Avery Delivers Indulgent Multi-Course Menu With New Champagne Pairing

Photo Credit: Isabel Baer

Looking for a special place to dine this holiday season? Might I recommend Avery? The seven-month-old restaurant from chef Rodney Wages offers a decadent nine-course meal in sleek surroundings inspired by modern American painter Milton Avery. The team recently launched a Champagne pairing menu that takes bubbly lovers on a luxurious journey. Avery started as a pop-up before it transitioned into a full-service restaurant; Champagne was always something that the duo served.

Photo Credit: Isabel Baer

“We’ve always focused on Champagne and Sake for the pop-up, more Sake than Champagne. It’s a festive time of year to drink Champagne. I enjoy drinking Champagne,” chef Wages told Haute Living. With a seafood-heavy menu of Japanese-influenced dishes like abalone with koshihikari rice and black butter sauce, sparkling wine naturally cuts the richness of the food.

Photo Credit: Isabel Baer

“The balance is really important,” Wages explains. “Some of the champagnes are overly acidic to help balance the food. So when we first got into the space, we made a caviar dinner with Veuve Clicquot. It’s not my favorite champagne, but they have an extensive range of champagne styles. In that mindset, it was going after that progression of doing the champagne pairing.”

Photo Credit: Isabel Baer

Sommelier Daniel Bromberg curated a superb progression of sparklers starting with a classic, Delamotte Brut Blanc de Blancs before moving on to harder to find labels like André Beaufort Brut Reserve, Ambonnay. The thoughtful and provocative pairings are an excellent compliment to Wages’ composed cuisine.

Photo Credit: Isabel Baer

Although there is a seriousness to the food, the whimsical presentation, cuts the pretension. For example, crispy fried Danish pancake balls (stuffed with confit duck gizzards) are served on a small monkey sculpture which is adorable and makes the dining experience more fun. With oysters, caviar, mackerel, trout, and dry-aged lamb, the menu is not for the faint of heart. However, an adventurous eater with a penchant for opulent cuisine will enjoy everything that Avery has to offer.