Sakefest PDX

This is a well balanced festival. The execution is almost flawless.
This year is no different. The added bonus is they have it for two days. I am not sure if there are Taiko players on the second day as I did not see or hear one. There is a quartet by the stage and they must have played a good song or two. I wish that they could have stayed longer.
The ratio of food and beverage booth are almost 1:1 and the sake that they have pairs so well with the food around it. Every year have different set of vendors and exhibitors. This year seemed great except there are a few vendors that did not match whatever’s there. They look like fillers– Whole Foods with fruit and cheese (REALLY?!) and another notable one is Davis Street Tavern (mac and cheese, really?). I wish the organizers would have reached out more to other Asian/​Japanese establishments within the metro area as there are plenty. That’s the only head scratching part of it. I’m also wondering where the roasted pork is.
The vendors are so knowledgable of their craft. A lot of their representative are ready to explain the process of how they made their product (sake and food). It is quite an experience.

As good as it gets for darn sure, this Sake Fest! Very cool event, from the setting (fabulous ballroom at the Governor Hotel), to the food, to the sake, and the entertainment, including Portland Taiko. I honestly did not know very much about sake going into it, but learned so much in a short amount of time, schmoozing, snacking, and eating my way through a culinary tour of Japan’s finest.
Sake is made from four ingredients, and is a very clean alcohol: rice, water, yeast, and koji (an enzyme). The degree to which the rice is polished determines how the sake is classified, main types including Junmai, Honjozo, Nama, Genshu, and Nigori (the cloudy kind). I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the very generous tastings. In addition to a bajillion types of sake available, Rogue Brewing, Sapporo, and Honest Tea were there too.
Favorite sake cocktail: Glide Modern Sake with cucumber Dry Soda and a splash of Saint Germaine.
And the food! Dear God, the food was not only plentiful but a step above most ‘samples’ in a fest-​type setting. A big step above, actually, with careful attention to plating and detail. Favorites included Biwa, Masu, Miho Izakaya, Yakuza, and Behind the Museum café (matcha brownie, oh hello).
Well organized, very festive, very fun. If you’re into Sake or anything Japanese, it’s a don’t-miss. I tried tons of stuff I wouldn’t normally seek out. It was crowded but definitely manageable, lines were very quick when they popped up. The Taiko drummers were bad ass. Recommend.