Jean Gray sips a tasty alternative to white wine for World Sake Day

sake is poured into small cups — Photo by Frederick Shaw on Unsplash

World Sake Day was celebrated possibly for the first time in Newham this year, when owners of the Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant Bamboo-Mat opened their doors in Stratford Village East to invite the press to sample their Japanese rice wines.

The wine trade magazine Decanter says the world is divided into two types of people – those who love Sake and those who haven’t tried it yet. I had visited Bamboo-Mat before and enjoyed the food, and the warm, laid back atmosphere that combines comfortably busy with being able to hold a good conversation at your table. Although I had never ventured beyond the white wines.

But it was World Sake Day on 1 October, and it had to be done. Having sampled two of the sakes on offer, I definitely recommend giving it a try. It’s no surprise that the fermented rice drink is taking London by storm. With just a fifth of the acidity of wines, it is smoother than the whites I usually go for, the flavours more interesting. A look on the internet reveals a whole new world of sake and there is a lot to learn for the enthusiast looking for something new to discover.

The sakes that we chose, on the advice of the knowledgeable Nadiya, went well with the dishes, reinforcing the appeal of this restaurant for a good night out. As a vegetarian, there is plenty on the menu, and also for pescatarians and meat eaters alike. There is a children’s menu, a tasting menu, and currently a Christmas menu.

This Nikkei (JapanesePeruvuian fusion) style restaurant opened after the success of its sister establishment in Leytonstone. Chef-owner Denis Gobjila and business partner Victor Rosca have a fine track record in top restaurants. The quality of the food bears that out.

Newham Voices were the guest of Bamboo-Mat for this review.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.