A few weeks back, I met a new friend who gave me a whole new perspective on one of the world’s most luxurious drinks – champagne. People often see it as a celebratory drink. Something that’s only for huge parties, giving a special toast, or marking an important milestone. However, there’s much more to it and it can actually be pretty accessible.
Champagne’s association with luxury goes all the way back to the royal courts in Europe, way back in the late 1700s. Royalty loved the concept of drinking wine that’s “sparkling and hugged by bubbles”. It became a status symbol and so much more than a drink that’s appreciated for its flavour and quality. It was poured more than it was consumed. You shower athletes with it to celebrate a win. Bottles of champagne are also smashed on a ship to ‘Christen’ it and bless its maiden voyage.
My friend Tamás who’s behind Champagne Therapy wants people to appreciate the drink more and see it as something that can fit into any occasion. His recent champagne pairing event held in cooperation with Ngon Restaurant Berlin is proof of that.
On my way to Ngon for the pairing dinner, I had my doubts. I’m much more used to drinking champagne by itself (sometimes with a couple of hor d’oeuvres) while talking to friends at diplomatic events we have to attend. We get to appreciate its effervescence and the bubbles that get everyone relaxed and happier a lot faster. Pairing it with Asian food – Vietnamese at that – was something I haven’t tried before. Will it work?
Champagne Therapy x Ngon Restaurant Berlin
Before we get to the good part that is the food, let me tell you a bit about Champagne Therapy and Ngon Restaurant Berlin. Champagne Therapy is a place for champagne lovers here in Germany (and the EU) to get their fix of sparkling wines from quality producers. It’s a great resource to learn more about the drink as well since they give you lots of info about the champagnes they have – not just the type and classification but a little bit about the producers as well.
Ngon Restaurant Berlin, meanwhile, is a beautiful Vietnamese + Asian restaurant in the city’s old town. One of the Berlin’s most photogenic, in my opinion. Its Asian decor is tastefully done with lots of natural light flooding the dining areas. At night, it transforms into a moody venue with a sleek, sexy vibe.
Pairing Champagne with Vietnamese Food
Guests started trickling in at 19:30 and were ushered to the area reserved for the special dinner. Each one was handed a welcome drink – a Devavry Brut (Premier Cru). It was a smooth and easy drink, perfect to start the night as everyone mingled. Nothing like good champagne to break the ice. As the place filled up, everyone was invited to take their seats.
Before every course, guests were treated to an explanation about the pairing. You learn something new and get to train your palate, too.
Starter
We were given a choice between crispy rolls containing seafood and fishprawn paté to pair with the Michel Tixier Blanc de Blancs (Premier Cru). I chose the crispy rolls which were filled with crab meat, prawns, and some veggies. I loved the texture of the rolls that were marinated in milk – light with the right amount of crisp. It was an easy bite that gently introduces your taste buds to softness and flavours of the filling.
The drink’s rich, crisp nose provided a subtle opening to the meal. Adding to it the fruity aroma, it was the perfect drink to complement the hint of creaminess in the rolls.
I was seated next to the delightful Daniela that night who offered one of her fishprawn patés to me. We just met and I was a bit shy to take her up on her offer. When she offered it for the second time, however, I said yes. I just had to since they looked so good. The patés were a bit lighter than the rolls. It contained lemongrass which made the dish fragrant, refreshing, and perfect with the drink as well.
Salad
I’m not usually one who would order a salad. I wasn’t a fan of greens for most of my life. But make it a green papaya salad and then we’re talking. In fact, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese cuisines were my entry to veggie eating as their salads were never boring and were always packing an explosion of flavour.
Our green papaya salad that night was served with dried shrimps and Thai sauce. It was crunchy and spicy. No, not the European type of spicy which you don’t even feel. This one was authentic spiciness that blended well with the sauce. It was paired with a Francois Secondé Brut Integral (Grand Cru). The drink had a pretty powerful attack that was enough to cut through the spiciness of the salad but was still rather neat. It’s noticeably acidic without being overwhelming. It went so well with the crunchiness of the papaya.
Main Course
As I was going to an Asian dinner, I was expecting rice. Pairing it with champagne was something I was looking forward to all night. It seemed blasphemous but at the same time, something was telling me that it would work. If only people were bold enough to try.
And try it we did.
The black Angus beef I had was grilled on hard coal and drenched in peanut-coconut sauce. It came with jasmine rice and some greens. The sauce is not that thick compared to what you’ll expect with something that contains peanut and coconut.
The beef was tender, cut in bite-sized pieces, and cooked medium – just as I asked. The main course was paired with a glass of Champagne Dauby Millésime 2010. A well-balanced drink with a distinct freshness. It was light and helped the beef and rice go down easier. I particularly love the drink’s strong finish.
Dessert
No matter how full I already was at this point, I had to make room for dessert. A sweet ending to the whole meal was provided by the Jean Sélèque Cuvée Rosé, paired with an Asian version of a crepe.
A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, it’s a refreshing and fruity drink with a powerful nose. A perfect partner to the pancakes that were served with sweet, coconutty honey and garnished with red berries.
It was truly an enjoyable night where I met some new friends and even bumped into an old one. No matter how big Berlin may seem, it’s still pretty small after all. I also left that event seeing Champagne in a new light – something one can enjoy without needing a special occasion. All you need is great company and maybe something to pair it with.
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- Speaking of friends… I bumped into dear Evita that day! <3
Champagne Therapy
Visit their website by clicking on this link. You can also like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram to get updates on their next Champagne pairing events. I, for one, will be surely bummed to miss out on the next one.
Ngon Restaurant Berlin
Rathausstraße 23, 10178 Berlin
Check out their website for reservations and more information. You can also like them on Facebook and give them a follow on Instagram for updates.
More later!
Love,
Carol
