It's time to get red-faced, teary-eyed and laugh boisterously in unison while back-slapping businessmen singing karaoke: on Friday night exactly 326 varieties of sake "in peak condition" will be uncorked at the annual Joy of Sake tasting event. Presented by the Foreign Ministry of Japan at the Altman Building in Chelsea, this is the largest sake-tasting outside Japan, and this year 30% of ticket sales will go to brewery families who lost their homes in the Great East Japan Tsunami. The more you drink, the more virtuous you become. more ›

Big changes are afoot at Yakitori restaurant Izakaya Ten, where Korean owner Lannie Ahn has just added more sake and shochu to the drink menu, including the high-end Funaguchi ($12.50) which comes in single serving, 6.7oz cans, like those found in Japanese vending machines. The single-sheet sake menu is organized in terms of type and polish, making it pretty easy to navigate. On its way to complete world-menu domination, the Berkshire pork belly at Izakaya is skewered, charred, and slightly sweet. Otherwise sushi, rice and noodles are offered. more ›