Vietnamese Food and Wine Pairings at Houston's Hidden Gem: Huynh Restaurant
BYOB has always been one of the best ways to enjoy food & wine pairings, especially with a group of creative wine lovers.
Huynh is a low key, family run Vietnamese restaurant in EaDo, which has been shortlisted among top 100 restaurants by Alison Cook 9 years in a row. It’s also a secret spot for professional wine groups when it comes to try their new pairing, and the corked fee is only $2.50.
Since they have so many special dishes, our focus was to choose those are easiest and most interesting for wine pairing purpose.
Appetizers
BÁNH ƯỚT TÔM CHẤY - Soft rice paper with crushed dried shrimp, served with fried onion
GỎI VỊT - Pulled duck mixed with fresh herbs & cabbage, served with ginger dipping sauce
First course
BÁNH CUỐN NHÂN THỊT NƯỚNG - char grilled pork
ÐẬU HỦ XÀO LĂN - Tofu stir-fried with coconut curry and topped with peanuts
Second course
HỦ TIẾU XÀO ÐỒ BIỂN - Seafood fry noodle
BÒ LÚC LẰC / Gà hoặc TÔM LÚC LẰC - Tender chunks of stir-fried beef tenderloin (or chicken)
There are a few major ingredients used in Vietnamese cuisine to watch : fish sauce, lemongrass, cilantro, sugar, and chili sauce. Generally speaking, sparkling and off-dry white are always safe bet with dishes on the sweet side. Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Grenache pair well with spicy dishes.
My parings were sparkling to go with appetizers, off-dry Chenin Blanc(a beautiful bottle from Lewis wine) pairing with the 1st course, and Cabernet Franc/ Malbec making a perfect marriage with the 2nd course.
With a party of 25, you can definitely find some unique and creative wine to try if you are willing to stand up and walk away from your food! It’s impossible to tell which was the most popular dish as we literally finished every single bite.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the very relaxing evening. The restaurant was packed as always, but they arranged us in a semi private area. Reservation is highly recommended if you are planning your next visit!
