Wine Down with Warren Richards | Zhen Bang Noodle & Sushi

Warren Richards, Ocean Casino Resort's Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage, has indulged his taste buds around the world, and he's bringing his expertise to the dining table. Warren shares his wisdom on Ocean's signature dishes and the spirits that you can pair perfectly with them for the most enjoyable dining experience.

Zhen Bang Noodle & Sushi's menu truly offers something for everyone. Depending on your favorite menu item, we can pair it with spirits to amplify and/or compliment the dish's flavor. Take for example: Steamed BBQ Pork Buns paired with a Malbec is an unexpected, yet a perfectly paired match. The Wonton Soup, or any other noodle soup for that matter, can be paired with a lager style beer. I picked some of my favorite pairings for you to enjoy during your next trip to Ocean Casino Resort.

Warren's Wine Pairings | Zhen Bang

• Steamed BBQ Pork Buns + Malbec - A trip down to South America may come as a surprise here, but Malbec has dark fruit and smoky flavors that will pair perfectly with the BBQ Pork. However, it doesn’t need to be the star of the show with a lighter finish than some of its Cabernet cousins, which allows the sweet & savory BBQ Pork filling to shine. Try the Achaval Ferrer “Quimera” from Mendoza
• Shrimp Fried Rice + California Chardonnay - A dry white wine with some oak will play nicely off the sweetness of the shrimp and pork in the dish. An assertive dish with plenty of wok flavor needs something with sufficient body to stand up to it – no need to be too delicate here – California is the place to go! Try the Flowers Chardonnay from Sonoma
• Wonton Soup (or other noodle soup) + Lager-Style Beer - A wildcard thrown into the mix here. Put down the wine glass & grab a cold and crisp Tsingtao, which has a tongue-coating effervescence that provides a soothing respite from the assault of broth, spice and richness from the dumplings. Did you know: Tsingtao is the second largest brewery in China with beers modeled after German pilsner-style brews
• Beef Chow Fun + California Cabernet - Don’t be shy, this dish will stand up to some powerful reds. The inventive Beef Chow Fun is paired with a California Cabernet. The dish itself pairs wonderfully with something showing tannin, which enhances the richness and the wok flavor on the noodle. Try the Faust Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley

Q&A WITH WARREN RICHARDS, OCEAN'S SVP OF FOOD & BEVERAGE

• General Tso’s Chicken + German Riesling - Aromatic and fruity, a Kabinett Riesling will pair nicely with this beloved classic. Try the Schloss Vollrads, Kabinett Riesling from the Rheingau region
• Steamed Chilean Sea Bass + Pinot Grigio - Something on the lighter side is the right move here as the Sea Bass is delicate, and you do not want to overpower this aromatic preparation. Try the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio from Alto-Adige in Northern Italy
• Duck + Pinot Noir - You can go from Burgundy to Oregon on this one or stay in California. Depending on whether you like earthy notes or something with fruity notes like cherry, Pinot Noir is right in the wheelhouse. In this instance, I’d say, go with the Saintsbury Pinot Noir from Carneros – a wine with dried cherry & berry notes that will bring another element to this classically prepared Peking Duck
• Salmon Nigiri + Prosecco - This Northern Italian and very approachable sparkling wine has just enough bright fruitiness while having enough acidity to cut through a fattier fish like Salmon. This is a much better pairing than a Brut Champagne, which would be too dry for this application. Try the Isotta Manzoni Prosecco from Veneto

• BONUS: Sushi Sampler -  For a twist on your Zhen Bang experience, give the Sushi Sampler a try. When you order a variety of sushi or several kinds of rolls, Sake  is the way to go. Specifically, the Junmai Ginjo Sake. It’s a sake on the drier side, but it definitely brings out the sweetness found in most of your favorite sashimi, nigiri, and rolls. Try the Nabaroshi Junmai Ginjo “Nakao’s Secret”

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