(City Weekend)
Updated: 2008-02-26 15:48

Ignoring tradition and our natural inclination towards the familiar turkey dinner, we filed into Sake Manzo this Christmas Eve because after all, what says “Merry Christmas” better than a table filled with good friends and sake? Sake Manzo, with its collection of over 100 sakes, would not disappoint us that night.

When we arrived, the understated dining room was already filled with the low murmur of Japanese conversations. Notable items from the menu were the rich unagi covered rice which was balanced out by a light broth (RMB45) and a delicious fried tofu (RMB25) encased in golden batter. The sushi platter for two (RMB130) ended up being more than enough for three. We washed all of this down with a deliciously light “Namasake” (qing jiu) that tasted sweetly of honeydew (RMB80/flask).

Sake Manzo is quietly charming. It is a simple restaurant that is very good at what it does, serving unpretentious food and amazing sake. In Beijing, where the newest restaurants focus so much on the “Wow” factor, it’s nice to dine at one that has less of the flash but more of the heart, especially on Christmas.

Sake Manzo
Add: 27 Liangmaqiao Road (east of 21st Century Theater)Tel: 6436-1608