Do pork intestines pair well with aged Riesling and Japanese Cider? Definitely! First of all, thank you Oliver for this amazing birthday feast at a tiny hidden Chinese Restaurant in the center of Frankfurt called “Lijianger”. Location-wise hidden but outstanding in reception, the restaurant made the first place in the cities most renowned critique magazine in the category “Chinese”.
The menu is overwhelming and illustrated with pictures which all look mouth watering. Being a large party we could order a diverse selection. Kelp salad, stomach, guts, chicken in peanut sauce, fish stew, fried tofu, tofu salad, battered shrimps, and more. All spicy and cooked to savory perfection. We were allowed to bring own wines and the motto was “old white Riesling”
Ok, you have to like aged wines to find joy in such taste but if you like it, you like it. And the Chinese food liked it even more.
An Oppenheimer Ruländer and Kerner Beerenauslese actually looked and tastet like Cola but different from the Chinese invention of Petrus and Cola. Maybe slightly over the drinking top, yet interesting and matching perfectly with hopefully cleaned well guts.
If you never tried aged wines, please give it a try. Riesling is probably the best white grape for aging. Start with a wine that is some years old and taste yourself up to bottles with decades on their shoulders.
Then there was this apple cider I still had from Noriyuki’s Gubi Gubi. Why not, Japanese cider and Chinese food, give it a try. The cider was delicious even though quite heavy on volatile acidity and matched perfectly with dishes like spicy / sour grilled potatoes and cabbage in vinegar. Also the meat and fish went along well. The tingly apple gave a fresh contrast to the earthy notes of the intestines almost like in the German “Himmel und Erd” combining grilled apples with blood sausage, simply amazing.
Thank you again for this nice evening, and the provision of shelter by the most friendly restaurant owners you can imagine. Final note: warm Riesling in large cups can develop outstanding tropical flavors and pairs perfectly with tropical weather of 30+ degrees – no Hot Pot needed.
Wine list will follow!
- 2014 Joh. Jos. Prüm Weltener Sonnenuhr Mosel Riesling Kabinett
- 1992 Martin Müllen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Riesling Auslese
- 1975 Weingut Bürgermeister Carl Koch Oppenheimer Sackträger Rheinhessen Ruländer und Kerner Beerenauslese