An up and coming food and wine trend is getting people to understand that wine can pair nicely with different types of Chinese cuisine. While it's an uphill battle to change some peoples' minds, many talented sommeliers are blazing the trail for those who are open to new experiences.
One of these is the talented, Zachary Yu, aka "The Wine Guy" who works for the two Michelin-starred Ming Court, located at the 5-star Langham Place, Mongkok Hotel in Hong Kong. Zachary's talent in showcasing how effortlessly it is to pair contemporary Cantonese cuisine has caught the attention of many media and wine enthusiasts.
Last week, Yu and his associate, Joey Tsang, aka Langham Place's "Whisky Girl" stepped things up a notch by hosting a Champagne and Cantonese cuisine dinner. On Thursday, September 22, Ming Court presented the Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Dinner featuring a five course set menu paired with Moet & Chandon Champagnes.
Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Dinner Menu
The menu for last Thursday's event included:
First Course:
- Prawns Trio: stir-fried with salted duck egg yolk, deep-fried with pepper and salt, and stir-fried with marinated termite mushrooms)
- Moet & Chandon Rose NV
Second Course:
- Sauteed sliced giant garoupa and bean
- Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage 2002
Third Course:
- Braised sliced abalone with pomelo skin and shrimp roe
- Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage Rose 2002
Fourth Course:
- Chicken prepared with salt in chef's special recipe
- Moet & Chandon Vintage 1992
Fifth Course:
- Fried rice with minced Wagyu beef and black truffles
- Moet & Chandon Vintage 1992
Dessert Course:
- Chef's special dessert platter
The price for the dinner was HK $998 plus 10% service charge
Pairing Champagne with Cantonese Cuisine
Much like pairing Champagne with other types of cuisine, the key is to ensure the right balance in the flavors. You don't want either the wine or the dish to overpower the other. The subtle differences in each of the evening's offerings proved to make interesting pairings. The earthy qualities and richness in many of the dishes brought out key characteristics of the aged Moet & Chandon Champagnes.
The acidity of Champagne can also be important in pairing any food. Do you want a complimentary pairing or go for something bold and contrasting? While items like oysters and other seafood dishes are typical pairings when people think of Champagne, you can go more bold and use the wine to balance spice in some dishes or cut rich creaminess in others.
About Ming Court and the Langham Place, Mongkok in Hong Kong
Ming Court is a two Michelin-starred restaurant serving some of Hong Kong's best dim sum, or yum cha, and a fine mix of classic and contemporary Cantonese dishes. Chef Tsang Chiu King works tirelessly to create extraordinary culinary creations that win awards year after year. Maintaining its two Michelin-starred status, Ming Court offers distinctive Chinese dining with a mix of modern decor showcasing replica Ming Dynasty pottery and ink landscape paintings by a number of contemporary Chinese artists. With Zac's wine expertise and over 350 selections onsite, Ming Court provides the perfect opportunity to learn the art of pairing Cantonese cuisine and fine wine.
Ming Court at the Langham Place, Mongkok, Hong Kong
Lunch: 11:00am - 2:30pm and 11am-3pm on Sundays and Public Holidays
Dinner: 6:00pm - 10:30pm daily
555 Shanghai Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong (852) 3552 3388
Erin De Santiago - Erin is a freelance travel, food/wine, & Disney writer in Taipei, Taiwan, who has traveled within 40+ different countries to date.
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