Mitsuwa Costa Mesa today
Grabbed a Hakkaisan Yukimuro and a Deshin Yuko Junmai Ginjo today.
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For some reason when I look at the photos Iām thinking Tokyo Central as the stocks look similar based on my visit back in January.
Try the two Gasanryu $39.98 and $52.98 next time (keep them chilled), clean and smooth stuff. Super easy with sushi and appetizers. Canāt see too clearly but looks like one might be Kisaragi Daiginjo and Gokugetsu Junmai Daiginjo (more fruity). Iād say they are a bit more enjoyable than Born Gold, although more costly.
I recall tasting the two Musashino last September at Sake Day SF (to the right of the two Gasanryuās), quite potent. It seems those are more readily available in Southern California but they are nowhere to be found in NorCal/Bay Area.
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Yeah, your right it is Tokyo Central. Brain fart on my part.
Thanks for the recs! Iāll note those bottles and grab them next time.
I had a Sakamai Kikusui recently and enjoyed it thoroughly. Loved it with some sashimi and tsukemono in this hot weather recently.
Yeah @beefnoguy, I live really close to Domaine LA but never really thought of it as a sake place. I wish we were drinking sake when Kaplan was there - the shop is super small but I really like it.
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Not new news but interesting. Parklet?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/hoodline.com/amp/2019/02/true-sake-installs-window-sign-protesting-new-hayes-valley-parklet
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I saw the Philip Harper sake tasting far too late to join but since then Iāve been looking for more sake tastings at Hi-Times since Iām in that area. It appears that they are doing another reservations-required sake tasting with somebody named John Gauntner at the end of September.
Know nothing about the person and doesnāt seem to be a brewer like Philip Harper but thought Iād share anyways for anyone else who might be interested. At the site here, thereās a link after the calendar where you can purchase the reservation online. It shows up like any other online purchase item. You can also call the store and purchase over the phone.
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John Gaunter is the first foreigner (American from New York) who broke into the sake industry, got certified, is a sake samurai (highest honor awarded to ambassadors for sake) and runs a very well known sake instruction school where he lectures about sake and gives 3 to 5 day crash courses so you get a certificate at the end. He is also the author of quite a number of English books when information about sake not in Japanese was not abundant. e.g. Sake Confidential. Heās mostly based in Tokyo (I think he moved to Hakone area when he was featured in the movie: Kanpai for the Love Of Sake part 1).
He will be at Sake Day in San Francisco on 9/28. Never met him before but looking forward to it.
Beau Timken, owner of True Sake (San Francisco) was one of Johnās early students who took his course(s) on sake, and thus Beau also eventually worked his way to the title of Sake Samurai.
$20 for sake tasting isnāt bad at all.
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what / where?
Oh sorry. I thought IG gave all the info.
The lineup of Kanpai LA looks like a smaller subset of Sake Day 2019 San Francisco with a few changes.
I would HIGHLY recommend going to this one for those in the area. The two Brooklyn sake are worth tasting and Iām very surprised at how good they areā¦Iād say very close to Den Sake Breweryās!
There are also a few artisan nama sake in the lineup that need to be tasted if any of you attend.
Heiwa Shuzo makes some pretty good sake that many beginner drinkers can easily get into. Theyāre a bit of a celebrity sake over in Japan and itās possible one or more of the Michelin LA Japanese places will carry it, so get a taste! Do not miss tasting Kaze No Mori, this is the only sake of theirs exported to the US right now (and also a raw nama on top of that, the brewery called Yucho, is from Nara prefecture and has a long standing history of making sake, the Kaze No Mori label is a bit of a revival of old school with a new twistā¦good artisanal small producer quality stuff), and their offerings are so popular in Japan that Tokyo stores have difficulty keeping them in stock.
It would be interesting to see if attendees could also purchase these bottles or preorder during the show. Iām also curious if anybody from the breweries being represented will have a presence at this gathering, or just the distributor/sales repsā¦I donāt think they are listing absolutely everything that will be poured. From Enter Sakeās booth, I highly recommend trying Enter Sake: Harukasumiā¦itās quite electricā¦taste it (and imagine what it can do with food) and you will experience what I mean.
While Iāve tasted quite a few of these and itās probably some of the same people who did the show in SF, Iām tempted to come down for thisā¦
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Thought that might be the case. They have 2 locations in the LMU/LAX area with a huge sake list. It used to be a regular haunt of mine. They lean to the unique plated raw fish and crazy rolls. But they also have a huge selection of neta and curate the type of experience you want. Which is nice if you prefer to order by looking at the fish and talking with the itamae like i do. Itās a good neighborhood place
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OK for some reason I couldnāt scroll all the way down on my phone: here it is here from desktop:
Los Angeles Sake Festival November 9th ā¢ 11am-3pm
About this Event
Featuring sake selections from over 30 Japanese brewers, held at Yamashiro Hollywood. Ticket price inclusive of entry, sake, raffle ticket, and tasting glass.
IMPORTERS
- Sake Tengoku
- World Sake Imports
- Vine Connections
- Mutual Trading Co
- Sakeman
- Enter Sake
- Sake Suki
- Floating World Sake
- Fifth Taste
- Joto
- Skurnik
- More to be announced
SAKE PRODUCERS
- Miyasaka - Junmai
- Dewazakura - Ginjo
- Seitoku - Junmai Ginjo
- Tedorigawa - Yamahai Daiginjo
- Kamoizumi - Aged
- Mana 1751 - Yamahai Tokubetsu Junmai Muroka Genshu
- Yamada Shoten - Tokubetsu Junmai
- Yuho - Junmai
- Tensei - Tokubetsu Honjozo
- Fukucho - Junmai Ginjo
- Kiminoi - Junmai Ginjo Yamahai
- Kiminoi - Junmai Yamahai
- Yuki Otoko - Junmai
- Kirinzan - Junmai Daiginjo
- Karen - Junmai
- Heiwa Shuzo - Junmai
- Heiwa Shuzo - Junmai Daiginjo
- Heiwa Shuzo - Nigori
- Manzairaku - Yamahai Junmai
- Kagatsuru - Junmai
- Taiheizan - Kimoto Junmai
- Chogetsu - Junmai Ginjo
- Hakugyokko - Yamahai Muroka Nama Genshu
- Akishika - Muroka Nama Genshu
- Kaze no Mori - Muroka Nama
- Tsukasabotan - Yamayuzu
- Wakatake - Daiginjo
- Narutotai - Ginjo Nama Genshu
- Shichi Hon Yari - Junmai
- Taiheikai Tokubetsu - Junmai
- Kameizumi - Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu
- Brooklyn Kura - Junmai
- Brooklyn Kura - Junmai Ginjo
BEER
- Coedo - Logos
- Coedo - West to East IPA
- Coedo - Sayama Saison
- Asahi Beer - Lager
FOOD
- Bentos by Kensho
- Tacos by El Ruso
- Seafood by Broad Street Oyster Co
MUSIC
- DJ Jihaari will be spinning vinyl all day
SHOP
*** Retail partner, domaineLA will be taking orders. Option for in-store pick up or delivery for orders within California.**
Good opportunity to pick up/special order items you otherwise cannot get anywhere else within LA/OC once you tasted something you like.
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What place are you referring to?
Kanpai by LAX & LMU that @TheCookie mentioned
Edit appearantly i canāt read properly and jumped to conclusions since That is also the name of a sushi restaurant that hosts sake events as well.
My bad / gomenasai
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I know, thatās a long list, right? Seems really worth it. And we live really close to domaineLA for pickups. I love that theyāre getting more Sake friendly.
Please!!!
We were thinking of finally doing that cancelled NoCal/SF trip in early November. But this seems worth staying home for. As usual, L.A. gets in the way. 
Kanpai is Kerry Tamuraās IG handle. But now you have me wanting to go Kanpai Sushi! 
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Just in case you didnāt see my review for sake at Domaine LA from earlier this month.
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Oh no, I didnāt! Iām so behind on reading old posts that I hardly go in the ānewā section. But I love being tagged. 
Itās certainly a neighborhood place that i wouldnt go out of your way for but itās louder and more vibrant (in a good way) than most sushi bars, mix of friendly local couples and LMU students. The one by LMU is almost always busy. And the sake list is pretty bigā¦ Couldnāt find it online but it has its own book
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