Exploring
the
Saké
Scene in Calgary
Calgary may not be the first place to come to mind when you think of saké,
but Calgarians have developed a great appreciation for the traditional Japanese
beverage. “Calgary is a big wine town,” says Adam Snelling, general manager and
saké sommelier at Ki Modern Japanese + Bar (Ki). “But since Calgarians fly all
over the world and taste different foods and beverages, from the day we opened
[four years ago], guests were asking for premium sakés by brand.” Premium saké
represents about twelve percent of all saké made, using artisanal techniques and
the finest saké rice, polished to a high level.
Ki’s list of about 50 premium sakés even includes one of the most rare sakés
in the world. If you want to try Haku Raku Sei Zankyo ‘Super 8’ Junmai Daiginjo,
call in advance. It is stored very cold, so Snelling must decant the saké into a wine
decanter allowing it to rest for 30 minutes before it is served in brandy snifters so
all of its aromatics can be fully appreciated. The rice to make Zankyo Super 8 is
polished down to an astonishing eight percent of its original size. Even then, only
the purest part of the brewing runoff is used to make perhaps the most delicate
saké in existence.
While most sakés are usually served in traditional ochokos (small, cylindrical
saké cups), Snelling serves his finest saké in Riedel stemware. He starts with the
saké chilled, but allows it to warm. “Super-premium saké shows [different aromas
and flavours] beautifully at different temperatures,” he says. “We can prepare
an omakase [chef-selected] tasting menu consisting of several small plates to
accompany this fine beverage as it evolves during the meal.”
At Hapa Izakaya, the finest saké is served in living bamboo ochokos and
draft sake is served in frozen bamboo tokkuri flasks, which general manager
Barret Jackson says helps keep saké at the right temperature and enhances
the flavour. While Hapa Izakaya stocks only a couple of dozen different brands,
they are all premium sakés, ranging from old-world Japanese breweries such as
Fukumasamune Tradition Junmai and vintage-dated Hououbiden Phoenix 2012, to
new-world North American breweries, such as the Diamond, Pearl and Asian Pear
ginjo sakés from famed Portland brewer Momokawa. “We had a standard saké on
the menu, but we had to take it off. In Calgary, standard saké doesn’t sell well, so
now all of our saké is premium sake—Calgarians want the finest things,” Jackson
says. Hapa also uses new world sakés to make cocktails, adding a modern twist to
a beverage with centuries of history.
Every one of the cocktails at Ikemen Ramen Bar in Calgary’s trendy Kensington
neighborhood includes saké and are the perfect accompaniment to their homemade
ramen. Of course, Ikemen also serves saké in its traditional form, with a short list of
half a dozen labels all of which are premium sakés. You can even cap off your meal
with house-made saké ice cream.
Contemporary Japanese restaurant Goro + Gun on Calgary’s famous Stephen
Avenue walk has an ever-evolving list with dozens of sakés from Japan, Canada,
and the United States. Goro + Gun puts saké first; you can choose the saké you
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The Essential Calgary 2015/16
Photographs: Courtesy Ki Modern Japanese + bar and Michelle Lan PR
by don tse