Where You Should Have Been Last Night!

Schwa's Michael Carlson plating uni ice cream cones during collaborative dinner at Arami. (Photos: Arami)

If you were one of the lucky ones who scored seats at an apparently under-the-radar dinner between Arami and Schwa on Monday night, we'd like to buy you a beer.

Have no fear if you missed out on it like us because it was such a success that they're planning on doing it again soon. We're also pretty impressed that those guys from Arami got the ultra-elusive chef Michael Carlson to even participate. Here's what we all missed last night:


Michael Carlson (in background).

Menu with food and wine and sake pairings:

Cold

otoro tartar – ossetra caviar, pickled asian pear, pickled melon
oyster – shibumi oyster, ikura, wasabi, blood orange sorbet
spring roll – octopus, cilantro, crisp mixed greens, rice paper
Mizbasho Pure Sparkling Sake

Intermezzo

watermelon ice, lychee, shiso

Warm

takoyaki – ankimo center, yuzu, squid ink, truffle oil,
lavender-lime mayonnaise, shaved bonito
Wakatake Tokubetsu Junmai Genshu

Cold

tom kha gai, mushroom, young coconut, basil seed, micro cilantro
Tedori Gawa Yamahai Daiginjo

Sashimi

madai, chutoro, zuke sea trout,
fresh ground wasabi
Yanagi Junmai ginjo

Smoked

pacu, mangosteen, macha green tea, smoke
Watari Bune Junmai Ginjo

White Nigiri

live hotate – yuzu, sea salt, rambutan
hirame – pickled quail egg, pickled kumquat
hamachi – grilled king oyster mushroom, white truffle oil, asparagus
Seikyo Omachi Junmai Ginjo Namazake


Arami chef B.K. Park.

Hot

shad roe – abalone mushroom,
ramp, black truffle, dried proscuitto, lardo
Kenbishi Kimoto Junmai

Dark Nigiri

sake – garlic, vinegar, pickled garlic scape
akami big eye – ankimo, ramp, mustard seed
ao ebi – torched spicy mayonnaise, shrimp soup
Kenbishi Kimoto Junmai

Noodle

pad thai – jellyfish noodle, peanut, cilantro
Shichi Hon Yari Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo

Shooter

uni – bonito infused soy, english cucumber,
shiso, wasabi tobiko
Shichi Hon Yari Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo

Maki

hamachi belly – root beer, green curry rice, oja santa leaf, black and red tobiko, dried tobiko, pickled carrot
Yuki No Bosha Yamahai Junmai

Hot

mackerel, kimchi, fig, beer
Artic Panzer Wolf

Hot

quail sausage – rainbow chard, maitake mushroom,
asian pear karashi, almond
Tsukasabotan Junmai

Dessert Nigiri

aka anago – sweet soy, almond, mango
Ine Mankai Junmai Genshu

Dessert

coconut tapioca soup – yuzu mochi cake, miso gelato
pine cone – uni ice cream, caramel, violet and pine tuile, yuzu, maple, rosemary and juniper pudding
Dassai Junmai Daiginjo Nigori