Events | Minami Yaletown

Dassai Sake Dinner

August 3, 2012/in Bar, Events, Menu /by admin

Explore the world of sake and join award winning Dassai sake brewery principle, Mr. Sakurai, BlueNote Wine and Spirits, and our in house certified sake specialist, Miki Ellis for Minami’s first sake dinner held in the Blue Ocean private dining room. Ranked no.1 by the largest Japanese sake ranking site, Nihon-shu Mongatari, for 6 consecutive years, Dassai sake is a brewery rich in history. Combining both innovative technology and Japanese traditions results in a well-balanced Daiginjo sake perfect for sipping. Dassai is the first brewery to have a temperature-controlled environment, where they are able to produce sake through out the entire year.

The sake event will showcase 5 sakes from the Dassai line up paired with 5 courses of culinary creations by executive chef, Kazuya Matsuoka. Seasonal and regional ingredients will be integrated into the dishes and inspiration will be drawn from global flavors and Japanese techniques to perfectly complement the subtle flavors of Dassai sake.

This event will be an exclusive opportunity for you to learn about the nuances of Japan’s prized beverage, along side our signature Aburi-style cuisine and great company. Tickets are $120 per person (including tax and gratuity) and can be purchased through Eventbrite. Make sure to purchase your tickets soon, as seats are limited.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 12th, 2012
TIME: opening reception at 6:30pm, dinner to commence at 7:00pm
WHERE: Blue Ocean Room, Minami Restaurant, 1118 Mainland Street

Minami – Legacy Liquor Store – Adami Prosecco

July 10, 2012/in Events /by admin

Italy’s

most famous sparkling wine, Prosecco has taken the world by the storm. Join Annie Lau from Vendemmia Group, importer of fine boutique Italian wines at Legacy Liquor Store for Prosecco 101 on July 26th from 7-9pm. She will be featuring wines from the Adami Family, one of the finest and also benchmark producer of Prosecco wines.

In this seminar, one will learn the history, pyramid level of quality and the new regulation surrounding the wine Prosecco. Learn how this sparkling wine is made, taste and distinguish the different styles from Prosecco DOC Treviso to Cartizze, a celebrated Cru from this region available in our market place. Also learn how to serve this popular sparkler and discover how it pairs beautifully with our Pacific Rim cuisine.

To celebrate our east meets west food culture in our city, Minami Restaurant will provide sample food pairings with Adami Prosecco wines. Executive Chef Kazuya Matsuoka will demonstrate and explain his philosophy behind each exquisite creation for each Prosecco. To whet one’s appetite, Treviso DOC will paired with Amuse Duo which comprises of shiso mojito compressed watermelon & heirloom tomato with fleur de sel, cayenne pepper and mizuna flower. Next Bosca di Gica will showcase the BC Oyster with yuzu prosecco foam, followed by Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi, Minami’s signature aburi style sushi will be paired with Dei Casel. The sublime Saikyo Miso Baked Sablefish is a match in heaven with Vigneto Giardino 2011. Our sweet ending will be baked Farmers’ Market Peach with yuzu-basil mascarpone cream, toasted almond, pistachio and raspberry sauce will be celebrated with Cartizze Dry

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here.

A Week Later: Grand Opening Party Recap

June 28, 2012/in Events /by admin

It’s been a full week since our grand opening party and we are still overwhelmed with the amount of support we’ve received from the Vancouver community, we really cannot thank you enough! June 21st was a significant day, as it marked the beginning of everyone’s favorite time of year — summer! For us, it also marked the months and months of hard work our team had put into Minami. It was an incredible feeling to officially open our doors to the public and show to the people of Vancouver, what we’re all about.

Executive chef, Kazuya Matsuoka, head sushi chef, Kazuki Uchgoshi and pastry chef, Makiko Kanda led their teams in creating thousands of delectable bite sized servings of our Aburi signature dishes and Minami specialty items. Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi, Jidori Chicken & Foie Gras Gyoza, Saikyo Miso Baked Sablefish, Chilled King Crab/Shrimp Cha-Soba and Green Tea Opera Cake were just few of the many items coming out of the kitchen. The bar served Minami originals like the Sake Spritz and Pimm’s Cup created by Shaun Layton, as well as a few of our specialty sakes from our extensive list. All of this was accompanied by the beautiful dulcet tones of Karla Sleightholme‘s saxaphone.

Owner, Seigo Nakamura went on stage to speak about his vision for Minami. “I want to combine Japan’s pride with the culture and customs of this great city, to create a new and innovative style of food service,” said Seigo, “we want an idea which is new and fresh to both Japan and Canada.” He touched upon, the stunning murals by Hideki Kimura adorning the wall of Minami, as well as Arita Yaki the specialty plate ware he handpicked in the artisan town of Arita, Japan. To top off the speech, Seigo and his VIP guests performed in a traditional sake ceremony, where they broke open a sake barrel with wooden mallets to welcome good harmony and fortune to the company.

The 500 people guest list included media, bloggers, twitterers, concierge, Miku Restaurant regulars, vendors, suppliers, partners and everyone else who has helped us in building Minami. It felt amazing to finally give back and celebrate those who have supported us through out the whole process! A big heartfelt thank you to everyone who came — it was an absolute pleasure to celebrate the evening with all of you!

A special thank you to Jonathan Evans for being our photographer for the evening — check out the photos below!