Latest news with #Asian-style
Forbes
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Red Wine Is The Ultimate Pairing For Dim Sum
The Prisoner Wine Company holds a wine and dim sum pairing in its Napa-based tasting room. The Prisoner Wine Company When reaching for a glass of wine to pair with anything spicy—specifically in the Asian style—I've always been one to reach for a Riesling first. It has been ingrained in wine drinkers that Riesling is the best pairing for foods with a kick, which is not untrue. The acidity and hint of sweetness of an off-dry bottle of this wine does complement the umami, spice and heat normally found in Thai, Chinese, Japanese and even Mexican food. 'The philosophy behind the traditional pairing of Riesling with dim sum is the idea of balancing the acidity of the wine with the salinity of the cuisine,' says Chef Brett Young, The Prisoner Wine Company director of culinary. 'Asian-style foods typically have a heat and salinity to them that make a white wine a common choice when selecting a wine pairing.' But, red wine shouldn't be off the table when it comes to perfect pairings. While many drinkers feel that red wine pairs best with heartier meals, like a steak or even a winter stew, there are lots of styles of red that work magic next to dumplings, fried rice and even pad Thai. 'I think many consumers think of bigger, fuller-bodied, higher-alcohol wines when they first think of red wines—and those don't always work with more complex flavors and spices,' says Adrienne Cooper, beverage manager at New York, NY-based Pinch Chinese. Cooper explains that drinkers need to also take how a dish is prepared, sauced and spiced when picking a wine to sip alongside. The Prisoner Wine Company demonstrates this in its tasting room in Napa, CA. The brand coordinates a Dim Sum food option along with its wine pairings, featuring its red wines in unconventional ways—the calling card of the brand. 'Dim Sum with our red blends is a great example of what can happen when you break free from tradition,' Young says. 'While the heat from a spicy dish can exacerbate the tannins in a structured red wine, the unexpected blends that The Prisoner is known for are less structured than the traditional Napa Valley red wine. This allows for a well-balanced flavor that complements the umami aspects of Asian-style foods.' However, it can get trickier if trying to pair wine yourself, either at a restaurant or at home. When picking a red wine to drink alongside an Asian style meal, Cooper explains to be careful not to generalize these cuisines and lump them into one category. Each, says Cooper, has its own highlights that need to be taken into account to create the best bite and sip. 'Across the board, things like soy, sesame, ginger, and garlic will be present, so you can start with wine that makes sense with those ingredients and then adjust accordingly to each style of preparation,' Cooper says. Cooper notes that starting with high acid reds, like Pinot Noir and Gamay, are a failsafe. For Japanese food—yes, even sushi—Cooper explains that a slightly chilled Blaufränkisch would be a surprisingly delicious pairing, even for a trained palate. For Thai, Cooper suggests Chilean Carménère. 'They originally thought this grape was Merlot, so you get a similar body and fruit-forward wine with just a hint of black pepper—the perfect companion to a Thai Curry,' Cooper says. However, if looking for a bottle in a pinch, Cooper says that reaching for a Cabernet Franc won't be disappointing with whatever style Asian food one may have. 'Another go-to red wine for me is Cabernet Franc, which is definitely having a moment in New York, with plenty of love in the Loire, of course. This is another wine that has great structure, acidity, and fruit without overbearing tannins. The wine's classic green bell pepper notes work perfectly in harmony with the bell pepper flavors found in many Asian cuisines,' Cooper says. Young also explains that red blends are always a good option, as they tend to have softer tannins that play nicely with spice. He also says that a Zinfandel can also play nice with Asian style foods, as the fruit-forward, juicy wine has just a hint of spice that plays well with a lot of dishes. Another thing to look for, says Young, is the use of Ponzu sauce, whether making dishes at home or having them out. This, he says, is absolutely a red wine darling, as it brings flavor notes of lemon and rice vinegar as well as a bright, tart flavor. 'Being creative and inventive with your ingredients can help open pairing options beyond the usual white wine for an at-home chef or someone looking to elevate a takeout dish,' he says.
CBC
05-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
SULU offers Asian-style tapas, with food fired on an authentic Japanese grill
Social Sharing Where in Saskatoon can you enjoy bao buns made from scratch, a cocktail featuring rum from the Philippines and skewers grilled to perfection on an authentic Japanese grill? The answer is SULU, now open at 226 Second Ave S. Local foodies will be familiar with the location. Previously home to both Sticks & Stones and Food & Beverage YXE — owned by Grassroots Restaurant Group — the space is no stranger to incredible eats. SULU is no exception. It's the second Saskatoon restaurant opened by Andy Yuen and Rachel Kong, the couple behind the beloved Odd Couple restaurant in Riversdale. "We always loved the layout of this space," Yuen said of the Second Avenue spot. "Rachel and I actually used to come here after our shifts at Odd Couple. So we spent enough time here as customers already." Yuen is excited to offer a menu at SULU that combines Vietnamese, Cantonese, Japanese and North American flavours to deliver an Asian-style tapas menu. From 1 restaurant to 2 Yuen and Kong opened Odd Couple in 2014, alongside Yuen's parents. Yuen grew up in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada with his parents in the 1990s, while Kong first came to Saskatchewan from Guangzhou to study at the University of Regina. Although Yuen's parents had operated Chinese restaurants in Saskatchewan for years, Yuen wasn't initially interested in opening his own restaurant; he trained as an engineer. But when the opportunity to open a restaurant presented itself nearly 11 years ago, he decided to take the plunge with Odd Couple. The road to opening SULU began after the couple welcomed their first son in 2024. They decided to stay in Saskatoon and continue to build on their network and relationships here with another restaurant. They got the keys to the Second Avenue location in October 2024 and began renovating. They kept the original layout, including an expansive wood bar in the back of the restaurant, but added new upholstery and decor, including stunning red lanterns that hang throughout the restaurant. SULU's doors opened in February 2025. The couple chose the name to signify new beginnings. "Every sound in Chinese can be a written character. 'SU' can mean many things, but one of them is 'revive' or 'reborn,' and then 'LU' for us means dragon," Yuen said. "So we were reviving this space in the Year of the Dragon, and then our son was born in 2024 as well." WATCH | Come with me to SULU restaurant: Come with me to SULU restaurant 19 minutes ago Duration 0:26 An evening spot with a menu to match Yuen said that when he was planning SULU's menu, there were two things on his mind. The first was creating an Asian-style tapas menu that would be perfect for light dinners, after work drinks or late nights. The second thing on his mind was a meal that he and Rachel ate in Osaka, Japan, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, at a restaurant that featured an authentic Japanese grill. "It was the last meal we ate out before COVID-19," Yuen said. "I just kept coming back to it." Yuen decided to put one of these Japanese grills in SULU. He said there is only one other grill like it in Saskatchewan. The grill cooks skewers to a perfect tenderness using charcoal and infrared heat. SULU offers several skewers, including chicken, tofu and prosciutto-wrapped grapes, which are a customer favourite. The skewers are a must-try at SULU, given the unique grill, and a perfect option to start with. Other popular items include their bao buns and dumplings — both of which are made in-house — and their Korean fried chicken, which is the original recipe from Sticks and Stones. Be sure to also try one of their hand-crafted cocktails or mocktails, which are a perfect menu accompaniment. The Lucky Rabbit cocktail, for example, incorporates White Rabbit candies that have been melted down into a syrup, alongside local vodka from Lucky Bastard, to create a sweet and citrusy drink. Yuen said the menus at SULU and Odd Couple are very different, but both restaurants have strong focuses on curated selections of delicious eats in a setting that's modern, warm and inviting. "It's about the food and the drinks, but the world is crazy right now so we want people to be able to come in and find an escape — both at Odd Couple and SULU," Yuen said. "I'm grateful, and people so far walk out of here happy, and that's what we wanted."
Business Insider
04-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Business Insider
I'm a retired personal trainer on a Mediterranean diet. I swear by these 11 buys from Trader Joe's.
I'm also a certified yoga instructor, swimmer, and author who's published four fitness books — including "Fitter Than Ever at 60 and Beyond." My husband regularly swims, lifts weights, runs, and practices yoga. To support our healthy habits, we try to eat a Mediterranean diet rich in lean protein, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. We like shopping at Costco with our executive membership, and we also buy a lot of staples at Trader Joe's. Here are some products from the chain that we swear by. Trader Joe's colossal olives stuffed with garlic cloves are a great snack. These garlic-stuffed olives from Trader Joe's are a fairly light and delicious pre-dinner snack, especially when paired with cheese.A 16-ounce jar of Trader Joe's colossal olives cost $4.50 on this trip. The olives pair well with baby Swiss. We usually pair our olives with a few thin slices of baby Swiss usually costs about $5 per pound at Trader Joe's. Three-layer hummus is delicious. I like that this three-layer dip contains tasty layers of traditional hummus, cilantro-jalapeo hummus, and spicy hummus. It pairs nicely with blue-corn tortilla chips or almond usually pay $4 for a 12-ounce container of this dip from Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's Asian-style vegetable stir fry is easy to turn into a full meal. Trader Joe's Asian-style vegetable stir-fry mix includes snap peas, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and more. I like cooking these pre-chopped veggies in olive oil with a protein, like lean ground turkey, to whip up a satisfying dinner within minutes. The 18-ounce bowl of veggies costs $5.50. We use pico de gallo salsa in a few ways. Trader Joe's pico de gallo salsa contains fresh-tasting ingredients like tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeos, and lemon juice. It's a delicious side with any meal, and we sometimes add it to scrambled eggs for extra flavor or use as it as a dip with blue-corn tortilla chips.A 12-ounce container of Trader Joe's pico de gallo salsa cost us $3. Dolmas can be a nice snack before lunch or dinner. Popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, dolmas are grapevine leaves typically stuffed with rice, onion and seasonings. We like the ones from Trader Joe's, which are especially nice as a light appetizer before lunch or dinner.A 9.86-ounce can of Trader Joe's dolmas cost us $3.50. Green tea is a staple. Green tea is high in antioxidants, and I often drink it with breakfast.A box of 20 bags of Trader Joe's green tea cost $3 on our last trip. Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute is great to have on hand. We like using Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute on meat, poultry, or fish that we cook outside on our spice blend contains a flavorful mix of ingredients like onion, black pepper, celery seed, cayenne, parsley, basil, and oregano. A 2.2-ounce bottle of it cost us $2.50. My husband loves mochi ice cream. Trader Joe's mochi ice cream is a hit with my husband, who especially enjoys the vanilla and dark-chocolate tasty gluten-free treats are essentially a chewy rice dough filled with ice cream.A package of six vanilla mochi usually costs us $5 at Trader Joe's. Organic coconut milk is the key ingredient in one of my favorite sauces. We regularly eat baked wild salmon with a dill and lemon sauce. One of the sauce's key ingredients is coconut milk, which adds a nice creaminess to the dish without making it too heavy. A 13- -ounce can of Trader Joe's organic coconut milk costs just under $2.
Business Insider
04-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Business Insider
I'm a retired personal trainer on a Mediterranean diet. I swear by these 11 buys from Trader Joe's.
I'm a retired personal trainer in my 60s living in Tucson, Arizona, with my husband. We both live fairly active lifestyles. I'm also a certified yoga instructor, swimmer, and author who's published four fitness books — including "Fitter Than Ever at 60 and Beyond." My husband regularly swims, lifts weights, runs, and practices yoga. To support our healthy habits, we try to eat a Mediterranean diet rich in lean protein, eggs, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. We like shopping at Costco with our executive membership, and we also buy a lot of staples at Trader Joe's. Here are some products from the chain that we swear by. We always keep crunchy almond butter in our pantry. Trader Joe's colossal olives stuffed with garlic cloves are a great snack. The olives pair well with baby Swiss. Three-layer hummus is delicious. I like that this three-layer dip contains tasty layers of traditional hummus, cilantro-jalapeño hummus, and spicy hummus. It pairs nicely with blue-corn tortilla chips or almond crackers. Trader Joe's Asian-style vegetable stir fry is easy to turn into a full meal. Trader Joe's Asian-style vegetable stir-fry mix includes snap peas, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and more. I like cooking these pre-chopped veggies in olive oil with a protein, like lean ground turkey, to whip up a within minutes. We use pico de gallo salsa in a few ways. Dolmas can be a nice snack before lunch or dinner. Green tea is a staple. Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute is great to have on hand. My husband loves mochi ice cream. Organic coconut milk is the key ingredient in one of my favorite sauces.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
A new Korean bakery serving the TikTok viral tissue bread
Previous SlideNext Slide Korean$$$$ Sourdough makes way for salty shio pan and soft, pull-apart tissue bread at Korean bakery Buttered in Chippendale. Owner Philip Choi trained at French cooking school Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, before honing his pastry skills at some of Seoul's top patisseries. The top order here is the shio pan (or sogeum-ppang in Korean), a chewy moon-shaped roll that's bathed in butter, creating a crisp bottom and deeply tanned shell. The yeasted filling is pillow soft, more like a dinner roll than your typical French croissant. The TikTok viral tissue bread, which can be pulled apart in layers, comes in seven flavours from plain to matcha, pistachio, lemon meringue and more. The other signature item is the waterfall cake, an Asian-style sponge cake with a slice removed, and the space refilled with overflowing fruits and toppings. It's available as a whole gâteau or cupcake. Alongside the usual tea and coffee, find Korean-style 'ade' sodas made from sparkling water spritzed with house-made yuzu, strawberry and green grape syrup.
