An Unusual Pairing: Sake and French Food in New York City

Long gone are the days where only wine can perfectly compliment a meal; and while you might only associate sake with sushi and udon, it’s time to open your mind and expand the delicious Japanese spirit to other cuisines. For the month of February, you can head to The Golden Swan to try this phenomenal sake and seafood pairing for yourself.

The Golden Swan in New York City, by restaurateur Matthew Abramyck and Michelin-starred Chef Doug Brixton have partnered with JFOODO, The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center, for an unusually delicious pairing: sake and French food.

Why Sake x Seafood?

This pairing doesn’t come out of the blue, as sake has seen exponential growth over the past several years, with the 2022 global sake market reaching $9.1 billion, and a projection of reaching $12.9 billion by 2030. JFOODO has worked diligently with restaurants in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles to ensure diners in each respective city have options for pairing sake with cuisines other than typical Japanese fare, especially with seafood dishes.

Sake with French cuisine at The Golden Swan

I had the opportunity to try sake paired with classic French bites at The Golden Swan, a great spot for a dinner with friends in New York City. This posh, cozy restaurant has two sakes to choose from: Kubota Junmai Daiginjo and Tamanohikari Junmai Daiginjo.

I started with the tuna carpaccio, with a tahini sauce, an olive tapenade, and an herbaceous herb sauce, topped with a basmati rice cracker. The dish on its own is a textural, multidimensional stream of flavors, but paired with the Kubota Junmai Daiginjo sake, which is light and crisp with notes of pear, it compliments the clean, fatty flavors of the tuna.

Next up was the mussel and velouté soup, a smooth, creamy, velvety dish with a tinted orange hue thanks to the addition of saffron. My brain immediately wanted to assume it must be similar to bouillabaisse in Marseille due to the addition of both seafood and saffron, but the velouté was quite different, largely due to the thick consistency since the base is a roux. Because it was on the heavier side, it paired great with Tamanohikari Junmai Daiginjo, which is dry and slightly floral.

For the real star of the show, however, the Arctic char main course from The Golden Swan wins the gold. Made with roasted beets, a nine herb puree, trout roe, and a bonito beurre blanc (which was so good I could have drank it straight), the layers of seafood, between the trout, bonito, and the Arctic char itself, paired impeccably with the Kubota Junmai Daiginjo from Asahi-Shuzo Sake Brewing Co., Ltd.

“The sake (Kubota Junmai Daiginjo) is very aromatic, and much more floral than wine. The notes – such as plum, but more specifically loquat – are much more distinctive in my opinion. I think the Arctic Char pairs well with the sake, especially the sweet floral beets that are on the dish,” Chef Doug Brixton of The Golden Swan said in an official press release.

Try it for yourself

If you’re interested in trying any of the above dishes, or additional dishes like Salad Lyonnaise, foie gras mousse, and Crescent duck, paired with robust Japanese sake, this promotion continues throughout the month of February, but sake will remain on The Golden Swan menu after the promo ends.

For more information about sake x seafood collaborations and sake-related events, visit https://sake-jfoodo.jetro.go.jp/us or watch the campaign video here: https://youtu.be/l2Av0BukDUM.

DISCLAIMER: This post is sponsored by JFOODO (The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center).