In its 15th annual celebration, Joy of Sake is returning to New York City at the end of this week.
Taking place on Friday, June 21, Joy of Sake will bring over 500 premium labels of sake to NYC from every part of Japan. The sakes highlighted at the event first go through a quality tasting process in Honolulu where 11 judges on the U.S. National Sake Appraisal organization evaluate each of the 500 sakes. This appraisal process spans three days where, according to the organization’s site, the judges follow traditional Japanese procedures to determine the quality of the sake. They are then broken down into categories where the best are labeled “Grand Prix” or “Second Grand Prix.”
Once the appraisal process is complete, the public is welcome to try all submissions for themselves at the Joy of Sake event, accompanied by delicious sake appetizers. This year, NYC’s celebration will include bites from 19 of the city’s best restaurants (a list of which can be found below).
Shuko
featured dish: Ocean Trout with ponzu sauce (ikura, myoga, mizuba)
BondST
featured dish: Copper River Salmon Trifle (tosazu, soy milk pudding, fresh wasabi cucumber salsa)
Momfuku Ssäm Bar
featured dish: Hot Fried Chicken (Double-fried Chicken, cucumbers, jalapeno, vinegar, Thai chili oil)
Morimoto NYC
featured dish: Hamachi + Koji Ponzu (Hamachi Tartare with koji, jalapeno, pickled jalapeno and kyuri)
Nikutei Futago
featured dish: Wagyu and Summer Vegetable (Papaya wrapped with wagyu, corn gelee and eggplant miso)
SakaMai
featured dish: Foie Gras Monaka (Foie gras mousse, miso duck, fig, mochi wafer)
15 East
featured dish: TBD
Zuma
featured dish: Spicy Tuna Handroll with pickled cucumber and tenkasu
The Lobster Club
featured dish: Yellowtail Poke (Japanese yellowtail marinated in yuzu soy with jalapeno and pomelo, then finished with red onion and Asian herb salad)
Insa
featured dish: Yukhwe (Beef Tartare with uni mayo, trout roe, shrimp rice cracker)
Samurai Mama
featured dish: Vichyssoise and Garlic Edamame Ball (cold potato soup, beet oil, mashed edamame, garlic, cream cheese, boiled shrimp)
Little Tong Noodle Shop
featured dish: Everything Nice Chengdu Yangchun Mian (Garlic shrimp, cucumber, spicy peanuts, sweet chili)
Hibino
featured dish: Wasabi Mushi Dori (Wasabi-steamed Chicken with nori seaweed sauce)
Sakagura East Village
featured dish: 1) Bouchee (Summer Truffle Chicken Pate) 2) Unagi Kagoshima (Grilled Eel wrapped in lotus leaves atop steamed sticky rice with root vegetable)
Yopparai
featured dish: 1) Ebi Shinjo (Shrimp/Cod Cake in gravy) and 2) Smoked Duck
TabeTomo
featured dish: Hiyashi Tan Tan Noodles (Cold noodles served with sesame soup, ground chicken and vegetables)
Zashiki at Sushi Seki Time Square
featured dish: Roasted Washu Beef atop cha-soba in uni sauce
The Woo
featured dish: Ke Sai Mari (Crab and leek wrapped in spinach crepes with a light Korean mustard sauce)
Takashi
featured dish: Yooke Gunkan (Hand-sliced Korean-style Kobe Tartare sushi gunkan)
