Located in Awaza 1-chome, Nishi Ward, our visit brought us to “Sai,” a cozy izakaya situated on the right side after turning east into the second street south of the intersection of Central Dori and Naniwa-suji (Awaza 1). On a weekend evening, we casually walked in as a pair. The restaurant features 10 counter seats and one table for four, focusing on Japanese sake and seafood. We started with beer and ordered the following dishes: - Cod milt marinated with yuzu - Sashimi of wild yellowtail and returning bonito - Grilled Spanish mackerel and oden with Ishikawa daikon and yuzu miso - Fresh fish namero For our sake: - Izutsuchi Junmai Ginjo Aiyama 50 (Ehime Prefecture), served cold - Taketsuru Junmai (Hiroshima Prefecture), served warm - Koganazawa Junmai Ginjo Omachi (Miyagi Prefecture), served cold - Ugo No Tsuki Tokubetsu Junmai Chokarakuchi (Hiroshima Prefecture), served cold - Yuho Yamoroshi Junmai Ginjo Red (Ishikawa Prefecture), served at room temperature - Takakiyu Junmai Ginjo Tokushin (Tottori Prefecture), served cold - Tenon Hiyaoroshi (Shimane Prefecture), served cold The restaurant boasts a diverse selection of around 50 to 60 types of sake, available by the glass or half-glass, allowing for an enjoyable tasting experience for sake enthusiasts. We appreciated the knowledgeable owner and left with a pleasantly tipsy feeling. "Thank you for the meal!"

I made a reservation with my colleagues and booked a course for ¥5,500. We started with a toast over beers, and after that, I communicated my preferences to choose sake that would pair well with the food. It was exciting to try brands I had never had before. The dishes were served one by one, matching our pace of eating. They were beautifully presented and delicious. I ended up very full. Thank you for the meal!

At the fourth stop of the Sake Go-Around in Japan, I'm starting to feel quite tipsy with the number of cups I've had. This place features a collaboration between Umezu Sake Brewery and Sai. The sake served is Tomirei, brewed using the traditional Kimoto method. I suspected it would be nice served warm, so I opted for it as a hot sake. I enjoyed a bottle that was matured since Heisei 29; it had a golden color and a smooth mouthfeel. The acidity and aroma were incredibly pronounced. This is definitely a delightful drink for Kimoto lovers! I also detected a slightly dashi-like umami flavor. The pairing with a dish of braised octopus was fantastic. The octopus was cooked very tenderly, and the jelly had a wonderful fish flavor, making it really delicious! The combination with Tomirei was superb! The simmered taro was also delicious and perfectly cooked. I also had a chance to chat with the brewmaster! I learned that there aren’t fixed rules for making Kimoto; some can take a full two nights and three days to prepare, while others might only take half a day but still qualify as Kimoto. Now I understand why some Kimoto sakes are lighter and easier to drink! Thank you for the lovely experience! It had been a while since I enjoyed a rich Kimoto sake like this.

The dish was a bit of a special effort and paired well with alcohol.