Ukai in Notting Hill to celebrate World Sake Day with limited-time sake-paired tasting menu

Notting Hill Japanese restaurant and bar, Ukai will mark World Sake Day on 1^st October with a limited-time sake-paired tasting menu. The experience is priced at £70 per person, with a minimum booking of two guests, and is intended to showcase the restaurant’s culinary style alongside premium sake from one of Japan’s longstanding breweries, Shichiken. World Sake Day, celebrated annually, marks the start of the brewing season in Japan and is recognised globally by enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.

Ukai specialises in Robata-style Japanese cooking, which incorporates Mediterranean and South American influences. For this event, they offer diners an exploration of Japanese cuisine, complemented by a carefully curated sake selection. The five-course menu includes a variety of dishes such as edamame, red shrimp tartare, Wagyu Tataki & Truffle, a sushi platter and beef fillet served with lettuce and radicchio salad. The restaurant explains each course is paired with a specific sake chosen to “perfectly match each dish and enhance and complement the menu’s rich flavours”.

The libations begin with Shichiken Sparkling Sake Yama No Kasumi, served with the Wagyu Tataki. Described by the restaurant as having a “slightly cloudy, silky texture with notes of pear, apple and citrus”, this one is followed by Junmai Sake with the sushi platter, which is noted for its “soft, round and flavoursome” qualities. For the final pairing, Junmai Daiginjo, accompanies the beef fillet and is characterised by a “creamy texture, intense finish, with white peach and a touch of umami”.

In addition to the tasting menu, the restaurant will feature a live DJ on the evening of the event, adding an entertainment element to the dining experience.

Food Desk

The World Sake Day sake-paired tasting menu is available on 1^st October 2025 at Ukai, 240 Portobello Road, London W11 1LL. To book a table, visit the restaurant’s website here.