At The Uptown Cafe, wine columnist Jack Baker pairs the gumbo ya ya with a grenache, shiraz, or zin. Photo by Rodney Margison
By Jack Baker
We are fortunate to have a number of eating establishments that have stood the test of time and continue to be part of the Bloomington food experience. Let’s have some fun and celebrate their contributions by matching wines to some of their well-known dishes.
Janko’s Little Zagreb, 223 W. 6th St., has been here since 1973. Its signature dish is steak, so the match is easy. A cabernet sauvignon like Caymus is a natural, or a French Bordeaux or Rhone, but it needs to be a big wine, very concentrated to match up with the meat and smoky char flavors.But what about the humble hamburger?
Hinkle’s Hamburgers, 226 S. Adams St., has been making burgers in Bloomington since 1930. And tater tots—don’t forget the tater tots, those crispy little brown potato chunks that crave ketchup. A California red zinfandel, a French dry or sparkling rosé, or a dry Australian riesling are obvious matches. They complement the flavors of the meat and onion, and their acidity cuts through the richness of the fatty juices and salty potato.
Nick’s English Hut, at 423 E. Kirkwood, has been serving food in Bloomington since 1927. The dish that stands out for my wife, Jan, and me is the stromboli. Italian Chianti or another Italian sangiovese or red zinfandel have the acid to cut through the meat juices and cheese; and the fruit flavors and spice to complement the onion and sweet pickle. For the vegetarian strom, a white Oregon pinot gris or French Alsatian pinot gris offers sharp contrasts to the vegetable ingredients.
The Runcible Spoon, 412 E. 6th St., has been roasting coffee and serving food since 1976. During our school years, many of us studied into the night at the ’Spoon, drinking just enough coffee to justify our sitting there. I consider salmon to be its signature dish, and the ideal pairing an oaky California chardonnay or a viognier. The full-bodied character, viscosity, and fruit of each complements the rich fish dish.
The Uptown Cafe, 102 E. Kirkwood, began as a 30-seat café on North Walnut in 1976. Jan and I were early patrons. We went to lunch there immediately after being married by Judge John G. Baker in City Hall, now the John Waldron Arts Center. We could argue over its best dish, but Jan and I would side with the red beans and rice or the gumbo ya ya. The smoke and pepper of a shiraz, the fruit and spice of a grenache, or a peppery zinfandel add balance. Sharp white wines like dry South African chenin blanc and dry riesling add contrast.
The Trojan Horse, 100 E. Kirkwood, began serving gyros and falafels in 1978. We can’t help ourselves, and order the gyros and large fries each and every time we’re there. Good matches to the lamb, and to the salty fries, are pinot noir, white French Sancerre, and pink rosé. The pinot noir brings fruit that complements the lamb and acid that contrasts with the tzatziki sauce and salt of the fries. The sharp acid of the Sancerre and rosé wines add contrast. These are a few of our iconic eating establishments. We’ll explore more next time. And I will drink to that.
