Working in a restaurant in NYC is something like being thrown with a bunch of felons, perverts and "others", none of which generally doesn't shock. So what if you have issues? Don't we all. And honestly, I don't really care if you were locked up for gun and drug possession with intent to sell. As long as you make me a delicious sandwich, get me a beer and don't get in trouble, we're cool. And when the restaurant goes under or migration happens, those new found friendships tend to travel from restaurant to restaurant.
Case in point, when my friend (who doesn't have a criminal record, FYI) opened his new place in Lower East Side Li-Lis, my man and I decided to visit him. His (my buddy's) forte is traditional French dishes with some Asian influences. He can pair a filet mignon with watercress and potatoes and bring out a Szechuan pepper sauce like a pro. The results were pretty delicious.
In lieu of that, I thought it would be kind of fun to pair pork and chive dumplings with some French Côtes-du-Rhône. With some mineral qualities, overtones of tart cherries and long finish, this wine was able to cut through the fatty pork. This gives me an idea, why not try this with all sorts of dumplings from every culture! More to come later :-).
