If this decade has proven anything in regards to eating and drinking, it is that wine is not the only beverage that can be paired with food, an announcement that I'm sure has many foodies breathing a sigh of relief. It's probably more gauche nowadays to sneer at someone enjoying something other than wine with their meal than it is to drink something other than wine, and gone are the anxiety-ridden days when people were wondering what wines to pair with Chinese, Indian, and Mexican cuisines. Although grape wines are still considered to be the drink of choice with any fine meal, it is no longer seen as an absolute rule, and many chefs throughout the country are demonstrating that by offering multicourse dinners paired with spirits one wouldn't traditionally consider, such as whiskeys, sakes, and beers.  Next Thursday, August 16th, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, which has always been on Miami's culinary cutting edge, will be demonstrating that a well-crafted artisenal beer can actually pair much better with Chef Miguel Aguilar's global Latino cuisine than any wine can.  His four course dinner will be paired with beer selections from Duvel and Ommegang, which have received tremendous reviews as being some of the best breweries around, and will feature the chef's signature Latin and Caribbean flourishes:

First Course

Shrimp crudo with torta de arroz, salsa verde and pickled jalapeños

Duvel Single

 Second Course

Mâché with Rainier cherries, toasted almonds, manchego cheese
and citrus vinaigrette

Ommegang Witte Ale

Third Course

Marinated duck breast with duck confit, cabbage hash, mustard cream
and duck prosciutto

Ommegang Three Philosophers

Fourth Course

Molten chocolate cake with cinnamon, ancho and dulce de leche ice cream

Ommegang Abbey Ale

What: Duvel and Ommegang Beer Dinner

Where: Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, 2550 N.W. 2nd Avenue Miami, FL

When: Thursday, August 16th, at 7:30 PM sharp

Price: $65 per person

Reservations are required and can be made by calling 305-722-8959.  For more information, please visit www.wynwoodkitchenandbar.com