Sake. Champagne. Pupus. Friends. What a perfect combination.

What a fun event to hold to help celebrate the holidays — a sake AND sparkling wine tasting event put on by Kadota Liquor held at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

Sake and shochu experts from Japan showcased over 30 different sake and shochu and Kadota’s suppliers showcased awesome sparkling wines–some with lighted labels!! Plus — if you found something you liked, you could purchase it at special prices for that evening only. The Kikusui Kuramitsu Junmai Daiginjo was delicious but pricey. For a more reasonable price, the Kikusui Sakamai and Karakuchi were delicous as well as the Tatenokawa 33 Junmai Daiginjo. I paced myself so I didn’t get to try everything available that night. If you have questions, just ask for Ryan at Kadota Liquor and he will steer you in the right direction.

It was a fun and informative evening! My favorite pupu of the evening was the steamed pork served with a yummy Vietnamese-ish sauce with pickled onions and cilantro. Living Hilo Style!