Many Moods,Many Sakés

A wall of sake labels in the tatami-mat room in Umi Sake House (2230 1st Ave.) attests to the extensive sake menu available here.

“There’s more to sake than the hot stuff most people try first, just as there is more to wine than boxed wine,” says proprietor Cody Burns, who has created a very descriptive sake list for the restaurant. It stocks 65 bottles, and Burns works hard to get people to at least give one of them a try. “That’s the whole goal of this place,” he says.

Umi Sake House skillfully creates several distinct moods in a limited space, from the back porch, where people can see the night sky and be surrounded by large, leafy plants, to the seats along the sushi bar, where patrons can watch the chefs slice and dice the catches of the day. The shifting interior spaces make Umi Sake House good for both big nights out on the town with friends and romantic dinners for two.

If you’re new to sake, try one of the restaurant’s samplers, which will give you three to five different sake. But be warned, once you begin to see the breadth and depth of this libation, you’re likely to find yourself coming back for more.