FOOD : AVERY - When a wee bit of San Fran comes to Edinburgh
Rodney Wages is a Michelin star chef who is the owner and chef of Avery Restaurant in San Francisco. He has worked at some of the most celebrated restaurants in California, including Thomas Keller's The French Laundry and Benu. He received his first Michelin Star in 2021 for Avery Restaurant.
Wages' cooking is known for its creativity and use of seasonal ingredients. He is also known for his commitment to sustainability and using local produce. His dishes are often inspired by his travels and experiences, and he is always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of fine dining.
In addition to his work at Avery Restaurant, Wages is also a frequent collaborator with other chefs and restaurants (he has just finished a collab with our very own Chef Tony Singh and is now collaborating with Chef Jack at Argile Restaurant in Argyle Place). He has participated in pop-ups and events around the world, and he is always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow. And we are so lucky to have Chef set up a pop-up here in Edinburgh ahead of him opening Avery Edinburgh in 2024.
REVIEW OF AVERY X ARGILE FINE DINING POP-UP IN EDINBURGH
I went along to try out this incredible dining experience and was blown away by the attention to detail and the vast amount of flavours and textures in each mouthful, none competing with each other, just each in turn creating a symphony of delight in your mouth. Both chefs (Jack and Rodney) work alongside each other creating and producing plate after plate of food, that is as visually appealing as it is delicious. When you are met with silence whilst people are eating, that is a sign of pure contentment.
The menu, hand written by Chef Wages every day, gives little away - only describing one or two ingredients that are evident and leaves the final reveal right up until the moment all 8 guests are served.
Tomato Martini with fermented tomato and a bundle of Summer
Spoots with anchovie garum and caviar
Day Boat Squid with fermented pineapple and sancho
These 3 dishes came in quick succession. You watch and watch some more as tiny herbs and leaves are added with the most delicate touch, and then all of a sudden they are placed down in front of you and you really don’t want to eat them. Instead you want to ogle them, take a few hundred photos and just ‘ooo’ and ‘ah’ but out the corner of your eye you see the next dish being prepared and you know it’s time to taste!
Every mouthful was different. The flavours, the textures and the joy!
Yorkshire Pudding with roasted garlic and Islay oyster
Wild Trout with trout roe and bone butter
Chef Wages likes to tell stories. Stories of how the dishes were created, the random thought process and how these exquisite dishes are executed. I really don't want to give too much away.
Lobster Curry with sea laver and grilled lobster
Tortellini in Brodo with burnt onion butter and roasted garlic broth
Highland Coo with allium XO and poached marrow
These next 3 dishes feel like the ‘heart’ or ‘mains’ of the tasting menu. The curry lobster was sensational with flavours that you crave and will try to scoop out every last drop from the plate.
The Tortellini is splendid, and Chef has taken a very basic item and transformed it into the most delectable delicate spoonful of food. The burnt onion butter bursts forth on your tongue. Just tremendous.
There is no other word for the beef other than perfect. The other ingredients are only on the plate to serve the beef.
Cheese Tart with cheddar and honey comb
Honey Custard with fresh berries and cognac
These next two dishes absolutely blew me away. Cheese and fruit are a marriage made in heaven.
The dessert was so light that if it wasn’t for the intense creamy flavour, you’d never know you were eating it!
Chef Jack from Argile Restaurant is the sommelier for the evening, surprising us with well paired wines and even a sake!
The Ribeauville Domaine Marcel Deiss white wine from Alsace paired with the first 4 dishes. Deiss as a producer is a bit of a rebel but his wines sing. This wine is perfect for seafood with peach, honey, citrus and pears all shining through.
Barbeito Madeira Sercial Reserva Velha is paired with the Tortellini. Sercial produces the driest styles of Madeira; this one has been aged for up 10 years in the traditional canteiro method. This wine is extremely dry but intense enough to pair with an all the flavours of garlic and onion.
Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac is paired with the Highland Coo. A red wine that seduces you with its aromas of fruit and white flowers. A rich, mineral wine with complexity and length on the palate. Complements the beef and cuts through the bone marrow.
Kirinzan 'Momiji' Aged Junmai Daiginjo Sake is paired with the Cheese Tart. It’s ever so smooth, has a glossy texture making it really silky and delicate. It’s strong but enhances the intensity of the aged parmesan.
Domaine Renardat-Fache Bugey Cerdon Rose was paired with the Honey Custard dessert and worked so well with the strawberries. This is a famous pink, medium dry/sweet sparkling wine. It is exquisitely sweet and pours a pleasurable shade of magenta. The palette is light and fresh with flavours of sweet strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
What a way to end a gastronomic feast!
The menu is priced at £130 with a £50 deposit per person payable at the time of booking.
There are still some tickets available for the following dates 17, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 August. Book HERE
My Spoon Award : Tartan Spoon 10/10
