Sake Haus First Taste: Experience an ‘edgy Japanese punk band aesthetic’ in RoRo’s new joint. BY MER NORWOOD When a new spot opens in town, we’re eager to check it out, let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead, a peek inside restaurants that have just opened — an occasion to sample a few items and satisfy curiosities (both yours and ours). O 30 nce you step inside Sake Haus Sushi and Sake Bar, you won’t be able to tell what time it is. And you won’t care either. As customers walk in, they are instantly immersed in the glow of red lighting and surrounded by street posters and paper lanterns. A larger-than-life mural, painted by Yuko Yabuki, a Phoenix-based Japanese artist, transports you far from the desert. Cool, trendy, and exciting are words to describe the newest addition to Roosevelt Row’s creative restaurants. Sake Haus is a culmination of downtown Phoenix meets Japanese izakaya. The “edgy Japanese punk band aesthetic,” as Skyler Scott, marketing and PR manager attests, is unlike other sushi joints in Phoenix and Arizona – and it shows. That was exactly owner Julian Wright’s plan. “As far as the aesthetic, I wanted to do something different from most of the sushi bars I’ve been to in Arizona,” Wright says. “I started doing lots of research on the microbars and restaurants in Tokyo, espe- cially in the Golden Gai district. I fell in love with the owner-curated feel and indi- viduality of the different spaces and knew that was the direction I wanted to go with Sake Haus. I hired some local artists who Fine Line Photography Murals decorate the walls at Sake Haus. really helped get us to the cool street vibe. Wright owns Fork & Dagger Hospitality, a restaurant and bar group that started with multiple spots in Tempe. Recently, he’s moved into downtown Phoenix in a big way, opening a location of Pedal Haus Brewery along with Luckys Indoor Outdoor bar and Kahvi coffee shop. His latest project, Sake Haus, is inviting, yet unassuming and intimate, a bar where you can hang out with friends or go on a date. Head chef Joe Cajipe says he wanted the food to reflect the intimacy and char- acter of the space. “We provide a traditional approach to our food, highlighting nigiri and sashimi, to pay homage to the cuisine and culture, while adding our own flair,” Cajipe says. “I am most excited to present a sushi-eating experience that is different from the norm, and one that exemplifies downtown Phoenix.” Sake Haus’ menu includes nigiri, chef specials, and maki rolls. From the signature nigiri list, you can’t go wrong with the O-Toro or the Chutoro, both made with roe, soy sauce, and wasabi paired with bluefin tuna with different levels of fat. Both taste fresh and tender. The Bad & Buri is a dish that treats yellowtail two ways, with a pop of spice from some jalapeno and two different sauces. The Shogun seems simple, with fresh salmon, shiso, jalapeno, and wasabi. The lemon flavor takes a front seat, but all of the ingredients complement the salmon, the star of the dish. As far as drinks, Sake Haus has a Toki Highball Machine that produces super- fine bubbly seltzer which is mixed with gin, whisky, or vodka. From the cocktail list, Sake Haus’ Lychee Margarita is cool and refreshing. The bar also boasts an extensive sake list that explains the flavor profile, region, and milling percentage of each. The Divine Droplets sake is described as “refreshingly pure” and it is exactly that when you take a sip. It’s just as smooth going down. Sake Haus seeks to continue to build the >> p 34 downtown Phoenix community, JUNE 23RD– JUNE 29TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
