Sawtelle Sake Company, Los Angeles’ first sake brewery, is looking to open a brand new tasting room in Sawtelle Japantown, located at 1836 Sawtelle Blvd.
Last month, owner Troy Nakamatsu reached out to the West Los Angeles Sawtelle Neighborhood Council for advice on how to properly open a small tasting room in the heart of the neighborhood. Now, the long-time Sawtelle resident has applied for a liquor license, getting one step closer to opening this business. When this tasting room opens, customers can expect the highest quality sake that is hand crafted using only California’s finest ingredients, such as Yamada Nishiki rice, known as the “king of sake rice.”
“Our mission as a company is to propel sake into the mainstream, and I don’t think there is a better place in the country to do it than on Sawtelle Blvd,” Nakamatsu told the council last month. “The brewing techniques and methods I use are all straight from Japan, but our branding is tailored specifically for American consumers. We think there’s a place for sake on almost every menu in the city!”
If approved, the new 488-square-foot space will become the neighborhood’s first sake tasting room. Nakamatsu hopes to also utilize the outdoor patio for seating. For those impressed with the service, Sawtelle Sake Company will offer limited merchandise and sake wares for sale. Planned operating hours are only 2 pm to 7 pm from Wednesday to Sunday. If the delicious, refreshing, naturally gluten-free sake wasn’t enough to bring customers in, the company takes pride in being environmentally-consciousness whenever possible.
“As a brewery, our commitment to minimizing our environmental impact is a fundamental part of how we operate,” Nakamatsu continues. “There is an expression in Japan, “mottainai,” which translates into something like “what a waste.” The term is used to express a sense of guilt or regret for the act of wasting something and is deeply entrenched in the culture and mindset of Japan. This is something we take very seriously as a company.”
