Tastes Like Water

Sitting in Japanese resto pub that we have never been to before waiting for poke bowls that oddly list spinach salad with cashews as key ingredient.

Husband asks server about the sake.

Husband asks so many questions about the sake that server says. Do You Want to Come in the Back With Me and See the Bottles.

Excuse me for a moment. Husband says, delighted.

Comes back empty handed and conversation between us resumes. Server brings ice bag to table with blue bottle of sake. Husband pours little cup and is sipping along.

Server comes by and says. Is Everything Ok Here.

Well. Husband says. This tastes Like Water.

Water? I say. Surprised. Let me smell.

(I don't drink at all so naturally I have assumed the role of sommelier)

Has no smell.

I take a sip. Um. I'm no sake connoisseur but I know water. This is water.

This IS water. 

Husband says. I thought it was weird that bottle cap didn't snap or pop when I twisted it.

Server says. I took one of the bottles from the display case. I guess someone replaced it with water for display purposes.

(Yeah. I guess so.)

Let me go get you a fresh bottle. 

Lessons Learned:

1. There is a thing about Jesus turning water into wine but clearly he didn't make it to the sake shelf yet.
2. Spinach salad in the poke bowl is innovative, water in the sake bottle is just plain wrong.
3. Sake bottles are known for being colourful and also generally known for containing sake but don't take the last part for granted.