At the end of a long week, going out to dinner can be a treat, and enjoying a glass of wine can really elevate the meal. When faced with a lengthy wine list, however, it might be hard to find the perfect wine to pair with your dinner. Do you really need to drink white wine with just chicken or fish? Or can you pair a nice pinot grigio with your hamburger? Most people know that red wine is a perfect fit with steak, but what do you order with macaroni and cheese? What wine should you pair with a spicy curry? These local restaurants offer their ideas for the perfect wine pairings. Some are traditional, while others might be a surprise. Whatever you choose, these pairings are sure to make your Friday night (or any night) the most delicious yet.
STEAK AND CABERNET
Sunshine Factory Bar & Grill
Cutting into a juicy steak just isn’t the same without a glass of red wine. Sunshine Factory offers a kitchen cut aged ribeye, house top sirloin, or aged choice filet, any of which pair perfectly with a nice cabernet. “I would go with our Joel Gott cabernet,” says assistant general manager Brian Hanson. “It is a good wine that would be great with steak or any kind of meat.” Looking for something more unusual than your traditional steak and red wine pairing? How about tacos? “We have a lot of tacos,” Hanson says. “Shrimp tacos would be great with a pinot grigio or chardonnay.”
WOOD-ROAST CHICKEN AND SAUVIGNON BLANC
Grizzly’s Wood-Fired Grill
If you’re looking for a delicious chicken dinner, Grizzly’s has you covered. “We’re definitely known for our rotisserie,” says manager Bailee Duke. “Anything off the rotisserie is really great. We go through a lot of rotisserie chickens.” Pairing white wine with chicken is traditional for a reason – the lighter varietals won’t overpower the flavor of the lighter meat. Grizzly’s has a variety of white wines, including moscato, Riesling, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.
LOBSTER MAC AND CHEESE AND CHARDONNAY
Jake’s City Grille
Sitting down to a plate of the lobster mac and cheese can feel like a real luxury. Made with a generous portion of lobster and shrimp and creamy cheese sauce, this dish is finished with a toasted parmesan crust topping and served with a garlic butter crostini. “Our William Hill Chardonnay is full bodied and goes great with mac and cheese,” says general manager Kathy Nelson. She says the flavor of the wine is important when pairing food with wine, and in some cases you just know to stick with one type of wine over another. “With something like mac and cheese, you’re always going to do white,” Nelson says. And at Jake’s you know you will be in good hands when it comes to wine. “Our owner takes pride in picking really good wines that he wants in-house here,” Nelson says. “He picks all of the wines himself.”
CHANA MASALA AND PINOT NOIR
India Palace
Looking for a vegetarian dish to pair with your wine? Look no further than the chana masala at India Palace. The chickpeas cooked with onions, fresh tomato sauce and spices pairs well with a smooth pinot noir. Want something to pair with your spicy lamb vindaloo? How about a cabernet sauvignon? With India Palace’s extensive wine list, you’re sure to find the perfect wine to fit your meal, whether you like your curry mild or spicy.
