Wagyu Italian and Sake Experience
at Kubota Sake Bar in Shibuya, TOKYO
This time, the companion to the sake was Italian cuisine with Wagyu beef as the star ingredient, which turned out to be a highly anticipated matching project for meat lovers. The friendly collaboration between Kubota Sake Bar nestled in the Chaos Kitchen on the basement floor of Parco Shibuya and Carniceria, situated across the passage, has materialized.
At Carniceria, the beef of choice is the premium “Kagoshima Black Wagyu.” Kagoshima Prefecture is Japan's largest producer of Wagyu cattle, accounting for approximately 20% of all Wagyu cattle raised in Japan. “Kagoshima Black Wagyu” was celebrated for its exceptional quality and consecutive victories as Japan's best in 2017 and 2022 at the National Wagyu Ability Enhancement Competition, recognized as the “Olympics of Japanese Beef,” held every five years.
The exquisite meat sizzled exuberantly on the hot iron griddle, filling the air inside the bar with the tantalizing aroma of seared goodness as all the guests were seated. The finely marbled meat is carefully cooked so that all the fat does not melt away. With a crisp, golden exterior and a snowflake-fat cross-section glistening with mesmerizing fat, it's a visual delight. It's a scene that many people would have expected, considering the natural harmony between rice-based Japanese sake and meat.
Moreover, Japanese sake's allure lies not only in sipping it cold but also in the transformative effects of heating, adding yuzu liqueur, or a drop of whiskey. Kubota Sake Bar's sake specialists shared their expertise in crafting thoughtful pairings and consumption methods, specially tailored for this occasion.
A guest visiting Japan from Indonesia shared a comment, saying, “I thought Japanese sake only tasted the same, but actually they differ.” On the other hand, a guest who has lived in Japan for over 10 years and is originally from Singapore, and typically drinks wine, said, “I usually only have sake with Japanese food and this opens me to possibilities of other food pairing.” As another opinion, a guest from France, who drinks many kinds of alcohol including sake, left the pleasant comment, "I like sake even more now”.
Here is the full story.
1.Canapes
- Wagyu Tartare Canape
“Made with Wagyu round, the tartare is highlighted by a homemade mayonnaise-based tartar sauce that enhances the natural flavor of the meat”, says the chef at Carniceria. Meanwhile, the sake specialist recommended KUBOTA KOUJYU, adding, “The crispness and acidity of KUBOTA KOUJYU match tartare's vibrant taste.” A guest from the United States particularly favored this pair of canapés, deeming it the "best pairing.” As another opinion, a guest from France described the combination of tartare and KUBOTA SPARKLING instead of KUBOTA KOUJYU as her “perfect and dreamy.”
- Basque Style Marinated Prawn Canape
This canape was inspired by the Basque dish of garlic shrimp and topped with a sauce of finely chopped vinegared vegetables. The salty taste of garlic and seafood combined with the subtle sweetness of KUBOTA SPARKLING is a consideration of the sake specialist. A guest from the U.S., who usually drinks lemon sours, rated this pairing as a favorite, saying "It tasted so fresh and crisp.”
2. Wagyu Carpaccio with Red Wine Sauce Served with Salad
This was the most popular dish and sake combination. The chef said, “Only the surface of the meat block heated like Tataki, leaving the inside raw, and thinly sliced to make carpaccio. The red wine sauce was made with a hint of soy sauce and Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine). Winter vegetables such as garland chrysanthemum, Kintoki carrots (a red variety native to the Kyoto region), and turnips were carefully prepared separately and mixed together to make a salad.” The sake specialist's idea was “Warmed KUBOTA HYAKUJYU with raw beef to create an infused flavor soup in the mouth.” The two guests from England both loved the pairing and commented, "Cleanest taste, close to sake" and "The sake taste was enhanced with the sauce.”
3. Wagyu Risotto in Bologna Style
Paired with Warmed
KUBOTA MANJYU MUROKA NAMA GENSHU
+ Drops of Whisky
*only available in Japan
A popular menu item at Carniceria, Wagyu Beef Bolognese pasta is arranged in rice and made into a risotto. The sake specialist said, “The unfiltered, unpasteurized, and undiluted KUBOTA MANJYU MUROKA NAMA GENSHU with drops of whiskey will taste like a smooth whiskey. Also, the warm sake is intended to make the richness of the risotto a little silkier in the mouth, allowing it to be eaten more easily.” One guest from the U.S., a frequent beer drinker, loved the pairing, saying, "The sake cleansed the mouth," while another guest from the U.S., who prefers wine and cocktails, thought it was the best, saying, "It was a very bold and warming sip that felt so comforting with the risotto.”
4. Wagyu from Kagoshima Steak with Tuscan French Fries
Paired with Warmed
KUBOTA YUZU LIQUOR
*only available in Japan
The steak is made from Kagoshima black beef shoulder loin and cut into bite-sized pieces. To savor the original flavor of the meat, it is served with wasabi, salt, and pepper, without any sauce. The accompanying French fries are herb-infused, reminiscent of Tuscan-style fries, with fragrances of rosemary and thyme. According to the sake specialist, "Imagine yuzu pepper with the steak (as seen in Japanese restaurants), use KUBOTA YUZU LIQUOR and add KUBOTA SENJYU JUNMAI GINJO to balance the sweetness.” “Wagyu and chilled KUBOTA YUZU LIQUOR complement each other. Wagyu is fatty but the sake dissolves it down the throat," favorably commented a guest traveling from Indonesia.
Carniceria
Shibuya PARCO, Floor B1 15-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya, Tokyo
03 5422 3158
Instagram @carniceria_shibuya
Takehiro Tanaka
Manager of Carniceria Shibuya
Instagram @takehirox06
Born in Kansai area. He has been the manager of Carniceria Shibuya since its opening and the restaurant just celebrated its 4th anniversary.
On the 29th (pronounced "meat" in Japanese) of every month, which is Meat Day, the restaurant offers a special lunchtime steak bowl of Japanese black beef at a special price. Carniceria also has aother restaurant in Yokohama.
Sui (翠)
Manager of Kubota Sake Bar
Instagram @sui_taiwan
Taiwan native, Sui's passion for Japanese sake knew no bounds, leading her to make Japan her base. If you want to hear her sake recommendations and pairing, just swing by the store and ask her in person!
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