Mourad in SF

Sawanoi Kuramori Junmai Ginjo

Aged sake (Koshu) from Tokyo.
This sake was made in 2000.
We bought this in 2013 when we visited the brewery and had been waiting for a good timing to open this since.

Aged sake has distinct aromas and flavors such as nuts, caramel and mushrooms.
It has deep flavor of umami, and unlike Ginjo-style sake, usually goes good with strong flavored food.

We brought this Koshu for dinner with friends at  Mourad in San Francisco.

This restaurant offers Morocco - meets - California cuisine.
Their dishes are beautiful, innovative and delicious.
Inside is spacious and has retro/exotic feel.

We had the Koshu with appetizers.

Caviar on top of pomegranate molasses, potato  and poached egg yolk.
This combination was like a dream!

Eggplant in three ways: grilled, pureed and marmalade.

Octopus was poached in olive oil then grilled.
The cream color line was pureed cauliflower. Good flavor accent.

Foie Gras wrapped in plum jelly.
At first I thought they brought cherry tomatoes.
This idea was genius and tasted impeccable!

Appetizers were like little jewelries, and the pairing with Koshu was successful.
One of the friends wasn't a big fan of  sake but she loved this.

Then we moved to the main course.

Lamb Loin with lentil and pickled Matsutake.

Roasted Snapper stuffed with mushroom and onion.
Visually dynamic, but pure flavor of the fish stood out among the dramatic setting.

Wine for the main dished was chosen by the sommelier.

Domaine Anne et Herve Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 2009

Red wine from Burgundy.
A lot of flower and elegance.

Great wine by itself, but it played good supporting role here.





Dessert was Almond Merengue Cookies.

All the plates are made by an artist from Seattle, Akiko's Pottery, which were chosen by the chef.
They installed a special dish washer which cleans and sanitizes dishes without soap to protect the handmade plates.
The restaurant goes that far to provide a perfect setting for the dining experience.