Fondue at 'Pair Wine and Cheese' in Cobble Hill

COBBLE HILL (WABC) -- This week's "Neighborhood Eats" features a restaurant whose owner was a cheese monger, then a fromager, and now he's also a sommelier.

That's reason enough to check out "Pair Wine and Cheese" located at 140 Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.

For cheese lovers, Chung Park has what they're looking for.

"Our ideal customer would be the customer who says, 'I'm in your hands', and it's just so much fun, it's so much fun to delight them when they are actually surprised," Park said.

"He's just found remote cheeses that I never would have tasted before which is wonderful," a customer said.

Park grew up in Kew Gardens and started working as a cheese monger 25 years ago.

He also knows his wine.

His restaurant in Cobble Hill is named "Pair Wine and Cheese" because he loves to pair the two.

He also offers plenty of other items, from sandwiches to salads. Cheese may make an appearance in some dishes, and sometimes it's the focal point.

Like with the fondue, he uses Comte and Swiss gruyere.

"It's a tricky thing to do right," Park said.

He first sweats aromatics and adds white wine and then bechamel and stirs.

Once the aromatics have done their job he strains them and then whisks in the cheese.

"The way they are made makes them melt so beautifully," Park said.

That leads to a gooey experience.

"The action of dipping the bread into the fondue is just so fun, it's made for sharing," Park said.

You might want this or something else all for yourself.

"Chung and his team are so amazing with the knowledge they have of the cheeses and the wines, so that's pretty great. The food is delicious, we're thrilled," a customer said.

Pair Wine and Cheese - Fondue Recipe

Serves 2-4

2 tablespoons coriander

1 tablespoon of peppercorns

2 pieces star anise

1 bunch thyme

10 oz white wine

10 oz bechamel

10 oz Gruyere

10 oz Comte

1 tablespoon salt

2 Sliced Apples

Squares of bread (two slices worth per person)

Sweat the herbs and spices

Add white wine

Add bechamel

Simmer

Strain with fine strainer

Return everything except the aromatics to the pot

Add salt and bring to boil

Then return to low heat Whisk in grated both cheeses little by little until stringy and well incorporated

Serve warm (over a small candle) with apples and bread squares

For more information please visit: http://www.pairbrooklyn.com/