game flavor of the duck and the richness of the foie gras is paired here with the umami and sharpness of the Yamahai.

Dessert
Kuri Zenzai

cooked chesnut, sake ice cream, grilled rice cake, sesame senbei served with chilled red bean soup

pairing with Nanbu Bijin - All Koji

This pairing allowed the aroma of koji from this sake to blend with the sweetness of the dessert, adding another element to it.