Drink

Great Japanese food begs for good cold sake, and with so many fine Japanese BYOs in South Jersey (Fuji, Sagami, Oh Yoko!, Megu), Moore Bros. in Pennsauken is a convenient source for the good stuff, as is Cherry Hill's Corkscrewed.

Expect to pay about $20 or more for a higher-end bottle - far smoother and more complex than the typical heated hibachi jet fuel. Look for the top quality designations of "junmai ginjo" or "junmai daiginjo." Open sake also has more staying power than wine and doesn't need to be drunk in one sitting, making even the most expensive bottles a better value.

This Yumeakari from Moore Bros. is a wonderfully versatile entry-level junmai ginjo sake. It's lean enough to match sashimi, but floral and rich enough to handle cooked foods like tempura and soft-shell crabs. Its combination of citrus and gentle sweetness reminds me, at least in weight, of a dry Alsatian riesling.

Yumeakari sake costs $27 at Moore Bros., 7200 N. Park Dr., Pennsauken, 888- 686-6673.

- Craig LaBan