Pad See Ew

Wide rice noodles stir-fried in a hot wok with soy sauce, dark soy, oyster sauce, garlic, egg, Chinese broccoli, and either chicken, beef, or prawn. Wok-char from the high heat, sweet-savoury soy depth, and the chewy ribbon noodles are the signature — gentler than pad Thai (less sour, less sweet) and more umami-driven.

Pairs Perfectly

Pinot Noir from Marlborough, New Zealand. The Asian cuisine New World answer at its most precise — Marlborough's lighter red-fruit and high acid handle the soy-driven dish without overwhelming the noodles, the supple structure meets wok-char beautifully, and the moderate alcohol stays clear of any chilli used. A Pinot Noir from the Yarra Valley, Victoria offers the same New World logic with slightly more savoury-Burgundian character at a similar price point.

Pairs Well

Riesling sec from Alsace, France. Dry Alsace Riesling brings high-acid mineral structure and gentle aromatic lift that meets the soy and the egg in a single sweep, and the textural weight handles the substantial noodles.

Pinot Noir from Central Otago, New Zealand. The darker-fruited New World Pinot answer with serious weight — Central Otago's structure handles the beef version where Marlborough would feel underpowered.

Worth Seeking Out

Pinot Noir from Hemel-en-Aarde, Walker Bay, South Africa. Cool-climate ocean-influenced Cape Pinot with supple tannin, red-fruit transparency, and savoury earth — genuinely competes with Burgundy and Marlborough on Asian food.

Avoid

Oaked wines — react with the soy and the wok-char; tannic reds — clash with the egg and the noodles; wines above 13% alcohol — overwhelm the gentler dish; sweet wines — fight the savoury soy.

Failing That

A Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau, Austria.

If All Else Fails

Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige.

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