High Low Pairings: Fried Chicken
It was the revered Château d’Yquem that first introduced me to the beauty of the high-low pairing when they served their premier sweet wine with KFC-style fried chicken. It was the taste sensation I never knew I needed, and I set out to discover what other fine wines would enhance the humble (but rightfully beloved) fried chicken.
Niju – Sparkling Sake
The Katei Ryori Sundays at Mayfair’s Niju may be the best value, high-end dining experience in the capital, with plate after platter of Japanese inspired foods from wagyu salami, to fresh sushi and sweet soy-braised pork belly skewers – and it only costs £65 a head, with a welcome drink.
It is one of only 18 venues in the UK to have a Kobe beef license and the only place to serve Japanese saffron, expertly used on one of the most hedonistically delicious dishes I have ever tried, their grilled Orkney scallop with Japanese saffron and Chita whisky.
It is their chicken ‘Katsu’ that I am focused on, however, and how this particular dish with tonkatsu and cabbage pairs with the softly sparkling Keigetsu sake. The florals of the wine enhance the earthy, savoury goodness of the chicken not unlike my first experience with d’Yquem – but with the added bonus of the bubbles to cut through the crispy panko coating.
Bébé Bob – Royale Cocktail
A setting that screams fun with its brilliantly coloured bar backdrop, art deco lighting and comfortable seating, Bébé Bob – the younger sibling of Bob Bob Ricard – was born from a love of chicken, caviar and champagne. Here is home to the “Schnugget” a cross between the schnitzel and a nugget, though these come topped with caviar and paired with a ‘Frites Royale’.
This controversial take on the Kir Royal is an ode to renowned bartender Mr Lyon’s favourite pairing of chips and champagne and they literally blend up their French fries, adding cognac, vodka and maple syrup to create a ‘liquer de pommes frites’ before topping it up with Moët & Chandon Champagne.
It is all a bit mad but a surprisingly tasty experience and without a doubt the most originally executed take on fries and nuggets around.
Claridges – Champagne
A British stalwart of luxury, Claridges at Christmas is a true delight – festive twinkling lights, the scent of pine trees, burgeoning Hallmark-movie style decorations and, for those in the know, their CFC (Claridges Fried Chicken). Like a deliciously filthy secret amid all the fine-dining this dish is ordered off-menu and comes with a citrus créme fraiche and the gushing praise of every member of staff that “this is the best fried chicken in London”.
I have tried to press them on what makes it so, but all I have is that they marinade the chicken in ginger… the rest is a carefully guarded secret.
Another winning trick here is the Wine Shop downstairs, which has an incredible selection to choose from. You can buy a bottle to enjoy at the restaurant with no additional corkage fee.
I selected the Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs champagne with our sommelier Emma Denney and it is perfectly chilled for when the chicken arrives. A classically fabulous combination of warm, crispy chicken and luxurious, effervescent champagne. My pairing happy place.
Home – English Sparkling
Some evenings however, one just wants to get into pyjamas and stay indoors. I ordered some spicy Korean chicken bao and opted for Leonardslee Brut Rosé (Taurus Wines, £45). The bright, juicy red berries lifted the heat of the spice and the refined English bubbles cut through the fluffy bao and crispy, fatty coating. The interesting addition of Pinotage grapes to the usual Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier added a depth and richness of flavour and proved Sussex’s Leonardslee as a house to watch.
If you have not yet experimented with your own high-low pairing then this is the time to grab that special bottle and elevate your fried food with some fizz.
Naked Wine of the week
Simpsons of Servian Sparkling Syrah 2022
NAKED WINES Angel Price £14.99 (see how below)
Wow. Here is a wine to make you sit up and take notice. This is a relative rarity in the wine world and it is very, very good. I love a chilled red and this one is sparkling too. A sumptuous Syrah from award winning winemakers Charles and Ruth Simpson, I shall be serving this on Christmas Day: it would be as beautiful with roast turkey and cranberry sauce as it would with the festive cheeseboard.
Wine Recommendations
Mountadam Estate High Eden Chardonnay 2023 £22.40
Justerini & Brooks
Now this is a classy Chardonnay. Using only the best fruit from the best areas of the vineyards in Australia’s Eden Valley, the wine finds the balance between being rich and refined. Lemon curd and whisps of vanilla overlap fresh white peach and apricot notes with a cool, flinty backbone. Delightful.
Sandridge Barton Pinot Noir 2022 £35
Sandridgebarton.com
A multi-award winning wine, this vintage just scooped a gold medal at Wine GB and it has only just been released so time to snap some up pronto! Wild strawberries, mellow red cherries, a refined touch of cedar wood spice and soft rose petals make this a supple and complex beauty of an English red.
Pommery Brut Rosé Royal Champagne £49.99
Waitrose
A joyful rosé Champagne from Grand Cru grapes, this wine won Silver at the Decanter Awards and is an enchantingly delicate pink in the glass. A classic rosé of soft rose petal, bright red berries and nectarine zest, this is a cut above with a fresh, linear backbone, and an elegant effervescence.
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