We at Vices2 have always remembered that we’re a beer girl at heart, so it’s always nice when we can occasionally step away from the wine bottles and enjoy a bottle of suds with our meal. Wolfgang Puck’s flagship restaurant Spago and its new six-course tasting with beer pairings, reminds of why beer works with food just as well as wine. Under the guidance of Chef Eric Klein, we found that beer goes with so much more than burgers and brats, and can be elevated to the level of cuisine presented at Spago.

The beginning of any meal should be light on the palate, so it’s only fitting that the first dish of fresh spicy tuna sashimi served over crispy rice is accompanied by the German Schonramer Gold. With effervescence and a golden tint similar to champagne, Schonramer’s light bubbles play upon the tip of the tongue along with the subtle wasabi-fueled heat of the fish, but the full-bodied finish of the beer does not get lost in the spice. Though full-bodied in flavor, this beer is of the “less filling” variety, so as not to ruin you for the following five courses.

Though the menu changes with the seasons and what’s freshest on a daily basis, the second course will likely be a duo of soup and salad. In our case, we were presented with a Yukon Gold potato and leek soup with bacon foam. The creamy soup is one of the instances where foam is not extraneous, as the cloud of bacon aroma adds an element of smokiness to the dish. The salad of Pink Lady apples from Santa Monica Farmer’s Market contrast nicely to the soup, a bite of austere apple complemented by creamy burrata cheese, thin slices of prosciutto and peppery arugula, all tossed with a well-balanced ice wine vinaigrette. A glass of the Hopf Helle-Weisse, a hoppy, wheat-based beer, pairs with the creamy elements of each dish, while playing against the sparky flavors of the components of each dish.

Agnolotti, one of Puck’s signature items, has made it to this tasting menu. To go with the Italian-influenced dish is none other than a crisp and clean Moretti Pilsner. The rich filling of veal inside the house-made pasta is made even more decadent in a sage brown butter sauce. The Moretti’s sharpness cuts wonderfully into the silkiness of the pasta and sauce. Another regional pairing arrives with the fish course, a Hong Kong-style line-caught steamed sea bass and its partner of Kirin Ichiban. Bok Choy, earthy shiitake mushrooms and ponzu sauce with garlic chili oil bring all the Asian flavors to the frontal lobe, and the refreshing flavor of the Japanese-made beer make for a light, but down-to-earth assortment of the familiar flavor profile.

We have to admit that Chimay is one of our favorite beers made by monks, and to have Chimay Blue paired with a dish (with 9% alcohol) is a treat. The malty brew washes down the final savory course of short ribs braised in red wine with ricotta gnocchi. The matching heartiness somehow reminds us of how we love beer and backyard barbecues, and we think that maybe this could work as a dish at a fancy tailgate.

Even dessert gets its own bottle. Chocolate Four Ways gets a taste of dark, thick Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter. The dark, tangy beer is luscious, enhancing the cocoa flavors in the dish.

Beer has been there for us since the beginning, and we’re delighted that Spago has returned it to a prominent status, reminding us that there is more to enjoy drinking than just wine.

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