The 10 Minute critique. FILE THIS UNDER: It’s all about me.

(as in, you must go here so they will stay open & I can keep going here.)

When I lived in the (gulp) “hip” neighborhood of Belltown, I almost went postal. Every weekend the streets were overrun with the bridge and tunnel set, ready to use “party” as a verb. Every weekend some assbag in a Mercedes, or BMW, or Hummer parked in my space. (OK, towing them was way cool. We bagged so many lux cars, I thought of having a stamp made for the side of the building.)

Some of the places these Real World rejects flocked to were great. My favorite was the Bada Lounge–the food, the Saarinen decor, and the music was very well done. The clientele, however, sucked. One of the owners was a frustrated restauranteur who never set out to own a club, but that’s what he got. And it kept people like me, who just wanted to drink and chill the fuck out, away.

Now the Bada Lounge is dead, and the Umi Sake House rises from its ashes. (crowd goes wild) Freakin’ finally. You know I love me the sake. Trying to be more about food, the place has been redesigned to mimick the interior of a Japanese house. Sayonara Kubrick. The menu is part sushi and part Japanese izakaya. The izakaya is like the orginal gastro-pub; it’s fit for all appetites. In Japan, people stop in after work for a drink and a few bites, stay for a meal, or hit the izakaya for late nite grub.

The layout of the place–especially killer inside-out skylighted patio–draws you in. Add the food is worth staying for: marinated octapus, braised cod collar, pristine sashimi, and all of my Japanese favorites–grilled, fried, souped, and raw. Their signature rolls are just this side of cheeky, but I recommend the shrimp tempura with tuna and spicy sauce. And their take on Mexican fried (sub: green tea) ice cream is a super happy fun yum time.

I was impressed with the sake selections, included were my favorites: Shinriki “Sacred Power,” a mellow Junmai Ginjo that sips so easy it could just get you in to trouble (and has in my case). AND!… the Rihaku “Dreamy Clouds” nigori sake (unfiltered and, yes, dreamy). I enjoyed the thoughtful cocktail menu. But it’s unnecessary. Their sake cocktails, with different spotlighted ingredients like ginger and plum, are where it’s at. Their cucumber sake cocktail was so refreshing, it has to be good for you. It just has to. It reminded me of a trip to the spa. Can a Cosmo do that? Hell no.

HAPPY HOUR: 4 to 6pm (until 8pm if you’re in the front entry)

I tried for a few years, when I ran a wine shop, to get people on the sake train. It was a hard slog. I don’t understand why, unless most people think of the cheap stuff that gets heated in ceramic cups. Good sake is served lightly chilled (the temperature of a basement) and offers as much complexity and opportunity for pontification as any Scotch or Brandy. Think of it as Grappa junior. No, more like Grappa-san the third.

For the record, I think hot sake is like reeeally cold Mexican beer. It sometimes serves a purpose, and that purpose is good and just.

Umi Sake House