It’s hard to find anything in Japan that isn’t efficient and calculated. The trains run on time, the people word hard and the toilets do things to you that you never thought possible. Yes, it can said that Japan is a wondrous place and when it comes to food, Japan is world leader in cuisine that makes you say, ‘My God, I can’t believe that’s not cooked’.

So when I was asked to go along to the recent Sake Masterclass in Sydney’s Ocean Room restaurant, featuring a six course degustation designed by Chef Raita Noda, I ready for some quality of the seas. However, when I discovered that each dish would have matching Sake, designed by Premier Sake Master Toshi Maeda, I knew that I was in for something else.

Upon arrival at the quaint harbour side location of Sydney’s famed Ocean Room restaurant, we were treated to an appetiser of fresh Rock Oysters with lemon and sake in elegant bamboo cups.

Under the instruction of our Sake MC, we were told to taste our servings of salmon caviar, smoked cod and white anchovies and notice the differences in taste when drinking white wine or sake. I didn’t expect that I would find the sake fit the meal like a glass slipper. The white wine was abrasive and out of place and highlighted the calculated nature of the sake addition. The roles that both the dish and the sake played, in this case were of equal importance.

Next up, we were treated to glowing Sake Jelly King Crab served sous-vide with cured white turnips with sake and sour plum jelly. Once again, guests were treated to excellently accompanying sake, the gold medal award winning Eikun Ichigin Junmai Daiginjo from Kyoto, a smooth and textured match.

The following course, named ‘East meets West’, was an indulgent selection of Flash sakura smoked ocean trout with houji-tea with ocean trout pearls vinaigrette, lightly poached “arai” Crystal Bay prawn sashimi with green chilli and shiso salsa, fresh cuttle fish and Tasmanian Sea urchin ravioli with coriander infused oil.

This was an incredibly well presented dish featuring sealed test tubes of vinaigrette for the smoked ocean trout that sat encased in glass until the very last moment, a cute wisp of smoke rising once the dish was released.

As a fiend for prawns, I found the Crystal Bay prawn a real treat.

Our next treat arrived and was revealed as the Blue fin tuna sashimi that had been prepared in five unique ways, once again with matching Sake to compliment.

The fives styles were:

1. Seared akami with foie gras, ponzu jelly and momiji radish
2. Seared toro with shiso julienne, sesame and lime juice
3. Zuke akami with dry natto, negi miso and leek julienne
4. Oil blanched toro with fresh wasabi, soy and kombu
5. Marinated chutoro with truffle, caviar and spicy daikon.

I don’t know how you feel about Tuna, but to put it simply, I’m a fan. So when this elegantly displayed tray rolled out with five different selections, I compare the feeling I had to what a puppy must feel every moment of the day. Ecstatic does not say enough, but will have to do.

Picking a favourite is difficult in this situation, but I think I would have to say that the Seared toro with shiso julienne, sesame and lime juice was a stand out. There was no schism between taste and presentation. Both were top drawer and my compliments to the chef.

Soon after, there arrived a true surprise. A frozen sake shot with Umeshu plum wine and yuzu zest as a refresher. This was a welcome arrival as, not only was it a delicious iced treat, but it was also like a reset button for my tastebuds. If vodka has the jelly shooter, then the sake equivalent was defined that night with the frozen sake shot. In fact, I want another one and I want it now!

My last meal of the night was the Sansho pepper roasted aged Angus beef with ginjyo scented jus and flame seared Roquefort cheese. While this was probably the least interesting dish of the evening, though I am comparing it to the life changing seafood delicacies that preceded it, which is tough to beat with any closing dish.

As a man, I will never turn down a steak and the addition of Roquefort cheese was smooth match. What was most intriguing was that this was the first steak I’ve ever eaten with sake. While I would normally never place the two together, I found that once again the sake was perfectly matched and functioned to enhance the flavour of the meat.

It was at this time that I thanked my fellow guests for the enjoyable conversation, donned my suit jacket and set off into the night on my journey home (my head somewhat cloudy thanks to all the sake). It had been quite the evening and I think it’s safe to say that everyone in attendance had a renewed appreciation for that subtle, and often misunderstood drink known as sake.

Domo Arigato.

- Nicolas Mesker

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