But pairing wines with ethnic foods can be a challenge. Many ethnic cuisines make liberal use of strong flavors, such as hot peppers and exotic spices, that alter the flavor of the primary ingredient.
Many people fall back on beer for Indian, Japanese, or Thai food.
We asked Ashok Bajaj, proprietor of DC's Bombay Club at 815 Connecticut Avenue, to put together a dinner that would allow us to try wines with a variety of Indian dishes. Everyone liked the wine on its own, but its intense, spicy flavor overwhelmed the food. Our next course was Tandoori salmon, a Bombay Club signature dish that features a filet of salmon marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, and spices and cooked in a clay oven. Because it's quite rich, Ashok suggested that we pair it with richer whites. Of the three, only the Viognier met the challenge.