Feeling so exotic with Pura Wines and food pairings
One thing that makes Houston unique is without a doubt, our diverse food scene. With so many amazing cuisines from the bold flavors of South America to the spices of Southeast Asia, Houstonians have plenty of restaurants to choose from any night of the week.
We joined Cindy Yang and Eduardo Varas of Pura Wines, who whisked us off on a food and wine adventure across the City. The duo began a business importing Chilean wines from boutique, family-owned vineyards, and today their wine portfolio spans multiple wineries and countries in South Ameri
ca. Eduardo – a native Chilean living here in Houston – explains, “Chile is currently producing so many high quality wines, but the market here hasn’t discovered them yet. We want to introduce those truly unique wines to our customers here in the US.”
Our first stop was Patagonia Bar & Grill, a laid-back but buzzing Argentinian steak house. We started with classic fish ceviche served on a bed of mango & red onions with citrus, paired with a Pura 8 Chardonnay from Rapel Valley in Chile. Next we sampled some Argentinian beef empanadas with a Loica Cabernet Sauvignon from the Central Valley of Chile. To finish our meal, the famous “entraña” steak arrived with the restaurant’s namesake wine: Patagonia, a Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.
We then met up with the guru of exotic flavor, Chef Kiran Verma, at her beautiful new location on Richmond: Kiran’s. A long time Houston institution, many of us are familiar with her classic Indian dishes with a few modern twists. We started with the famous lamb samosas, bursting with cumin scented ground lamb and a slight sweetness from raisins, which we opted to pair with a Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Pura 8. In order to try a variety of dishes, we ordered the popular Punjabi Thali dish which is an Indian-style meal consisting of various dishes served on a single platter. Chef Kiran’s version had Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh, and Saag Paneer served with saffron basmati rice pulao with nuts. Considering the many flavors in this Thali, we wanted a wine that could stand up to all these spices in the curries. The Top Winemakers 50 Barrels Carmenere was a winning combination with its spice notes and a dry, medium bodied finish.
To take your dining game to the next level, follow these simple tips from the food and wine experts of Pura Wines to enhance your pairing experience at your next meal in Houston.
Photos By Sandeep Khandelwal
