CleverRoot

6 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t WHEN TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH, a concept often encountered in Japanese dining known as omakase simply means, "I leave it up to you." From a restaurant staff's perspective, this entails diners ceding control of their experience to the establishment: There are no a la carte options and guests do not order, as the chef simply provides their chosen dishes of the day. According to Tetsu Yahagi, Chef de Cuisine of Spago Beverly Hills, this ap- proach to eating is often encouraged in Japan, as it reduces waste and keeps purchasing manageable while giving chefs a better environment for quality con- trol. "There are merits to both a la carte and omakase dining," says Yahagi. "But with omakase meals, chefs can be creative and serve food at its absolute best." An Airy Opener To commence the meal, Chef Yahagi created a whipped wa- gyu beef tallow with spiced beef tartare and toasted beef fat brioche. "We whipped the tallow so hard that it was very airy and light, almost like whipped cream, and it needed some- thing bubbly and refreshing for the throat," Yahagi says. Mundell offered just that in the form of a Suntory Whisky Toki Highball made tableside from a full-service cart replete with the Japanese whisky brand—a new-style blend crafted with whisky from Suntory's three distilleries—as well as custom ice spears and a variety of citrusy cocktail perfumes. Mundell explains that while Americans often reach for a beer to mark the end of a long day at work, the Japanese gravitate toward Highballs. "The concept here isn't about drinking whisky," says Mundell. "Rather, it's about relaxing, spending time with friends, and being present—we're looking for the 'ahhh' of the sigh that comes after your first long drink." And while the combination of whisky and soda is hardly a novel concept in the mixology world, Mundell says the Japa- nese "have studied to make the best highball they can—and this starts with the whisky." The Hakushu expression delivers bright flavors of apple and pear, which are textured by heavy malts from the Chita distillery and seasoned with the complexity of Spanish and American aro- matics from the Yamazaki distillery. Mundell attributes this layering to what makes Toki so perfect in a Highball. "Toki is blended to create something that is truly bigger than the sum of the parts—it's a depth of flavor and beautiful aromatic quality that stands up to heavy dilution to be delivered by crisp carbonation," he says. COCKTAIL PAIRINGS For Your Consideration SUNTORY WHISKY TEAMS UP WITH SPAGO BEVERLY HILLS AND SHIBUMI TO CREATE A UNIQUELY JAPANESE POP-UP by Mara Marski / photos by Todd Westphal The team behind the Kakurega pop-up in Spago Beverly Hills' private dining room: Johnnie Mundell, Beam Suntory's Senior Japanese Whisky Ambassador; Tetsu Yahagi, Spago Chef de Cuisine; and David Schlosser, Chef/Owner of Downtown Los Angeles' Shibumi restaurant. Beam Suntory Senior Japanese Whisky Ambassador Johnnie Mundell prepares Toki Highballs tableside for guests at the Spago Kakurega pop-up. Spago Chef de Cuisine Tetsu Yahagi's spiced beef tartare topped with whipped wagyu beef tallow and toasted beef fat brioche.

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