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Back with its fifth edition, the campaign offers limited-edition menus and sake pairings at some of Hong Kong’s top restaurants
Cantonese cuisine is renowned for using quality ingredients that allow the natural flavours to shine. This includes fresh seafood, of course, which is key to many classic dishes. With a plethora of restaurants offering the best in the local cuisine here in Hong Kong, why not elevate your experience of Cantonese cooking by pairing seafood with sake? Starting from November 17, the Seafood Loves Sake campaign will launch across a number of Hong Kong’s premium restaurants, fusing the familiarity of Cantonese seafood dishes with the versatile beverage from Japan.
This collaboration involves a month of speciality limited-edition menus across sophisticated Cantonese and Chinese restaurants in the city, including the likes of The Chinese Library, Yat Tung Heen and Above & Beyond. Discerning Hong Kong diners can savour these unique menus, which enhance flavours by carefully complementing dishes with various hand-selected sakes.
The pairing is gaining in popularity and becoming a lasting trend, as Hongkongers continue to appreciate Japanese gastronomy and culture. For a taste of what’s to come, here are some of the unique pairings on offer at The Chinese Library, the location of the campaign’s kick-off event:
Begin with a favourite—razor clams and ginger—a refreshing start to any decadent meal. Known for their rich, meaty texture, the clams perfectly complement the fruity aroma of the Dewazakura Yukimegami 48 sake. This medium-sweet sake comes from a renowned brewery that has been making craft sake since 1892, honouring traditional techniques. Yukimegami is a rice variety unique to the Yamagata Prefecture, which was developed in 2015, and once brewed it produces the Junmai Daiginjo's light flavour. This pairing brings out the freshness of the razor clams, enhancing their natural flavour for a delightful start to the tasting experience.
A braised sea cucumber follows, with celtuce and Nepalese chicken-infused wild rock rice is paired with Nanbubijin Junmai Yuzo Special Miyamanishiki. Nanbu Bijin translates to “Southern beauty”, which represents the origin of this sake's production in Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture. Developed by the executive director of the brewery, the sake possesses the strength of a freshly pressed sake, yet focuses on warm drinking for a mellow texture that compliments the crispy outer-layer of the dish.
Next, a Hunan-style steamed cod fillet is cooked with fermented beans and paired with the award-winning Tedorigawa Yamahai Junmai Silver Mountain sake. This time, from the Ishikawa Prefecture—a fan-shaped rural area with clear air and pristine water sources—the Junmai exhibits a fruity aroma when served cool, yet a richer more mellow fragrance when warmed. In this dish, the delicate cod contrasts beautifully with the richness of the earthy sake tones, creating a multilayered combination.
For a distinctive pairing with a diverse range of flavours, the king prawn in perilla sauce is served with Kaze no Mori Alpha 1 “Gateway to the Next Chapter” sake. The slight spice from the rich sauce complements the refreshing, mellow fruitiness of the sake, which primarily uses locally sourced rice from Nara and creates a unique blend of flavours you won’t want to miss.
