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[thehungrykat1]

Sakagura and JETRO Presents The Art of Japanese Liquor

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) recently hosted an exquisite Japanese wine and sake pairing dinner called The Art of Japanese Liquor at Sakagura in Bonifacio Global City. Together with industry partners Philippine Wine Merchants, Hightower, and Mitsukoshi Fresh, JETRO introduced its VIP guests to some of the finest sake and shochu cocktails in the country, paired with the freshest seafood and wagyu dishes from Sakagura.

The exclusive dinner event happened last February 1, 2024 at the new Sakagura izakaya and sake bar located on the second floor of One Bonifacio High Street Mall in Bonifacio Global City. The Hungry Kat was one of the few selected guests invited to this one of a kind sake pairing to promote the unique Japanese liquors available in the country.

Indulge in the art of Japanese cuisine at Sakagura, which opened its doors to the public only late last year. This new premium sake bar is from The Nikkei Group which also owns and operates popular brands like Nikkei Nama Bar, Sunae Asian Kitchen, and Terraza Martinez, among others. Sakagura offers a selection of premium sakes from renowned Japanese breweries which you won't often find in other Japanese restaurants.

It was just our first time to visit Sakagura so I was happy to find some familiar faces including the evening's host Gail Sotelo and Nikkei Group marketing manager Monica Modomo.

Guests were ushered to their seats where a medley of premium Japanese cocktails will be introduced and served throughout the evening, all paired with lovely dishes from Sakagura.

The Art of Japanese Liquor actually started even before we got to sit down. Guests got a small taste of what was to come with their Welcome Drink, the Aperol Spritz blended with sparkling sake.

I love drinking Aperol Spritz which is an Italian cocktail, but Sakagura gives it a unique Japanese twist by using sake instead of Prosecco.

We also got to chat with The Nikkei Group owner Carlo Lorenzana together with JETRO Manila Director Makoto Sudo who works with retailers and restaurant owners to connect them with the best Japanese wine suppliers available.

Mr. Sudo-san, as he is fondly called, welcomed all the guests to The Art of Japanese Liquor and gave a brief introduction to Japanese wine including the differences between sake and shochu.

All these premium Japanese liquors are available at Mitsukoshi Fresh BGC, one of our favorites supermarkets where we can always find amazing Japanese products at very reasonable prices. JETRO has worked with Mitsukoshi Fresh to bring these authentic Japanese liquor to the Philippines

Our table was very excited to explore these colorful Japanese cocktails. Joining us were Ms. Heidi Ng, a journalist who also happens to be a classmate of my husband back in Ateneo; Ms. Jackie Lorenzana, owner of The Nikkei Group; and Attorney Karen Jimeno who we have seen countless times on the news for her cases and advocacies.

We started our adventure with the Nihon Sidecar which is made with Daiyame Sweet Potato Shochu, lemon juice, cointreau, aperol, and brown sugar. This is a sweet and refreshing cocktail that can be enjoyed any time of the day.

Our delightful beverages were paired with a sample of the best bar chows you can find courtesy of Sakagura Executive Chef Yonemoto Kazumasa. Chef Yonemoto crafted the evening's dinner from the day's freshest catch.

I heard that Sakagura flies in their seafood straight from Japan every week, so we knew we were getting the best quality items as if we were eating in Tokyo. The Sakagura Sashimi (P1,680) is a platter featuring the Chef's Choice of the day's best sashimi cuts like Toro Tuna, Salmon and Hamachi sashimi. 

We can really tell by the color and tenderness of the sashimi that these are really fresh. We got to explore some of the restaurants in Tokyo and Osaka last year and I have to admit that dining at Sakagura is as close as you can get to actually being there in Japan.

There were several other cocktails to try on the menu. The Yuzu Margarita is also made with Daiyame Sweet Potato Shochu together with Arette Blanco tequilla, lime juice and simple syrup. This is a more powerful combination for those that want a stronger cocktail.

We had this with the Hamachi Tataki, a harmonious mix of tender hamachi, refreshing cucumber, and smooth avocado, finished with a tangy yuzu mayo and kosho.

Next up was the Sakagura Martini which brings together Kakushigura Barrel Barley Shochu with Masamune "Malola" Junmai Ginjo Sake, Tanqueray Gin, and Takara Mio Sparking Sake. Now this is a combination that really gives a strong kick.

The Assorted Sakagura Handrolls (P2,250) is one of the restaurant's unique specialties. This is a culinary mosaic made of the finest ingredients. The handrolls are each made with kani, uni, hamachi, salmon and tuna, all prepared with their own ingredients. The Salmon handroll is the perfect blend of tender trout, creamy avocado, and rich cream cheese rolled to perfection. On the other hand, the Uni Ikura handroll comes with Hokkaido's sea urchin, ikura, and Nikkei sauce.

To make the evening even more special, the Japanese Wagyu Skewers (P980) was a savory complement to all of the Japanese cocktails. These tender wagyu cubes were grilled perfectly, with each bite bursting with flavors.

The last drink I tried was the Kagoshima Gimlet which combines Kakushigura Barrel Barley Shochu with lime juice and simple syrup. After having a taste of all four cocktails, I think my personal favorite would be the Sakagura Martini for its rich and strong mix of spirits.

It seems that they were saving the best for last as Sakagura brought out the highlight of the evening, their signature Miso Bone Marrow (P750).

This beautiful slab of glistening bone marrow is served on its own individual griller and perfectly paired with uni butter onigiri. This is a dish that speaks volumes of the intricacy of Japanese cuisine. You can eat both items separately, but better yet, slather some bone marrow on top of the hot onigiri for a more indulgent experience.

For dessert, we had out choice of Hokkaido Mille Crepe Cakes (P380) in both matcha and chocolate flavors. This was topped off with some ice cream for a fantastic finish.

We would like to thank Sunny Ku of Mastermind Asia Communications Inc. for inviting us to join this special evening filled with delicious Japanese food and drinks. We really love Japanese cuisine so we absolutely enjoyed The Art of Japanese Liquor. Thank you to JETRO and The Nikkei Group for hosting this fabulous event.

Sakagura

2/F One Bonifacio Mall, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

(0956) 029-4791

www.nikkei.com.ph/sakagura

www.facebook.com/sakaguramanila