It's Sake month in London Restaurants until 20th November (Update)

Sake rice wine will take centre stage in a range of top London restaurants and bars throughout the month of October, as World Sake Day on 1st October kicks off a month-long celebration of Sake's food-pairing versatility.

Chefs across our capital city have created an array of delicious seafood-based dishes as part of the Sake Seafood Sensations campaign. Their carefully crafted menus aim to showcase the compatibility of different styles of Sake with a wide range of international cuisines. These will include contemporary British, Mediterranean and Fusion styles, plus modern Japanese.

An eclectic range of London establishments are planning on being involved. These will include three 5-star hotel restaurants, a floating barge restaurant/bar and a 75-year-old delicatessen. 

All have worked closely with a WSET qualified Sake expert and a UK-based Sake distributor to develop their tailored menus and select a range of Sake to perfectly complement their dishes, allowing both the ingredients and flavours to really shine through.

Sake is an especially good match for seafood dishes due to its high umami factor and low levels of iron and low acidity. 

Some of the specially created pairings that have been developed by restaurants involved in the campaign to highlight this Sake-seafood compatibility include:

Mediterranean rice with cuttlefish, red prawns, seabream and seafood stock, paired with Yauemon 'Silent Forest' Junmai Ginjō

Classic fish and chips (haddock, chunky chips, pea purée, tartare sauce, chargrilled lemon), paired with Dewazakura Izumi Judan Ginjo Sake

Chilean sea bass with shiso salsa, paired with CEL–24 Junmai Ginjo

Smoked salmon served with a toasted bagel, cream cheese and pickles, paired with Nishinoseki Classic

Sake expert Christine Parkinson, who has been supporting a number of the restaurants with their Sake-pairing menus, says: “Most people don't realise how versatile sake is, and how delicious it can be with all types of cuisines. It has an umami component that always brings out the harmony of flavours in food.

“I think people will possibly be surprised when they try some of the pairings, especially with seafood dishes if they haven't ever thought to try sake with these before. I'm particularly pleased we've such a wide range of restaurants involved, with seafood dishes in lots of different styles. It's going to be a real eye-opener!”

Further restaurants are still being confirmed but at this time participating restaurants include:

8 at The Londoner

Akira

Aqua Kyoto

Arros QD

Engawa

Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, Mei Ume

Inamo, Covent Garden

Inamo, Soho 

InterContinental London Park Lane, The Wellington Lounge

London Shell Co. Prince Regent  

London Shell Co. The Grand Duchess

Moto

My Neighbours the Dumplings, Clapton 

My Neighbours the Dumplings, Victoria Park

Panzer's 

People's Wine

Plume

Wagtail

More details, including the full list of bars and restaurants taking part, will be updated on the SquareMeal restaurant review and booking website (https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/promotions/sake-and-seafood-pairing_10282) and on the forthcoming Sake Seafood Sensations site (https://sake-jfoodo.jetro.go.jp/uk/sensations) which will also include a brief guide to the different styles and categories of Sake. In addition, updates can be found on Instagram at @sake_sensations and using #SakeSeafoodSensations.

Sake has been brewed in Japan for in excess of two millennia. 

Unlike wine, where much of its quality is decided in the vineyard, the most important factor in making Sake is in the technical production process used in the brewery. 

Today's brewers are merging tradition and innovation to create high quality, versatile Sakes that come in a range of styles and flavours, and that complement virtually any seafood dish.

UPDATE: We have just been informed that the promotion has proved so popular that they have extended it until 20th November.