The Iron Chevsky Wine Blog

At our local Japanese supermarket - Mitsuwa - located off of Saratoga exit off of 280 in San Jose, you can buy great quality, sashimi-grade raw fish and have your own sushi feast at home. We buy probably 10 different kinds (total about $50-60), and it's enough to stuff four people until they can't eat anymore, at about a quarter of what it would cost at a restaurant. And it's so much more fun to DIY! No fancy rolls, just sashimi, nigiri, and handrolls. Get a pack of dry nori (seaweed sheets), some shiso leaves, sprouts, cucumber, and avocado. Steam rice, add rice vinegar. Slice the fish. And sculpt your own sushi masterpieces to your heart's and stomach's content. Yum! Always perfect with Kabinett (slightly off-dry) level of German Riesling, as the elements in the wine complement the umami elements in the fish, soy sauce and wasabi. I also like an entry level red Burgundy, the lighter the better, such as from the light 2007 vintage, with good acidity. It goes...

To my wine friends, pairing wine with sushi is old news. They will often forgo Sake and opt toward extravagance - grand cru white Burgundy, Sancerre, even Pinot Noir (quite nice with tuna and unagi). I often stick with Sparkling. This full-bodied Ca'del Bosco Franciacorta "Prestige" Cuvée from Lombardy, Italy is wonderful and relatively affordable for a Champagne-quality sparkler (under $40). And here is a gem of a place that is a total hush-hush secret in the Bay Area... Even on Friday nights, you don't need reservations - there is plenty of space, a row of Japanese-trained Korean sushi chefs (who speak both Korean and Japanese), an army of good-looking Asian waitresses to take care of you, and even a mega-screen playing Asian pop videos. I know I will be kicking myself for revealing it, but for you my readers, I must! The place is called Sushi Club Ocean Blue Lounge and is located on El Camino Real on the border of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara in the hole-in-the-wall ...