42 APRIL 2019
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East Meets Wine One-
bite morsels from a
wine-centric sushi spot
MOST WANTED
RECIPE FROM
SUSHI NOTE
SHERMAN OAKS,
CALIFORNIA
“PEOPLE AREN’T USED TO pairing wine with
sushi,” says Dave Gibbs, co-owner of Sushi Note in
Sherman Oaks, California. “We’re trying to change that.”
The proprietor of two other local wine bars, Augustine and
Mirabelle, Gibbs has crafted an exciting wine list that
complements, rather than overpowers, the delicate flavors of, say,
yellowtail sashimi. For his part, chef Kiminobu Saito offers wine-
friendly bites like sushi biscotti, crispy thin cakes of fried sushi
rice with toppings like spicy tuna or miso-basted eggplant, that
play well with Gibbs’ wine. For pairing with sushi, Gibbs says he
thinks about both the texture of the fish—whether it’s firm, chewy,
or delicate—and any sauces or garnishes. Although sometimes,
he doesn’t have to think too hard about what to open next: “At
the moment,” he says, “we’re fairly obsessed with just how
fantastically well old [2008] Stony Hill Gewürztraminer pairs
with everything.” —NINA FRIEND
