A ride, a unique tour and an exquisite food experience
And now for something completely different
Not very long ago, I learned about an incredible place in the Hudson Valley that is simply put, a hidden gem. What is it? A sake brewery in Hyde Park, NY! And it is brought to you by the celebrated Japanese sake brand, Dassai. This brewery and distillery is clean, sleek and beautiful and provides tours of the sake making process as well as fascinating information about the storied fermented rice beverage.
There is also a dining area there where you can sample some incredible small plates and choose from a sake menu. The tour is followed by a tasting of Dassai Blue sake, a Junmai Daiginjo-only sake, the highest level of premium sake. You can order food as an add on.
But the true crown jewel of this gem is their pop up omakase lunches and dinners, presided over by a world class chef. These are very special and not frequently offered.
Now let me say this. I have never been super enthusiastic about sushi. I would only choose limited items from any sushi restaurant menu, and mostly they would be pedestrian rolls. But that all changed at the Dassai Brewery pop up when I was able to experience an exquisite omakase tasting.
This delectable dining offering takes place in a sushi bar upstairs from the welcoming seating area and where the tour takes place.
When I was there, Michelin starred and classically trained chef Tasuku Murakami prepared dish after dish, one more delectable than the next.
The quality of the fish, the way each expertly composed dish was carefully prepared, the way they were presented, was nothing short of an incredible work of art,
I am thrilled to announce that the omakase pop-up is back! You can choose a 9 course lunch or 16 course dinner on the following dates, Jan 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18.
The cost for lunch is $85 per person with $50 per person sake pairing. Dinner is $250 per person with the $50 additional fee for sake.
I could not stop exclaiming how much I enjoyed my incredible lunch. And now I am a Chef Murakami omakase only sushi fan!
The Dassai Blue Sake Brewery nestled in the Hudson Valley is most definitely worth the trip!
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
