Dim the Lights, Chill the Sake
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There are eight grades of sake, categorized by brewing method and ingredients. Only futsu-shu–the lowest and most common grade–is best served warm. “Mostly because heat masks an inferior taste,” says Hepler. The taste of inferior sake might be described as overly fermented or yeasty, with a pungent aftertaste that’s increasingly noticeable as it cools. Sushi Wabi does offer one hot sake, by Japan’s most popular sake company, Ozeki. Hepler, though, recommends dressing it up with Chambord, creating a sweet, celebratory drink called “purple haze.”
Sushi Wabi offers nine chilled sakes and, as at most sake breweries, diners interested in a tasting can also order a sampler. At Mirai, where general manager Julio Burbano spent three months putting together a sake menu that spans five of the eight grades, 12 varieties are available. A highly drinkable sake included on both menus is Genshu Honjyozo: Madoka–called Madoka for short. “Genshu” indicates a grade of sake that is raw and undiluted with water, with an alcohol content of 18 percent. “Madoka” is “equivalent to the name of a vineyard,” says Burbano. It’s a sohshu-grade sake, which Burbano describes as having “a butter finish and a balance between sweetness and bitterness.” Hepler likens it to a chardonnay. It’s palatable, with a smooth, refreshing, and complex taste.
Sushi Wabi is at 842 W. Randolph, 312-563-1224; Mirai Sushi is at 2020 W. Division, 773-862-8500.
Thyme’s John Bubala plans to move into Wicker Park with the Moroccan–a casual French-Moroccan bistro–in June.
