In Search of Some Good Sake

Well folks, it's 5:21 in the morning and I'm eating ramen under the blinking neon lights of Minato-Ku, Tokyo. Vinography has hopped off to Japan in search of a little R&R and some good sake. Like most of our trips, this will be primarily an eating and drinking trip studded with occasional forays into the cultural and the commercial. We've had reservations for weeks at some of our most anticipated restaurants, but couldn't seem to get into any of the recently Michelin three-starred restaurants, either because they are closed for the holidays or because they were instantly booked when the announcement was made.

No matter. I've got some friends that are turning us on to some "hidden three stars" that shun publicity of all kinds, so we'll be off the culinary map a little while we're here.

As expected, Tokyo has changed a lot since I was last here just three years ago. New subway lines have opened, there are new subway passes to use, fifteen new restaurants on a singly familiar block in Roppongi, and sadly, the main branch of my favorite ramen shop, Yokaro, seems to be the casualty of a building renovation. And that's all just what I've noticed in the first two hours through the fog of jet-lag.

Since my hotel room seems to have a built in T-3 Internet connection (Gawd I miss the infrastructure here) I'll try to add to my Tokyo restaurant reviews and blog a bit about sake while I'm here. Stay tuned.

For now, though, I need to get some sleep.

Posted by: Alder on December 22, 2007 5:19 AM: Filed under: Ramblings and Rants; Like this post? Share it! Digg it! - Add to del.icio.us - Add to Stumbleupon - Add to Reddit

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Comments (2)

Simon Hofstra wrote:

12.28.07 at 5:24 PM

Still in Tokyo?
Iâ€™ve got a lot of addresses where you can buy amazing sake, but... Try the Matsuya warehouse in Zinga, main street opposite of Cartier, in the cellar they have a sake shop.
Then buy the Daiginjo sake of Bienen (fabulous brewery in Tokyo). Comes in a beautiful box and cost about just 5000 Yen. No money when you compare it to the price you have to pay in the states due to all extra costs to import sake.
I gave it in between 96 and 98 points, wonder what you do.

If you want to buy another sake over there I highly recommend Okuhikyo Kurobe. Daiginjo sake made with the Yamada Nishiki. Toyama is the prefecture, Mikunihare Shuzou Kabushikigaisha the company.
Golden label, fantastic sake I wish I was in Tokyo right now sipping this stuff.

Best regards,
Simon

Simon Hofstra wrote:

02.25.08 at 2:35 PM

Excuses Alder, I just find out a terrible mistake in my post.
I wrote down Zinga but this should be Ginza. Hope you red over my misspelling and still got the sake.

Best regards, Simon