SakaMai, the new sake lounge at 157 Ludlow Street, is scheduled to open next Thursday, after hosting a series of private preview events. In Zagat the other day, Jenny Miller referred to the restaurant as a “Japanese gastro lounge.” There will, of course, be a large sake menu, plus Japanese whiskeys and beer. The 100-seat venue will also offer a small food menu.
Here are the sample dishes Zagat listed:
Uni Scrambled Egg with Sturgeon Caviar
Matcha Macaron with Foie Gras Butter Cream
Mini Uni Sandwich
Fried Chicken Confit with Yuzu Kosho Yogurt Sauce
Miso Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Blue Stilton
Red Wine and Miso Braised Pork Belly Kakuni with Mascarpone
Roasted Bone Marrow with Filet Mignon Tataki and Sansho Butter Toast
Crispy Maitake Mushroom Salad with Duck Bacon and Baby Arugula
Dry-Aged Bone-In Rib-Eye Steak with a Trio of Dipping Sauces
There’s also talk that ramen master Ivan Orkin, a New Yorker who has become a “culinary star” in Tokyo, might make a cameo or two. Here’s what he told the Robb Report:
A friend of mine who imports sake to NYC is in the process of opening a restaurant on the Lower East Side called SakaMai. He wants to demystify sake and show that it can be paired with all different kinds of foods. It’s something to look forward to; I might even be doing some pop-ups over there when they get rolling…
SakaMai will be open starting at 6 p.m., six nights a week. Closing time on weekends will be 3 a.m. If you want to check for updates, the restaurant is pretty active on Facebook.
UPDATE! After attending last night’s preview, Zagat learns that ramen will be a regular part of the late night menu:
…the folks behind the eatery confirmed that he’ll be putting together a late-night menu of noodles, which will be offered post 10 PM (we think the late-night crowds that frequent this hood will be much obliged). The brothy bowls won’t be available at opening time, but you can expect them within a few weeks
