Bringing the Right Wine: Pairings with Aji's New Menu

BYOB is one of Aji's finest freedoms: you choose the wine, we serve it. But with a menu that moves from the subtlest to the richest, the right bottle truly changes the meal. Here is how to match your wine to the new menu, section by section.

How BYOB Works at Aji

You bring the bottle of your choice, we handle the rest: glasses, service, temperature. Corkage is 5$ per table, not per bottle, which leaves plenty of room for your personal cellar. The only real advice is to think about the menu before you choose.

The reinvented omakase follows a progression: clear, delicate pieces first, fatty and aged pieces next. A wine that tracks that curve accompanies every stage rather than nailing just one.

For the Delicate Pieces

The menu often opens with white-fleshed fish, clear pieces, a barely seasoned sashimi. These pieces want a wine that covers nothing: a dry, taut, little-to-no oaked white. Chablis, muscadet, dry riesling, Greek assyrtiko: their clean acidity wakes the fish without ever dominating it.

At this stage, avoid rich, buttery whites, which weigh down a piece made for lightness. The simple rule: the more delicate the piece, the crisper and quieter the wine.

For the Fatty and Aged Pieces

The menu then climbs in intensity: fatty tuna, fish aged in the edomae manner, seared or glazed pieces. Here the wine can gain in body. A rounder but still fresh white, a slightly ripe riesling, or a light, low-tannin red served cool, like a delicate pinot noir or a gamay, embrace the fat without crushing it.

Restraint remains the watchword: a powerful, oaky red overpowers the fish and leaves a tannic bitterness on the palate. Look for fruit and freshness, not structure.

For the Izakaya Plates

The new menu is not limited to nigiri. The small plates to share, fried, grilled, or marinated, call for different pairings. A slightly aromatic white, a dry rosé, or even a light beer pairs with a karaage or a skewer better than a grand mineral white. This is the moment for wines of pleasure, not wines of contemplation.

One Bottle for the Whole Meal

If you want to bring just one bottle, choose a dry, versatile white, crisp but not lean: a dry riesling of nice ripeness, a taut chenin, an assyrtiko. It accompanies the delicate opening pieces and holds up to the richer pieces at the end. For two guests, it is often all you need.

In the end, the right BYOB pairing is not an exact science, it is an act of attention. Think about the menu, choose freshness over power, and bring the bottle that makes you happy. Our team does the rest.