Kinsen Noodles presents new sake list

​Kinsen Noodles and Bar had a free food and sake pairing last Wednesday to celebrate it new sake list.

According to sake master Chris Griese, pairings for sake are not as regimented as those for, say, wine. Restaurant employees put the pairings together by eating and drinking, and then deciding which sake complemented various noodle dishes.

A beef udon noodle dish was paired with Yuri Masamune Honjozo, a blue-collar sake with a hint of cashew, and Fukamari "Depth" Junmai, which is brewed by rice farmers. The sesame ginger ramen with pork belly was paired with Yuko No Bosha Junmai Ginjo and EIko Fuji "Ban Ryu," both light and fruity selections.

Kinsen also prepared crispy curry triangles filled with mashed yams and served with mango coulis, which were paired with Hideyoshi Honjozo, a wheaty sake that goes well with hearty foods. Cucumber cups with marinated jellyfish were paired with Yuki No Bosha Nigori, a drier sake with a cloudy appearance due to only partial filtering of rice sediment.

​The restaurant's new manager, Perry Doustan, hails from New York and describes himself as "very beverage focused." He has focused on the wine bar aspect of Kinsen Noodles and Wine Bar. "A lot was lacking as far as general structure and concept," he explains. A lot of the beverages Kinsen serves are not available by the glass elsewhere, he points out.

Kinsen now offers sake flights, featuring three two-ounce pours, and sake by the glass, ranging from $5 to $14-or $15 for a 180ml bottle of the delicious Hou Hou Shu, a fruity sparkling sake that is similar to champagne and combines perfectly with desserts.

And speaking of desserts, the restaurant offers an excellent selection, including a coconut creme brulee served with fresh berries and durian jam. (Yes, durian is the fruit from Southeast Asia known for its offensive odor, but chef Tony Tschida is somehow able to transform the pungent berry into a delicious neon green, caramel-tasting jam.)