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What to Drink with Your Second Dinner at Deadhorse Hill

deadhorse hill’s Korean Wings unveiled earlier this year could prove to be a building block to the menu at Simjang.

Last week, deadhorse hill introduced their new spicy fried Korean chicken wings and pork steamed buns as a “finger food” experiment geared toward after work and after hours customers. I sat down with Wine Director Julia Auger and Manager/Co-owner Sean Woods to talk about what to drink with these new additions.

deadhorse hills’s Asian inspired dishes, pork steamed buns, pair well with their Mai Tai
deadhorse hills’s Asian inspired dishes, pork steamed buns, pair well with their Mai Tai.

Auger suggests pairing deadhorse’s Korean wings with a Riesling. “Rieslings offer a balance of ripeness that compliments spicy foods. Their natural high acidity is refreshing on the palate,” she explains. Rieslings originated in Germany, a country noted for easy-drinking, sessionable beers. Riesling is similar in this way, often coming in at right around 10% alcohol by volume. Auger calls it a “responsible late night choice” adding, “Rieslings are great if you’re having a second dinner of the night or you’ve been consuming a lot of things.” She hopes that Worcester will develop a taste for a grape that is often misunderstood. Auger has dedicated an entire section of her bottle list to Rieslings and vows to always offer the varietal by the glass. “We want everyone to drink Riesling all the time,” she says.

Woods explains that any of deadhorse’s Asian inspired dishes pair well with their unique Mai Tai. He suggests the pork steamed buns, though he would like to add, “My first choice would be to pair a Mai Tai with another Mai Tai.” Woods modeled his own recipe after the original Mai Tai, which yields a complex and layered result as opposed to the sickly sweet Mai Tai’s many cocktail drinkers are accustomed to. Woods’ version includes a blend of rhums, lime, almond, and a mint sprig.

Deadhorse’s Late Night and Happy Hour menu is available from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and after 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

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Your Civic Duty

Chorizo Tacos: Housemade chorizo, cotija cheese, pico de gallo and cilantro lime creme from The Civic Kitchen & Drink.

Executive Chef Rick Araujo and General Manager Sarah Lee are not your typical pair. For starters, Araujo is a hometown hero who hails five miles from the restaurant where he now serves as Executive Chef. If his reputation as a former star athlete at Algonquin Regional High School isn’t enough to get the locals through the door, his menu will be. Lee, on the other hand, is a restaurant industry lifer who has worked her way up from busser to manager over the course of her storied career. As a team, Araujo and Lee are complementary in every sense of the word. Her beverage creations effortlessly enhance the subtle nuances of his locally inspired dishes. And, the view from The Civic Kitchen + Drink’s deck overlooking Westborough Country Club’s lush golf course isn’t bad either.

The Civic Kitchen & Bar's Feta and ricotta stuffed raviolo with parmesan, peas, pea shoots, and lemon butter paired with Banded Horn Pepperell Pilsner.
The Civic Kitchen & Bar’s Feta and ricotta stuffed raviolo with parmesan, peas, pea shoots, and lemon butter paired with Banded Horn Pepperell Pilsner.

Araujo and Lee recommend pairing the Spring Raviolo with a crushable lager like Banded Horn’s Pepperell Pilsner. The bready malt character of an unfiltered German pilsner suits Araujo’s housemade pasta stuffed with fresh ricotta and Narragansett Feta. The Pepperell Pilsner’s herbal hop presence and its zesty aroma lends themselves to the raviolo’s soft, leafy pea shoots and lemon butter.

Lee names the Blackberry Sage Margarita as one of The Civic Kitchen + Drink‘s flagship drinks, a constant on their ever changing menu. She suggests that you go with a natural pairing and order yourself some tacos. Araujo’s housemade chorizo and sharp pico de gallo hold up to the smoky allure of Chinaco Blanco tequila. Local honey, fresh blackberries, and sage round out Lee’s signature Margarita, the perfect match for the cilantro and lime crema that complete your plate.

Once Lee knows you enjoy tequila, there’s no escaping a special treat from The Bean Counter and a taste of her Nighttime Stroll. Pair a slice of decadent chocolate cake with Dos Alas Anejo tequila, Cynar, brandy, orange bitters, and a luxardo cherry. Cynar is a bitter liqueur that notably contains artichokes. This traditional Italian amaro offers a sharp, bitter edge, and the benefits of a digestivo. Trust us, you’re going to need some Cynar in your life after three delicious courses at The Civic.

Perhaps the most natural pair of all is a Cold Harbor and a dose of sunshine, a guaranteed summer offering on The Civic Kitchen + Drink‘s deck this season.

The Civic Kitchen + Drink's Chocolate Cake Courtesy of the Bean Counter in Worcester and the Nighttime Stroll
The Civic Kitchen + Drink’s Chocolate Cake Courtesy of the Bean Counter in Worcester and the Nighttime Stroll