SUMIBIYAKI DINING ABEYA
Yakitori is the ideal dish to accompany a good cup of sake, and Sumibiyaki Dining Abeya has you covered on both counts. This Nakameguro eatery offers real charcoal-grilled vegetables and yakitori, including rare dishes you’ll seldom find in other shops. Try the chicken thigh and white liver skewers, or savor charcoal grilled wagyu beef—the recommended selection changes monthly, and there’s always more to be found on the menu. As you dine, take a moment to explore the over 50 varieties of sake and shochu available on-site. The recommended sip for fall is hiya-oroshi, an incomparably delicious sake that’s only available at this time of year.
5F Nakameguro Kangyo Bldg, 1-22-4 Kamimeguro, Meguro-ku. Tel: 03-6452-3140. Open 5pm-midnight daily. Nearest station: Nakameguro.
- Mention Metropolis to get a free tasting set of 3 types of sake
AKITA PURE RICE SAKE BAR
Akita Pure Rice Sake Bar comes ready with a sommelier who carefully selects the best sake for you. The sips on hand are all prepared without any additives—hence, pure rice sake. Take advantage of the tasting set to enjoy a variety of flavors without putting a dent in your wallet. Sake brewed in the spring matures over the humid summer months, and as the temperature drops, it brings out a distinct, mellow flavor. No sake exemplifies this transformation better than hiya-oroshi, the perfect drink for the fall season. You can complete the experience by nibbling peach and mozzarella as you sip, or why not try cream cheese with iburi-gakko, an Akita smoked pickle dish? Whatever your taste, you won’t be disappointed!
1-9-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: 03-6256-0518. Open 11am-11pm daily. Nearest station: Tokyo
- Blind sake tasting set (selected by the sommelier): 4 types for ¥1,000
JOY OF SAKE
The world’s biggest sake celebration makes its annual Tokyo appearance on November 6 at the TOC Building in Gotanda. The event features an amazing 370 sakes in peak condition, all available for tasting by guests. Chefs from 13 of Tokyo’s top restaurants serve Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish appetizers–the food alone is worth the ticket price. Live Hawaiian music and hula help create an elegant, relaxing ambience. Don’t miss this once-a year celebration of sake and sake culture. Tickets available online.
13F Gotanda TOC Bldg, 7-22-17 Nishi Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku. Nov 6, 6-9pm. Nearest station: Gotanda (shuttle bus available). www.joyofsake.jp/tokyo
- When ordering online, enter the promotion code SAKETYO for 10% off the ticket price (regular ¥8,500)
NAKAFUKU
Nakafuku serves authentic Japanese cuisine along with its signature original dishes, with an extensive sake selection, bar menu and wine list on hand to fully enhance your evening. Red wine may not match with fish and white wine may sit poorly with steak, but Japanese sake brings out the best of any dish, be it surf or turf. And for the fall season, hiya-oroshi is the top sake to savor. Brewed in spring and matured over summer, it’s best enjoyed as the temperature just begins to drop each year.
1F Tomizawa Bldg, 2-4 Hachiyama-cho, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-6416-3389. Open 6-11pm daily. Nearest station: Shibuya, Daikanyama. www.nakafuku.tokyo.jp
- Mention Metropolis for a free aperitif of the recommended sake of the day
SAKEOH
At Sakeoh, not only can you enjoy sake and shochu from all over Japan—you can taste the different varieties for free. The shop manager is a qualified kikizakeshi, a specialist in matching sake to dining selections and explaining the nuances of sake taste and fragrance. Let him serve you up a variety of sake with an explanation in English. If you have any questions about sake, feel free to contact the shop through email, twitter, facebook, or even by phone. And look out for monthly tasting events. You can even order online.
3-19-10 Kanamachi, Katsushika-ku. Tel: 03-5876-6595. Open 11am-9pm (Sun & Hols until 8pm) closed Tuesdays & 2nd and 4th Mondays. Nearest station: Kanamachi. http://meturl.com/sakeoh
- Instead of the usual 3-5 sake sampler, mention Metropolis to sample 15 types of sake for free
YOSHI NO SASA
Specializing in shabu-shabu and steamed dishes, at Yoshi No Sasa you can boil up beef, pork, duck, chicken and vegetables from all over Japan. Be sure to try the seiro mushi, a delectable selection of meat and vegetables steamed in a bamboo basket, or the tokujo wagyu, composed of top-quality Japanese beef. Sake forms an exquisite marriage of taste with any Japanese dish, and the selection here is no exception.
12F Maronie Gate, 2-2-14 Ginza, Chuo-ku
Tel: 03-5159-1287. Open 11am-3:30pm daily (lunch); Mon-Fri 5:30-11pm, Sat-Sun & hols 5-11pm (dinner). Nearest stn: Yurakucho. http://meturl.com/yoshinosasa
- Mention Metropolis when you make your reservation and receive one cup of Hiyaoroshi seasonal sake per pair of customers
