Craig Erion Advises on Champagne and Food Pairings

Looking to find the perfect food to match a nice bottle of champagne? Go to an expert for advice. Eater asked Restaurant Eve sommelier Craig Erion to provide a little intel on the best foods to pair with bubbly. These are his thoughts:

"Due to varying styles, Champagne can be quite versatile. Brut Natural or Brut Zero Champagne, the driest style, is awesome with the usual suspects you'd find on a raw bar. The minerality and bracing acidity of, say, Philipponnat's Royal Réserve Non-Dosé, are fine compliments to the briny flavor and slightly sweet finish of Chincoteague oysters. Remember, we always want to think local.

Now, we don't want to typecast Champagne to play only across shellfish. The most memorable, and best, Champagne pairing I've had, took place in the back of a stretch Hummer on the way to NYC. Ok, get your mind out of the gutter. It was actually Chef [Cathal] Armstrong's fried chicken. Served chilled, with multiple bottles of Krug Grand Cuvée. It will be hard to top that, but I'm trying."

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