Wednesday night I had the pleasure of attending a Beer Pairing dinner at the TapHouse in Tuckahoe. Those of you who read my blog know it’s a favorite of mine. This event proved once again the quality and versatility of both the restaurant and the beers that were offered from the Latis Imports portfolio.
The first course paired the Rodenbach Grand Cru with a Fried Oyster dish. The Grand Cru was a bit vinegary up front. Not unpleasant but quite pungent and different than any other beer I have tasted. However, paired with the oysters and the sweetness of the tomato chutney, it worked out quite well and the creamy oak flavors enhanced the finish.
Next up was the unbelievable Seared Diver Scallops with a Banana Carpaccio paired with the Steen Brugge Wit Blanche. Lots of citrus, orange peel and coriander in this wheat beer….reminded me of a Hoegarden but with a lot more going on. The coolest part was that the Lemon Confit and Banana mix really brought out all the citrus and acidity in the beer.
The first meat dish was a Roasted Breast of Duck in a Caramel Soy Candied Orange Sauce….and yes it was as delicious as it sounds! This one was paired up with the most popular beer from Latis, the Palm Ale. It’s amazing that every course prepared by Chef Kevin Bertrand was more impressive than the one before. The caramel sauce brought out all the luscious caramel and nutty flavors in the Palm. Moreover, the duck was cooked to perfection… medium rare as to keep all its juicy flavors.
Although the duck was a tough act to follow, they managed to do so in style. The offering was Braised Short Ribs in a Pear Celeriac Puree matched up with the Steen Brugge Tripel. One word….WOW! The Tripel was a woody, hoppy selection with a mildly sweet and slight orange flavor. And at 8.7% alcohol this one has a real kick! But again, it worked so well with the beef and BBQ sauce that you were unable to tell it was that strong. The ribs and sauce cut right through the hops and the puree gave it a nice creamy finish. Definitely my favorite course of the night.
For dessert, the TapHouse served their famous Chocolate Molten Lava Cake. Latis broke out one of the coolest “dessert” beers I have ever tasted. The Kriek Boon is an effervescent, clean cherry flavored beer. But unlike other fruit flavored beers, they actually put cherries into the barrel during fermentation so there is no syrupy, sugar component. Just good, clean fruit….almost like a dark sparkling Rose wine. And at 4% alcohol you can drink this all night!
Both the TapHouse and Latis Imports had an extremely successful showing for this event. From top to bottom each pairing selection was really outstanding. You can find the Palm Ale on tap everyday at the TapHouse. So the next time you’re there and are thinking about ordering a wine with one of the meat dishes… you may want to give one of these well crafted brews a shot. Below are the web links for both the TapHouse and Latis Imports….Enjoy!
Marshall Tilden III, DWS, CSW 