Summer Garden Long Table Omakase Wine Pairing Highlights: 2015 La Stella Maestoso

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We’re rounding off our Omakase Wine Pairing Highlights, curated by Head Sommelier Tracy Marchischuk, with part three of three: The 2015 La Stella Maestoso.

This wine builds structure through 18 months in French oak, one-third of which is new.

Black plum, cassis, tobacco, and anise are threaded with peppery spice and warming smoke, and housed with grippy tannins. Dark, medicinal cherry warms the finish.

The 2015 La Stella maestoso is paired with our decadent Aburi Japanese A5 Wagyu Steak course.

 

Learn more about our Summer Garden Long Table Omakase here.

Summer Garden Long Table Omakase Wine Pairing Highlights: 2017 Kutatás Pinot Noir Rosé

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Our Summer Garden Long Table Omakase is right around the corner, and we are excited to share more interesting features on this exciting and exclusive menu.

 

Part two of our Omakase Wine Pairing Highlights, curated by Head Sommelier Tracy Marchischuk, graces us in the form of the 2017 Kutatás Pinot Noir Rosé.

Kutatás is a Hungarian term for research, inquisition, exploration, and quest.  Winemakers Mira Tusz and Damiel Dragert found this term inspiring, as it relates to their wine-making venture and shared Hungarian heritage.

The Kutatás’ fruit is sourced from North Saanich on Vancouver Island and the wine is made in Salt Spring Island. What makes this Rosé so interesting is that it spends 10 months in French Oak, Sur Lie.  This wine making technique results in a textured and layered tasting experience, offering hints of stewed rhubarb and strawberry, as well as a buttery pie crust.  Fuller bodied with balanced acidity results in a serious rosé that can hold up to pair with many dishes, including our signature flame seared Aburi Sushi.

Learn more about our Summer Garden Long Table Omakase here.

Summer Garden Long Table Omakase Wine Pairing Highlights: MacIntyre Heritage Reserve Astra 2016

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At Minami’s ‘Summer Garden’ long table Omakase dinner, immerse in a special dining experience enveloped by lush foliage and a zen garden atmosphere. Feast on the freshest catches from land, sea, as well as local, in-season garden harvests, all prepared with our signature Aburi flair. Courses are paired with the season’s finest wines.

We are officially kicking off our Omakase Wine Pairing Highlights, curated by Head Sommelier Tracy Marchischuk!

Today, we will be featuring our sixth-course pairing, the beautiful MacIntyre Heritage Reserve Astra 2016:

“The MacIntyre wines are created by Lake Breeze Winery, and focus on the most premium selection and production. The MacIntyre brand was created as a tribute to family, both to the MacIntyre’s own family as well as the family of staff that operates the Lake Breeze winery. “Per ardua ad astra” is the motto around which the brand is built, meaning “through effort to the stars”. The first two MacIntyre wines to be released have been duly named, Astra and Ardua. Very limited production results in low distribution, less than 300 cases, this wine is already difficult to find outside of the winery, let alone across all of BC.
 The premiere release of Astra Chardonnay is 75% barrel-fermented and 25% stainless steel fermented.  This ensures a pristine freshness of the Chardonnay’s citrus aromas and flavours, balanced with the warm toast that the barrel provides.
Bright green apple fruit and citrus, with spicy hazelnut rounds out this elegant wine and pairs perfectly with the richness of our Omakase’s Haida Gwaii halibut course.” -Tracy Marchischuk
Learn more about our Summer Garden Long Table Omakase here.

Mother’s Day at Minami

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Celebrate Mother’s Day this year with these decadent features from Minami.

Indulge in our limited time Surf and Turf entrée, the Free Range Fraser Valley Chicken Ballotine and Pan Seared Scallops, delightful Manjari Chocolate Paris Brest for dessert, chrysanthemum Kiku Cocktail, and more.

View our photo preview below, and our full menu here.

Available Mother’s Day weekend, May 10-12 during dinner only.

Book now for best availability.

 

Free Range Fraser Valley Chicken Ballotine and Pan Seared Scallops

This delicious Surf and Turf entrée is served with crispy smashed baby potatoes, togarashi chicken chicharrón, sweet soy red wine reduction, and yuzu miso sauce

We use local Fraser Valley chicken for our Brome Lake foie gras stuffed Chicken Ballotine

Manjari Chocolate Paris Brest

Warm blueberry yuzu sauce is poured on top of the Manjari Chocolate Paris Brest before serving

Created by Taylor Jones, this decadent treat features Manjari chocolate ganache, yuzu tuile, blueberry crumble, and fresh seasonal fruit

MOTHER’S DAY BEVERAGE FEATURES

Kiku Cocktail

This refreshing cocktail is created by Leon Hong

Crafted with Père Magloire, Yu Nigori, and house-made chrysanthemum honey, the Kiku cocktail features a lavender jasmine salt rim and is adorned with beautiful edible flowers

Dames Rosé

100% of the profits from the sales of this fantastic rosé goes directly to the Les Dames d’Escoffier Scholarship fund, awarded to women in the hospitality industry

Wine of the Week: 2017 Orofino Gamay

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We are excited to kick off our Wine of the Week series with a Canadian feature. Introducing the 2017 Orofino Gamay.

Tasting Notes and Pairings

“Light, fresh and vibrant, this Gamay is a crowd and critic favourite. Featuring bright raspberry and red currant, notes of violet, and a wet stone minerality that shows off the unique terroir of this Similkameen vineyard, this wine is just plain pretty — and pairs perfectly with our Aburi Cuisine.

This Gamay is a small lot production with a hot popularity, making it hard to find… but we have it, and we pour it by the glass. Join us and enjoy this limited quantity beauty today.”

-Tracy Marchischuk, Head Sommelier

More on the Winery

Orofino Winery is located in the heart of The Similkameen Valley: A pristine stretch of vineyards, set amongst the dramatic backdrop of rugged and awe-inspiring mountains. Considered the “organic capital of Canada”, the area is known for small farms and producers dedicated to creating quality produce, delectable foods, and award-winning wines.

Hailing from Southern Saskatchewan, John and Virginia Weber fell in love with the area and established Orofino as the first “strawbale’ winery in the valley.  Strawbales insulate to keep the cellar at constant temperatures year-round, making this structure energy-efficient, and working alongside their solar panels contribute to their overall Green Certification.

The Webers are proud to produce wines with minimal intervention that showcases the beautiful and unique Similkameen appellation.  Everything they do is fantastic, and we highly recommend trying an Orofino wine with your next evening dining.

Summer Feature Sangria at Minami

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Cool down this summer with our special summer beverage feature, the Minami Signature Sangria:

A Japanese twist on the traditional Spanish sangria, this new classic features dry red wine, liquor, and citrus juice intertwined with Japanese flavors of light nigori sake, aromatic lavender, and fresh yuzu juice.

And what better way to enjoy the Vancouver summer weather than on our hidden garden patio, enjoying our delectable appetizers and sushi rolls alongside your glass of refreshing Minami Signature Sangria?

Our sangria will be available from Monday, July 3rd. Book now to enjoy this delicious feature beverage today.

MINAMI x VEUVE CLICQUOT

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We are excited to announce Minami’s collaboration with Veuve Clicquot for Yellow Week!

From May 1st-7th, join us for this special event and enjoy a glass or bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne at our feature price- $21 for a glass and $130 for a bottle.

We recommend pairing your Veuve Clicquot with our our addictive Champagne Roll. This guest favourite features scallop, local sockeye salmon, and uni rolled in tobiko and finished with our secret Miku sauce on top, flame seared.

Don’t miss this limited time feature- book now to dine with us today.

Holiday Eggnog Recipe

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Our very own bartender, Mark Gunther, was on Global BC recently and created a very eggnog cocktail with the anchors. We’ve been receiving a few requests for the recipe, so here it is:

Mark’s Eggnog Cocktail

Ingredients:

•2 eggs separated into yolks and whites
•4 tbsp sugar
•1 cup whipping cream
•2/3 cup whole milk
•1/3 cup each dark rum, bourbon, cognac
•1 tps ground nutmeg
•1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
•vanilla – a dash to taste

Method:

– whip cream to soft peaks
– whip egg whites & 1 tbsp sugar to soft peaks
-whip yolks & 3 tbsp sugar till combined
-add milk to yolk & sugar base
-add spices and vanilla to milk & sugar base
-add alcohol to the seasoned base
-add whipped cream to this base, stirring gently to avoid breaking the bubbles
-gently fold the whipped egg whites into this base, being careful to keep the bubbles in the texture

*Best if left to rest for 3-5days to let the floors combine and mellow*

To Serve:
-serve and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a dusting of ground nutmeg

Kozaemon x Kasu Sake Dinner

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One of Japan’s oldest sake makers is coming to Vancouver for the first time. Kozaemon, a 14th generation brewery from Gifu, Japan, is being featured at Minami restaurant’s second sake dinner tasting event on Thursday, October 4, 2012, from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., in the Blue Ocean private dining room. Mr Kozaemon will be joined by Minami sake specialist Miki Ellis and That’s Life Gourmet importers.

“We were happily amazed by the reception we received with our first sake dinner, Dassai, and can’t wait to host another with Kozaemon,” says Seigo Nakamura, owner of Aburi Restaurants. “There are so many great sakes in Japan, and we look forward to introducing Vancouver to more. It is an honour to host Kozaemon-san at Minami.”

Kozaemon was founded in 1702, and is currently run by two brothers. This sake dinner will explore the relationship between sake and its kasu, also known as “lees”. Kasu is the remaining mash from sake production, and was traditionally used in a range of Japanese cuisine. Executive Chef Kazuya Mastuoka will create six unique dishes using the kasu brought over from Japan to pair with each sake. The entire Kozaemon lineup available in BC will be poured for this exclusive event, as well as a special product currently unavailable in Canada.

“Sake is my passion, and it was great to sell-out the Dassai dinner,” adds Ellis. “We look forward to another great evening with Kozaemon, a newer brewery to our province, and a personal favourite of mine.”

Ellis is attending one of the world’s largest sake events in New York called Joy of Sake on September 20, 2012. She is also North America’s youngest accredited sake specialist – SEC Certified Advanced Sake Professional.

Tickets are $145 (tax and gratuity included) and can be purchased directly from Minami, Miku, or EventBrite (service fees apply). 

Dassai Sake Dinner

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Dassai Logo
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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