Can Coral Wines pair with the flavors of Cantonese foods? It’s always a fun endeavor to try and see how wines pair with various ethnic food. The sauces and spices can really influence which element of the dish is highlighted. When pairing with wines one must always be aware of whether the desired outcome is to match the wine flavors, acid, body, texture, or sweetness to the food. Matching wines with Asian foods can present a challenge due to their unique spice makeup. The menu below featured the flavors of Canton with Coral Wines.
Coral Wines are produced in Washington State by co-founders Christopher Chan and Peggy Reddy. Their goal was to produce affordable, high quality wines from fantastic Washington vineyards. Washington is blessed with a warm, sunny climate which is not only perfect for growing grapes but also for having “fun in the sun”. This attitude was first captured with the Rose Coral wine which evokes images of Provence and the desirable lifestyle its inhabitants enjoy. The pair then went on to produce a White Coral wine and Red Coral wine. All three Coral wines are beautifully hand crafted, approachable, and very enjoyable to sip with or without food.
Geoduck Sashimi was the first appetizer. The geoduck was drizzled with lemon and olive oil. This brought out the flavors of citrus in the White Coral wine. The texture of the wine beautifully matched the texture of the geoduck.
Palace Sea Scallop Sachet was an appetizer prepared with sweet corn, cilantro, and fresh scallops in a dumpling wrapper. The sweetness of the corn made this dish a better match with the Rose Coral wine.
Battered prawns were served next with a choice of 2 preparation styles. The first was a warm wasabi prawn served on a bed of lettuce with only a slight amount of wasabi aioli drizzled over the top. The second method was prepared as a warm wasabi prawn salad which included cucumbers and was coated in wasabi aioli. The second dish was very spicy and it worked well with the White Coral wine blend made with Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc.
Changing the style of the scallop dish was next which saw the scallops seared and placed in a bed of spicy citrus flavored sauce. This dish went best with the White Coral wine.
Tofu can be served in many ways including fresh, fried, or battered. The Jade Flower Tofu was a dish made of lightly toasted egg tofu sautéed with onion, bell pepper, and Szechwan sauce. It was so delicious that I forgot to take a photo. This dish paired best with the Coral White wine.
Wagyu Kobe Beef with roasted garlic, broccoli, and O’Asian sauce was served with the Red Coral Wine.
The last course was a savory rib New Zealand lamb chop prepared with bell pepper onion sauce in black pepper and honey sauce. The Red Coral Wine blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre paired very well with this dish.
To sum up this Cantonese style menu prepared by O’Asian restaurant went very well with Coral Wines of Washington State. It reminded me of a food version of “East meets West”.
