Thanks to the courage infused by the patron feline of the year for the Chinese calendar, Fiammetta Fadda offers 12 courses and 22 wines. Until February 13, you can do it too
Call them, if you like, elective affinities. Goethe, who was a gourmet, would not be offended. It is a sort of short circuit between the olfactory and gustatory memory that is established at the table and, at its most subtle level, between a dish and the wine that accompanies it. For example oysters and Champagne, or game and Barolo or Bordeaux, to name two very popular pairings now, between lovers' parties and winter dinners.
Therefore, the invitation to a dinner by Chinese regional haute cuisine combined with Amarone, in this case to the labels of thirteen historic wineries of Valpolicella, united in the Association.
Do you know Amarone? That red of great lineage that is born between Verona and Lake Garda from grapes left to dry in the vineyard even until January, therefore with a note that evokes sweetness, but is not "sweet". And you know the Chinese cooking, with its (for us) incendiary chilli, pepper sauces, the specialties that are difficult to decrypt, starting with the name? It must be said that al Bon Wei, in the heart of the Chinese quarter of Milan, the fires are governed by the excellent Zhang Guoqing and that these Amarone speak to contemporary palates curious about novelty.
But if the Chinese horoscope hadn't just entered theyear of the Tiger, a symbol of strength and courage, perhaps the two protagonists of the dinner would not have dared such a provocative experiment. Also because in its canonical structure the Chinese lunch requires the courses to be presented all together, which excludes different wines for each single dish.
Brace yourselves: they have been nine courses, start with the fingers of 'Pork belly and water chestnuts in a smoked Tou Fu crust'And i Dim Sum of the Guardians of Heaven, including the 'Lantern meatballs with lychees, prawns and Goji berries', played on whites Soave and Lugana, also from the area, and on Valpolicella and Bardolino less demanding. Then here, in succession, the four central courses: 'Crispy yellow grouper, neo garlic, almonds and chilli'; ''Yan Shui' duck in the style of Nanking'; ''Guo Qiao' rib of beef in black pepper sauce'; 'Taro, pork and black chili'. Experimenting, as desired, among the thirteen labels. Closing, 'Laohû', The tiger, with sweet on sweet- the Recioto.
But yet. Yet I enjoyed myself and learned that the spice and pepper notes of Amarone cleanse the palate of pork fatness; that the nuances of raspberries and currants soften the strong flavor of the duck; that the vaguely sweet accent of the Amarone can dampen the spiciness of the chili.
All this, by booking, you can experiment until February 13th, the date on which the celebrations for the Year of the Tiger end. The price, 95 euros without the wines, is really stimulating, for the quality of the place, the service, the cultural depth of the dishes, for the fun. Fishing among the thirteen labels of the Association of Historical Amarone Families.
Bon Wei, via Lodovico Castelvetro, 16 Milan. Tel 02 341308. bonwei.it
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