1.) Seafood Toban Yaki with “The Japanese Manhattan”
This dish is Morimoto’s version of bouillabaisse, with Maine lobster, king crab, diver scallops, mussels, Manila clams, snapper, baby bok choy and king trumpet mushrooms. Cooked in a Toban-Yaki dish (a ceramic skillet) with a spicy red miso sake broth, the dish has a warm and rich vibrancy, perfect for this smoky and herbaceous cocktail. The variety in texture, flavor, and depth of the dish offer a lot of scope for pairing with cocktails.
Morimoto’s choice for a cocktail pairing is the Japanese Manhattan, which includes Iwai whiskey, Averna, (an Italian bitter bringing an herbaceous bittersweet note), Greene chartreuse, (a distinct floral, citrus and clove undertone) and orange bitters. The final touch is smoking the glass with mulberry bark.
“Both the cocktail and the dish play on the same tone of warming effect”, shared Morimoto. “It leaves you with a rich, warm feeling and has a hardy, earthy, long finish”.
The dish and cocktail are brought to the table covered, the lids lifted ceremoniously, allowing the steam and smoke release in unison, mingling together in the air and exciting the senses. The diner gently blows the smoke, takes a sip, and allows the aromatics of the smoke to coat his or her palate before taking the first mouthful of the rich broth.
