Aulis is part of the Simon Rogan empire and recently earned it's first well-deserved star.
Snacks and pre-dinner drinks start off in a luxurious, but relaxed, lounge reminiscent, in a very good way, of my two-star meal at Aloe in Stockholm. Apparently, there was a reno at Aulis, which gives more space and flow to the service after knocking down a couple walls.
The chefs do the running of the snacks, which is a gauntlet for them, and explain the elements of each morsel. If it's not in season, or from the farm, it's not on the menu.
There will be a greater focus on the snacks due to their intricacy and.... splendiferousness. Look, this was some really good shit and I'll make up whatever word I want.
You'll see most of them and some of the main dishes.
First up, gooseberry tart, raw sea bream in coal oil, nasturtium, summer shoots and flowers
Followed by truffle pudding carmelised in birch, Corra Linn cheese and Douglas fir. Just give me 20 of these and a drink and I'll be happy. Also, why am I seeing birch syrup as the popular new "it" ingredient?
The best bite of the night, and I feel most representative of Aulis. White pork and Devonshire eel doughnut, cured pork fat, caviar. You know what I'm going to say. Salt, sweet. fatty, umami. Perfect.
Sungold tomatoes from the farm, juices infused with summer offerings and lovage. The palate cleanser before transitioning to the chef's counter containing 12 seats.
So, I've had this 100 times. But what's so interesting and impressive about it is the stained-glass leaf made from tomato. As I enquired of the chef how they made it so intricate, he not only told me about the 3D printed mold they use to make it set, but then proceeded to go find the mold and show it to me! That is absolutely next level.
The main dining room overseen by Chef and team. Japanese charcoal grill? Yeah. It's going to be a good meal.
Aulis is one of those restaurants that's meant to be a "show kitchen" where the diner is immersed and integrated in to the dining experience.
Beetroot cooked in smoked butter, with horseradish and fermented Kalibos cabbage. A beet burre blanc? Root veg and dairy coming together.
Dry aged Herdwick lamb loin, kale, sauce infused with vinegars. What makes this dish is the different treatments of the kale (some raw, some crisped) and the tang of the vinegar, a unique sauce instead of a boring jus.
And the second service of lamb. Braised belly with preserved beans, serated black garlic and lamb fat crumb. I fell in love with lamb fat and fava at the now-departed Relae in Copenhagen. This is the best version of that I've had since.
The namesake Aulis. With woodruff mousse, compressed pears and juices infused with marigold.
With 15 total courses, this was a great, well-rounded tasting menu that hit all the high notes. As mentioned before, I can't speak to what the restaurant was doing before my visit (and the reno). But if they were putting out this kind of food and service, it's criminal Aulis wasn't awarded a star before 2024.
Also a good sign, there were regulars in the house that night. So, diners clearly know what's up. I hope to be a regular myself some day.
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