And, as it turns out, those of you who've already bought tickets to tonight's surf-meets-turf-meets-shochu tasting dinner at Elway's Cherry Creek (2500 East First Avenue), home turf to exec Tyler Wiard, who's teaming up with Philip Tanaka, the exec chef at Aspen's Matsuhisa, can get a taste (or twelve) of the colorless spirit right here at home. If you didn't buy a ticket, I have bad news: It's sold out. And worse news: The menu looks amazing, but you're going to have to just read it and drool and hope that there's a repeat sometime soon.
Wiard's menu:
Gently smoked Muscovy duck breast with duck egg salad, fresh hearts of palm, smelt roe and upland cress, paired with Nobu shochu
Grilled rabbit saddle with black truffle-scallion rice cakes, candied galangal root and micro arugula, paired with Kitchom shochu
Thai chile-braised Colorado goat leg, steamed Napa cabbage, charred onion and yuzu butter, paired with Awa No Kaori shochu
Hoisin pork jowl gyoza with daikon slaw and creamy wasabi vinaigrette, paired with "True Beauty" shochu
Flash-seared Colorado lamb loin with grilled maitake mushrooms, wilted tatsoi greens and crispy lotus root, paired with Beniotome shochu
Black rice gelato, jasmine tea syrup and sesame brittle, paired with Kaikouzu shochu
Tanaka's menu:
Potato gauffrette, Bigeye tuna tartar, spicy miso and foie gras snow, paired with Kaikouzu shochu
Japanese red snapper, Belgium endive, fried garlic chips and dried miso powder, paired with Beniotome shochu
Maine lobster, crispy wonton shell, fire-roasted tomato salsa with truffle guacamole, paired with Ginza No Suzume shochu
"Live" hirame, rocotto chile, yuzu lemon and sea salt, paired with Sudachi shochu
Thinly sliced yellowtail, jalapeno, cilantro and yuzo, paired with Nadeshiko shochu
Marinated black cod, sweet miso, limestone butter lettuce, fried and shredded filo, paired with Nobu Rice shochu
And now for a bit of good news: You can sample shochu locally at Sushi Den (1487 South Pearl Street), Izakaya Den (1518 South Pearl Street), , Japon (1028 South Gaylord Street) and Hapa, 1780 East Second Avenue.