American and Sake Pairing Experience
at Chillmatic Shibuya, TOKYO
In the fiercely competitive Tokyo dining scene, an exciting collaboration has come to life with the American restaurant, Chillmatic. They’ve gained popularity online and offline. However, in fact, the first impression was uncertain to many guests. “I had never thought about pairing sake with something like a burger,” one said. Now, we are excited to share the unexpected results with you.
Just as hamburgers and cheeseburgers are eternal buzzwords, Chillmatic’s Instagram posts stimulate the appetite with their visually striking photos. Embracing the concept of a "burger bistro," their take on American cuisine is elevated to gourmet status through French culinary expertise. The two talented chefs behind the restaurant both have long backgrounds in French cuisine and have also acquired an ethos of cured meats.
The restaurant was designed on the first floor of the Mustard Hotel located on the east side of Shibuya area. The name, Chillmatic is a coined word made of “chill” and “illmatic” implying the cozy spot with great food and drink. The skateboard decks decorating the restaurant, as well as the many records and turntables, show inspiration from street culture. But its stylish and modern atmosphere is more than just a burger joint.
We welcomed about 30 guests from overseas, a third of whom were originally from the U.S., which may drive your curiosity about the results. Many of the guests tend to order sake usually only at izakayas. Some assumed that sake went well, especially with Japanese food such as sashimi or seafood dishes.
Through this experience, one realized and said, “The sake does a great job cutting through the grease.” Another said, “I could feel the sake enhancing the flavor for most dishes or the way the sake changed.” After all, most of all seemed to discover new taste buds. “I was a bit skeptical at first but I really enjoyed it!” Hearing from the guest “it was pleasantly surprised.”
1. Homemade Pastrami
Paired with
KUBOTA SEPPOU
JUNMAI DAIGINJO
(YAMAHAI)
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At first, the homemade pastrami in an extra-thick cut takes the spotlight as one of the signature dishes. Pastrami is made by marinating beef belly with salt for four days, then slowly cooking until tender, and smoking and aging for six days. True to the name of the mustard hotel where the restaurant is located where the restaurant is located, no compromise on the mustard. It was made using only yellow mustard seeds and takes about two weeks to prepare. Dollops of sweet and sour whole-grain mustard elevate the flavor of the meat. One mentioned, “Strong flavor from both and it paired well.”
2. Spicy Fried Chicken
Who doesn’t love the irresistible crunchy and juicy goodness of fried chicken? Chillmatic serves them with a chipotle sauce, made of smoked chili peppers with a secret ingredient of sudachi citrus. Crunchy, spicy, juicy, and smoky, all at once, this dish packs an exciting kick of flavor. KUBOTA KOUJYU has a great balance of tartness and dryness with a hint of fruit aroma. The gentle rice flavor of this tanrei-karakuchi sake mellowed the sensational taste. Interestingly, a couple of guests said “feel like Nihonshu goes better with white meat.”
3. BBQ Pulled Pork
Pulled pork is a big part of American BBQ cuisine. Finely torn meat is entwined with the sweet and sour barbecue sauce, making it even juicier. Purple cabbage coleslaw is on the side for a change of flavor. A crisp, clean, and dry finish of KUBOTA JUNMAI DAIGINJO will freshen up the palate filled with the umami of saucy meat by its elegant floral aroma. We were happy to hear that one said, “The pulled pork with JUNMAI DAIGINJO worked perfectly.”
4. Slider : Dry Aged Beef Cheese Burger
This pairing was the most popular among the guests. Someone might have quoted, “Life is too short to say no to cheeseburgers”. Many sake lovers could agree with the quote. Chef Shioda has spent years learning all the techniques of aged meat. He mentioned, “The roughly minced meat is quite filling and its sweet, nutty aroma of aged meat spreads from the throat to the nostrils”. Tomato sauce with natural sweetness, rich cheddar cheese, and grainy mustard added more character to the flavor. One admired, “This pairing was inspiring.”
5. Slider : Dry Aged Beef Mushroom Burger
Shioda proudly creates burgers featuring a patty with beef aged for 90 days. Introducing a mouthwatering culinary creation - a burger that combines a juicy meat patty with earthy mushrooms, all nestled within a bun! To pair with this mushroom’s delight, KUBOTA SENJYU GINJO is an idea. His take on toppings is always ingenious. Some are seasonal, but in addition to mushrooms, cornflakes, blue cheese, peas, white asparagus, and garland chrysanthemum appear on the patty. His creativity extends, for example, to strawberries and cream cheese, sliced oranges and mole sauce, Gorgonzola cheese and berry jam, etc. You will be amazed at the salty and sweet pleasures.
Chillmatic
Shibuya Bridge B-1F
1-29-3, Higashi, Shibuya, Tokyo
03 5962 7857
Instagram @chillmatic_higashibu
Chef Daiji Shioda gained experience at two beloved French restaurants, “La Guinguiette La Chevre” in Asakusa and “Auberge Andrée Montagne” in Niigata. He worked at “The Burn”, a grill restaurant in Tokyo and acquired the essence of aged meat under the supervision of Fumio Yonezawa. They hit it off, leading to the opening of “Chilmatic”. Yonezawa was previously the sous chef at the Michelin-starred "Jean Georges" French fine dining in New York, and became the head chef when the restaurant opened in Tokyo. Shioda also served the head chef and produce menus at the “THE GOOD VIBES” and “THE GOOD VIBES VEHICLE” focusing on aged-meat burgers and pastrami sandwiches. Since opening in 2022 with Yonezawa as restaurateur and Shioda as head chef, Chillmatic has gained a growing fan base in just one year.
Daijiro Shioda : Head Chef
instagram @daijiroshioda
Fumio Yonezawa : Restauranteur
instagram @yone_asakusa
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