Joue de boeuf and a rich Roussillon red

I've been in Paris for the last few days so this week's pairing had to be from here. There are so many possibilities but as I haven't written about a meat match for a while I'm going to pick the braised beef cheek and vegetables we had with a quirky wine called KM31 from the Roussillon.

Beef cheek or joue de boeuf as it's called here seems to be one of the most fashionable main courses in Paris at the moment, judging by the menus we've been reading but I doubt if anywhere does it as well as Le Baratin, a natural wine bistro in the 20th just off the rue de Belleville. (You can see my review here). Normally if it's cooked until it's falling apart - as it should be - it's quite soft but this had the most amazing rich crust - presumably by popping it in a hot oven again before serving it. There was also a subtle touch of vinegar in the dish and some fresh tasting seasonal vegetables which added a welcome lightness to the dish

The wine was a warm, generous blend of Grenache and Carignan blend from the 2009 vintage from a mad Roussillon winery called Domaine YoYo. A natural wine but not a weird one, in case you're worried. Just perfect with the rich, beefy flavour of the meat and also pretty good with the joue de veau that I ordered. They like their cheeks in Paris ;-)

Braised ox cheek and Lalande de Pomerol

As is often the way Christmas wasn’t a time for any startling food and wine discoveries, rather for celebrating favourite combinations but I realise I forgot to mention one pairing just before Christmas at Angelus restaurant in Lancaster Gate.

Angelus is one of the only restaurants I can think of which showcases a sommelier rather than a chef - in this case Thierry Thomasin who used to work at Le Gavroche and then at Aubergine with William Drabble. A while ago he set up his own place, a typically French neighbourhood restaurant with a strong wine list which recently won an award at the first London Restaurant Festival awards for its ‘warmth and welcome’.

The food, which is cooked by Martin Nisbet is Michelin one star in style but it’s the wine list that’s the main attraction, not least for the chance to drink affordable claret like the beautifully balanced 2005 Château Sergant Lalande de Pomerol which was available in half bottles. (I wasn’t being mean - I was dining with a non-drinker!) It proved the perfect match with a dish of ultra-tender Glenbervie beef cheek and creamy mash. I normally look to the Rhône for dishes like this but this was a timely reminder that a modest claret from a good vintage can work every bit as well.

Incidentally Angelus (like Thierry’s alma mater Le Gavroche) offers a great lunch deal for £36 which includes 3 courses, half a bottle of wine, mineral water, coffee and petits fours. It’s also open 7 days a week which is useful on a Sunday night.

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