Umami

Chef Tomohiro Urata of New York City's MIFUNE Restaurant, is not afraid to unite European and Asian flavors.

T.U.: I think it's best to pair the food with wine from the same country. T.U.: One of the characteristics of umami in ingredients and dishes is that it is a persistent flavor and the taste can be felt throughout the tongue. If you combine the flavor with a wine that is not compatible with it, it can be overpowered. T.U.: The key is choosing the right ingredients while respecting basic Western cooking methods. T.U.: The growing interest Japanese wines that go well with Japanese food will expand the range of wine pairings that work with Japanese-influenced dishes. For example, when using kelp, which is an umami ingredient unique to Japan, you have to make sure that the flavor does not overpower the dish and make sure that it harmonizes with the other ingredients. All responses have been edited and condensed for clarity. This is because it is easier to pair umami ingredients with strong flavors than it is to pair them with drinks from other regions with different characteristics. L.B.Z.: What does the future of Japanese food and wine pairing hold? L.B.Z.: Any hints on how to best do that in terms of choosing sake styles and making them work with the food? Tomohiro Urata (T.U.): Once you clarify the type of umami by ingredients and know the cooking method, it is not difficult to pair the dish accordingly with wine. [ponzu](https://www.bing.com/search?q=Ponzu&filters=dtbk:%22MCFvdmVydmlldyFvdmVydmlldyE1YTYyZjQ1NS1iOTI3LTMxZTUtZDRjYy03N2U5OGIwMTQ2YTE%3d%22+sid:%225a62f455-b927-31e5-d4cc-77e98b0146a1%22+tphint:%22f%22&FORM=DEPNAV) and mushrooms—easy or challenging to pair with wines and sakes?