US restaurants promote seafood, sake pairings

Thanks to a promotion sponsored by the Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO), United States restaurants are featuring seafood and sake pairings that create a unique umami experience for guests.

JFOODO, which champions "the way of food" with Japanese culture, partnered with food media web site Foodbeast to offer the pairings at eateries in California and New York.

“The lauded flavor of umami is one unlike the other four traditional tastes of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter – as it's noted for its ultra savory, meaty characteristics, making it a favorite of many palates,” Foodbeast said in a press release. "Folks will get a chance to experience heightened levels of umami through the thoughtful and expertly-curated pairings of sake and amazing seafood dishes.”

The seafood dishes include: Lobster Pot Pie with Crispy Oysters and Sake Butter Sauce from Raw Bar by Slapfish in Huntington Beach, California; Maine Lobster Dumplings from Umma by Noodlelove in Manhattan, New York;  and Oysters on the Half Shell Topped with MicroGreens, Caviar and Yuzu Spritz from Shuck Oyster Bar in Costa Mesa, California.

JFOODO is also sponsoring pop-up pick-up-only "Restaurant Unlocked To Go" locations in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California this winter.

At Restaurant Unlocked, special food lockers will be available for guests to unlock and pick up pre-ordered bento boxes featuring a seafood menu crafted by Chef Johan Svensson, formerly of Aquavit in New York and Terra Mare in Florida.

The meal will be paired with a complimentary sake bottle from one of the participating breweries to “boost the ultimate umami, leading guests to unlock their palates and discover the savory taste of umami,” JFOODO said in a press release.

Svensson took umami points into consideration as he prepared dishes such as Smoked poached oysters drizzled with mild BBQ sauce on a bed of fennel slaw and Shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce and lemon to be paired with sake.

Guests will also receive access to a Kura Trip, which will take them on a journey showing them how to enjoy the seafood and sake via a virtual sake brewery tour by scanning the QR code attached to the sake bottle.

Photo courtesy of Foodbeast

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