Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/288975
130 / the tasting panel / april 2014 T hroughout the recession's leanest years, intrepid Chicago res- taurateurs displayed professional and entrepreneurial courage. An array of eclectic and diverse eateries thumbed their noses at doomsday market charts and conventional wisdom alike. Some flourished, and have entered this comparatively heady time with much recognition. More continue to surface. Yet, one maxim has remained when creating great food and beverage programs: What to drink? Well, what to eat? Of course, most restaurants will say their beverage lists are food- driven. But Coppervine, which opened this past December, has outpaced the cliché: Each of its dishes has a wine, beer or cocktail pairing. Partner/Beverage Director Don Sritong was inspired by this concept from being personally steeped in the industry since youth. For him, the precept of Coppervine is to make the art of pairing wine, beer and cocktails with food "simple, fun and functional." The menu has been assembled accordingly. "The process of understanding why wine, beer and cocktails work with particular foods is a challenging one for many people," says Sritong. "My philosophies on pairing food and drink emanate from how I've lived my life." Sritong's parents were restaurant owners in San Francisco, and he worked in sales for Kendall Jackson upon arriving in Chicago in 1998. He soon met Chef Michael Taus, who had etched his name among the city's greats. When Sritong's vision for Coppervine emerged, Taus was miraculously available. "He's a brilliant chef, and he knew about my passion for wine," says Sritong. "He can factor in the beverage side; not all chefs know wine. We tested dishes and pairings for about eight months." Deciding which entrées would make the cut was easier compared with creating the cocktail program, and its ability to work with food. "High alcohol can be limiting," says Sritong. "So we're fortunate that our mixology team came up with ways to tone it down, using juices and introducing food products into the cocktails." Sritong says seasonal changes are on tap for spring—when heavy meals and brooding red wines recede like the Chicago snowpack. "Some dishes are really driven by the drinks and vice versa. As the drink choices change [for weather], we'll move some things off the menu and replace them. This concept has lots of moving parts. You have to be agile." THE "5" LIST Don Sritong's Top Five Faves Introducing an adventurous guest to an eye-opening food-and-drink pairing experience. Wine with soul. Alternative closures (kegs, screw- cap, Vinolok, Tetra Pak, etc.) that assure a good glass of wine—the way the winemaker intended it. A restaurant with great design and energy. Having an excellent meal with great friends and family. Don Sritong's Top Five Pet Peeves Guests who do not treat our hard- working staff with respect. Restaurants that ignore the details. Oxidized wine by the glass. Corked wine. Bad food-and-drink pairings. 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 Don Sritong Parntner/Beverage Director, Coppervine, Chicago Taking Inventory with. . . by Tom Caestecker Jr. PHOTO COURTESY OF COPPERVINE Coppervine's Don Sritong grew up around food and drink. TP0414_102-132.indd 130 3/21/14 2:54 PM