Kanpai NY - The Best Japanese Restaurants, Bars, Sake

5 Questions with...

Chizuko Niikawa-Helton, Sake Discoveries (6/1/09)

Kanpai NY Best of 2009: Best Sake Sommelier
Chizuko Niikawa-Helton was the sommelier at Sakagura for many years, and now owns her own sake consulting business called Sake Discoveries. She organizes and hosts sake tasting events and lectures, and provides consulting services to many well-known sake breweries, including Daishichi, Dassai, Dewatsuru, Nanbu Bijin, and Tengumai.

Hi Chizuko-san, thanks for agreeing to chat with us. Here are our 5 questions...

1. What was the defining moment that led you to become a sake enthusiast?

One day many years ago when I was a fashion designer in Tokyo my client, who was a man in his mid 50s, took me to a very cozy and cool Izakaya in Tokyo. The owner served us fresh icy sake "Yuki-hie Sake" which means "frozen sake like snow" as an aperitif. It was my first moment of "WOW!!" for sake. That is when my door opened.

2. What are some of your all-time favorite sakes and what are some of your recent discoveries?

That's a good question and a bad question. I have too many favorites and discoveries. These are just SOME of them... One of my favorite table sake is Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai. One of my favorite table Kanzake (warm sake) is Daishichi Kimoto Honjozo. One of my favorite Yamahai sake is Tengumai Umajun. (Actually this is one of my favorite Kanzake too.) One of my favorite organic rice sake is Dewatsuru Matsukura Tokubetsu Junmai from my hometown Akita prefecture. And one of my recent discoveries is that Dassai 50 Junmai Ginjo can be a good Kanzake! Our sake friend Mr. Gen Yamamoto of Soba Totto made very interesting Dassai 50 cocktails the other day. It was slightly warm Dassai 50 with fresh strawberries and whip cream!

3. What are some of your favorite restaurants for drinking sake?

The best place to drink sake for me is still Sakagura. Sakagura is my homebase as a Sake Sommelier, and it won't ever change. My new favorite Japanese restaurant is Momokawa! They have many choices of small great dishes for sake. Love it!

4. What are you currently working on and what are your plans for the future?

Basically I am holding special sake tasting events, lectures, making sake lists and staff training for restaurants. My plans for the future? Let you know when I get ready to talk. It's going to be very fun anyway!

5. What are your thoughts on the current state of the sake industry and what do you see for the future of sake?

The number of sake drinkers in the world has increased over the last 10 years. Many restaurants in the U.S. used to serve sake "HOT or COLD" without the name of the sake on the list. Times are changing. Many non-Japanese people will be able to order sake at restaurants or buy sake at liquor stores by name, type and their favorite temperature for their food in the same way you might pick a bottle of wine. Sake will be a standard alcohol for everybody!

Gen Yamamoto, Soba Totto (5/3/09)

Kanpai NY Best of 2009: Best Bartender/Mixologist
Gen Yamamoto is the bartender extraordinaire at Soba Totto (211 E 43 St., New York, NY, 212-557-8200). In addition to creating an outstanding sake list at Soba Totto, he is known for his inventive sake and shochu cocktails, made with fresh fruit and other natural ingredients. He also teaches classes about cocktail making and offers catering services for events.

Hi Gen-san, thanks for agreeing to chat with us. Here are our 5 questions...

1. How would you compare your bartending experience in NY with your experience in Japan?

My experience in NYC has been very interesting for me, mainly because there are so many people! I really appreciate my situation at Soba Totto, and I appreciate the people who I meet every day. Meeting new people has led to many good experiences for me, and keeps me motivated. NYC has lots of good energy that I like.

2. What was the defining moment that led you to become a sake enthusiast?

When I came to the U.S. and started working at a Japanese restaurant here. When I was in Japan, I didn't drink a lot of sake. I was drinking malt whisky, brandy, and the other liquors more than sake.

3. What are your top 5 sakes right now?

Daishichi, Dassai, Amanoto, Nanbu Bijin, and Hakkaisan, which are widely available and are good for most occasions.

4. What are your top 5 cocktails right now?

Strawberry, Kiwi, Daikon, Carrot, and Tomato, which are all in season now. Strawberry is mixed with one of my favorite sakes Dassai 50 and homemade strawberry confiture. There are hints of fresh strawberry on Dassai 50's aroma and taste. Kiwi is mixed with Torikai rice shochu and a touch of fresh fennel for the accent. Daikon is mixed with rice shochu Hakutake Shiro, respecting daikon's soft bitterness, spiciness, and sweetness and shochu's sweetness and taste. Carrot is mixed with a sugar cane shochu called Jougo. The key is the balance between the carrot and Jougo's sweetness and strong character. Tomato is mixed with organic vodka and homemade tomato confiture. This cocktail is not spicy like a bloody mary, but instead you taste the fruit of the tomato. I always try to respect all of the ingredients that I use.

5. What are you currently working on and what are your plans for the future?

Modern bar culture came to Japan in the 40's and 50's and it's still evolving, along with Japanese popular culture. Before coming to the U.S., I was studying Japanese bar philosophy and its effects on popular culture, which ultimately led me to come to NY. I would like to keep trying to do my best, and would like to be a part of the bridge between NYC and Japan. And I hope I can make a contribution to modern bar culture here in NY.

Rick Smith & Hiroko Furukawa, Sakaya (4/1/09)

Rick and Hiroko own Sakaya (324 E 9 St., New York, NY, 212-505-7253), which is the first and only sake store in New York City. In addition to having one of NY's best selections of premium sake, they also host weekly tasting events, and provide tasting services for parties and corporate clients.

Hi Rick and Hiroko, thanks for agreeing to chat with us. Here are our 5 questions...

1. What was the defining moment that led you to become a sake enthusiast?

My passion for sake began in 2000 with a trip to the then new East Village restaurant Jewel Bako during my 10-year tenure as Associate Publisher at Food & Wine Magazine. Their omakase dinner paired with a selection of different premium sake was a stunning revelation of the variety and versatility of sake...it was served slightly chilled and was nothing like that hot overly alcoholic "jet fuel" that we've all experienced. As a long-time wine enthusiast, I was surprised to find that sake too had an alluring abundance of aromatics and flavors, all from the deceptively simple combination of rice, water, yeast, and koji. That seminal experience launched my pursuit of tasting premium nihonshu anywhere the brew was available and to more intensive research sessions with Hiroko at home. The defining moment for Hiroko? Well, when you grow up in Japan where sake is an integral part of the culture, let's just say that her enthusiasm grew a bit more organically.

2. What are your top 5 sakes right now?

Narrow it down to five?! That's why we started SAKAYA...we have too many favorites. It really depends on the mood, food, people you are with...Sorry, we really don't mean to be evasive.

3. What are your top 5 restaurants for drinking sake?

First and foremost there is Sakagura. No other restaurant has the depth and breadth of sake that they stock. Next is Kyo-ya which has a much less extensive but well-chosen list of sake. EN Japanese Brasserie and Lan both have very good lists as well. And for just pure fun, we love Hagi.

4. What are you currently working on and what are your plans for the future?

Our mission is to share our excitement and spread the word about premium sake. At SAKAYA we focus on acquainting, educating, and familiarizing visitors with the pleasures of drinking nihonshu and pairing it with food. Our aim is to offer a learning experience that not only creates an appreciation for and enjoyment of drinking sake, but also for the Japanese culture from which it originates. We are constantly working on expanding our efforts not only via daily activities and brewer tastings in the store itself, but also through our website, and "on location" custom tastings for corporate, social, networking, and educational gatherings. We're always thinking about new and different means of creating greater awareness about the sake experience.

5. What are your thoughts on the current state of the sake industry and what do you see for the future of sake?

The enthusiasm for premium sake is in its infancy in this country, roughly equivalent to where wine was twenty years ago. It is just beginning to cultivate a following and we are seeing that every day at SAKAYA. The future for sake in the U.S. is very exciting and hopefully, that will translate to good things for the jizake (artisanal sake brewing) industry in Japan.

Thanks for the opportunity to share our thoughts with you. We look forward to welcoming Kanpai NY's visitors to SAKAYA!

Rick & Hiroko

Timothy Sullivan, UrbanSake.com (3/8/09)

Kanpai NY Best of 2009: Best Sake Teacher, Best Sake Website
Timothy Sullivan writes the UrbanSake.com website, which is one of the leading resources for information about sake in the U.S. He also teaches classes about sake at Astor Center in NY, and is a recipient of the prestigious Sake Samurai title from the Japan Sake Brewers Association.

Hi Timothy, thanks for agreeing to chat with us. Here are our 5 questions...

1. What was the defining moment that led you to become a sake enthusiast?

My conversion to sake fanatic came through a pairing experience. I was having sushi and ordered Premium sake on a whim. The tastes of the sake astonished me. The pairing of the sake with the sushi sealed the deal and made me a believer. However, I was filled with questions... How did they get such nuanced, fruity flavors out of rice and water?! I had to learn more! I started researching everything I could to learn more. The rest is history as they say...

2. What are your top 5 sakes?

I can't pick just 5! So much of what I look for in a sake depends on what I'm eating or what mood I'm in. There really is a sake for every situation. We're so lucky in New York to have access to ever more premium sakes. I will say I still love some of the very first sakes I had when I was first learning about Premium Nihonshu including sakes from Hakkaisan Brewery in Niigata, Dassai Brewery in Yamaguchi and Masumi Brewery in Nagano. Another favorite is Kudoki Jozu from Kamenoi Shuzo in Yamagata. But there are so many, many more I love to drink. You can visit my website at UrbanSake.com to read my tasting notes on hundreds of sakes I've tried.

3. What are your top 5 restaurants for drinking sake?

Again, it's difficult to pick just 5. In New York, "Sakagura" is the 'mother ship' of sake culture. They have the largest sake list in town and their special events are not to be missed. Another favorite restaurant is "Yakitori Totto". Great grilled meats and excellent sake. I've recently had top tier sushi and sake at both "15 East" and "Sushi Azabu". For more relaxed evenings, I love "Sake Bar Hagi" for delicious Izakaya food.

4. What are you currently working on and what are your plans for the future?

I'm currently working on expanding my UrbanSake.com website. I want to continue to evolve it into an informative portal for sake news, education and events. In the future, I would love to expand my knowledge of sake making with first hand experience and also become fluent in Japanese.

5. What are your thoughts on the current state of the sake industry and what do you see for the future of sake?

Personally, I think the future of sake in the U.S. is bright. As a sake teacher, my classes are filled, month after month, by students who love sake and are anxious to learn more. The market is emerging and I'm honored to be able to help people take their first steps into the world of premium sake. I honestly believe sake has what it takes to become a major player in the beverage arena. As I know from my own experience, it only takes one sip to become a true believer!