Here in Hawaii we have all kinds of foods with our sake—not only poke and sashimi but also local favorites like shoyu pork, mochiko chicken, nishime and lau lau. The sakes that go best with dishes like these are rich and full-bodied, with plenty of umami.

During the koji-making process, microorganisms convert proteins in rice into amino acids which act as flavor-boosters, making things taste more delicious and giving them “umami.” Sake has over five times as much umami as beer or white wine.

For this month's event we'll sample a total of 40 junmai, ginjo and daiginjo sakes, many with high umami content. The initial tasting is from 6:00 to 7:00, followed by a Hawaiian buffet and more sake sipping until 8:00 p.m.

Reservations may be made online at the Aftertaste Ticket Store, or call Pua at (808) 222-0195. All sales are final and attendance is limited to 80 persons.