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SumoMaya puts contemporary Asian ingredients on ice with its Mucho Grande Umami Martini

From drinks to dishes, SumoMaya’s menu showcases the best in modern Mexican and Asian cuisines. This cultural connection makes for diverse drink offerings, including Japanese sake, margaritas, Mexican beers and an array of tequilas. Beyond this, there are also signature cocktails inspired by each region. Though its name is partially in Spanish, the Mucho Grande Umami Martini ($18) is a love letter to ingredients from the far east. “The first step in building this twist on a dirty martini is to sous vide Japanese Suntory Roku Gin with mushrooms,” says Raymond James, bar manager of SumoMaya. “However, these aren’t just any mushrooms. They are the enoki species, which are native to Japan and have this really sweet quality with a hint of salt versus the pure earthiness one expects in most mushrooms.” After 24 hours of being infused, the gin is strained, rebottled and chilled immediately to lock in the flavors. Once the umami is ordered, the gin is combined with dry sake and Pocari Sweat, a Japanese sports drink akin to Gatorade which is known for its abundance of electrolytes. “Rather than simply serve in a chilled martini glass, we pour the cocktail into a glass soy sauce pot and tuck into a wooden plank box filled with granita-style shaved ice,” James says. “We then garnish the box with an olive or two and cauliflower and then bring it tableside with a small, specialty martini glass.” Guests may pour the umami at their leisure, ensuring it stays chilled in the ice until diners are ready to enjoy. Delicate and sweet with a dry finish and the smallest hint of salinity, it is a refreshing take on the classic martini. SumoMaya, 6560 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale; www.sumomaya.com; 480.397.9520.

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS