A Sake Boom Is Brewing Right Now
While sake breweries and consumption are declining back in Japan, the rice wine is having a quiet boom in Singapore bars.
By Cherry Tan,
If you have noticed Japanese sake gaining more popular in the past year, you are not alone. One explanation as to why the 2,500 year-old beverage – made from rice, water, koji (rice mould) and yeast – is gaining prominence might be the fact that Japanese sake labels and breweries are marketing the rice wine abroad more aggressively these days.
“This is mainly due to the fact that Japanese domestic consumption of sake is at an all time low – and drops year on year, ” says Oh Reuben Luke, the managing partner and director of The Kabuki Works, who is also the Sake Sommelier Association’s (SSA) Young Sake Ambassador for 2021/2022. The Kabuki Works is Oh's passion project that connects the world to Japan through sake, from limited releases of never-before-exported bottles from Japan, to linking breweries with buyers across the world, and propagating the need for better marketing and storytelling for sake. Meanwhile, the SSA is the first and only UK-based organisation committed to sake education and promotion globally.
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The increasing appeal for the booze can also be linked to how it is easy on the palate and pairs well with food beyond Japanese cuisine. “Some sake bars are offering masterclasses which give an insight on sake and its ability to pair not just with Japanese cuisine, but also other cuisines such as Chinese, Italian, French, North Indian and even Peranakan cuisine,” says Joshua Kalinan, a certified sake and wine sommelier and beverage consultant who also runs classes on sake appreciation.
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One such business "recognising the potential for sake" is F&B group Iki Concept, which opened the Nomi Dining Bar by Nozomi in Forum The Shopping Mall late last year. According to its director Russell Yu, the joint is partnering with restaurants outside the sphere of Japanese cuisine, including Eight Gems Caviar & Gastronomy recently, "to show the breadth of sake and how it can be enjoyed with multiple cuisines".
If you're in the mood for sake, we've curated a list of some of our favourite watering holes you can check out below.
F&B group Iki Concept’s newest project features an entirely izakaya-focused menu with a lineup of dishes such as Sashimi Moriawase (Assorted Sashimi), Tori Paitan Ramen (Chicken Ramen), Signature Kani Miso Chahan (Crab Fried Rice with Crab Fat) – alongside a slew of yakitori sticks. These dishes were created with the intention of pairing them easily with one of the over 300 sake labels the restaurant carries. If you want a bottle delivered to your home, check out its sister e-commerce site, nomi.sake.
#B1-39 Forum The Shopping Mall
This sake joint boasts a rotating menu of 12 sake labels each week that will appeal to lovers of both traditional and more modern sakes. Among them is Doburoku, an ancient homebrewed sake that’s been prohibited in Japan up till recently, when its legalisation ushered in a current revitalisation. Plus, did we mention, their sushi and handrolls are phenomenal?
#01-08 Concourse Skyline
This restaurant offers a concept dining experience with artisanal sakes and modern Japanese Kappo-style cuisine (the latter being a less formal dining experience which lets you get up close and personal with the chef who cooks behind the counter). Sake options are wide ranging here – you’ll be able to find something that suits your taste buds without breaking your bank, which sounds like a good gateway to the sake world. The dim lighting also provides for a cosy dining experience.
55 South Bridge Road
Tucked away in Palais Renaissance is Table 33, a bar that’s part of Ishinomaki Grill and Sake. It is founded by Janice Chi, who holds the prestigious Master Sake Sommelier title, awarded by Sake Sommelier Academy of London. Boasting about 180 sake labels, the bar is an advocate of hot sake – often mistaken for being a cheaper option – and has a range of sakes that can be served warm to really bring out the umami flavour.
#B1-02/02A/03 Palais Renaissance
Priding itself as an izakaya “with a big heart and little quirk,” Tachinomiya brings Japanese rice wine to the heartlands of Singapore, with its first outlet in Kovan and its second in Katong. Its small and intimate good vibes mirror its selection of sakes which are more modest compared to some of the big names on this list. But that just makes it easier to find your favourite – you don’t have to contend with the paradox of choice!
#01-285 211 Hougang Street 21 & 19 East Coast Road, #01-01
Located in a colonial bungalow on Scotts Road, The Bar Kakure is a must-visit if you're into sake-based cocktail concoctions. Using plenty of ingredients imported from Japan – think Japanese peaches, Wasabi gin, and ume-shu – the bartenders here create unique concoctions such as the Sakura-Sakura (for those who like sweet florals and Japanese cherry blossoms in a glass) and the Yamaoroshi (perfect for those who want spicy and umami flavours with a kick of fresh wasabi).
29 Scotts Road
This isn’t quite a speakeasy, but it may as well be one. With its tiny door and unassuming exterior, you might walk right past it if you don’t keep your eyes peeled enough. Step inside and you’ll find yourself transported into a joint with an izakaya-slash-disco aesthetic. Clock the shiny disco ball hanging from the ceiling, glittering amidst funky beats. Sit back and sway along to the music as you wait for your omakase and sake pairing.
#01-58 UE Square