Tatler Dining+ JFOODO
We’re saying kanpai to the return of the Seafood Loves Sake campaign, which will bring intriguing pairing experiences right to your doorstep
The bounty of the ocean and the vastness of its rice fields have provided Japan with two of the country’s most defining culinary offerings—a wealth of wonderful seafood, and a rich and diverse history of sake. The two are a natural marriage in the realm of gastronomy, where the umami characters of sake complement and heighten the natural flavour of seafood dishes. It’s the principle behind the Seafood Loves Sake campaign by The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Centre (JFOODO), which aims to showcase the idea that sake is, in fact, the best possible drink to pair with seafood.
In Hong Kong, enjoying the latter is a part of everyday dining—and this year, the Seafood Loves Sake line-up features Chinese restaurants Fresh Seafood Restaurant, Shun De Kun, and Dragon Gown in order to showcase how perfectly sake can complement the cuisine’s iconic seafood dishes.
“In the last two years, sake has risen in popularity, not only in East Asia but in America and Europe as well,” says sake expert Ivan Sean. “Sake can counter fishiness in foods, making it ideal to pair with seafood.” Sean explains that the majority of Cantonese seafood dishes can be divided into two categories—simple steamed or poached preparations that emphasise the natural flavour of the ingredients, and more heavily seasoned methods such as typhoon shelter, garlic and chilli, or black bean. “Both of these preparations can suit sake—fresh and smooth sake can be paired with lighter dishes, while richer and more aromatic sake can match with more intense flavours,” he explains.