[Pigging by Wilfrid: June 24, 2011]
I wonder why Apiary seems destined to remain off the foodie radar? This does not, of course, mean it's struggling. I made a spontaneous visit one recent Friday night and was lucky to grab a seat at the bar.
It's neatly positioned to command the loyalty of an affluent neighborhood clientele who are immune to the attractions of Japanese row, sports bars and youthful haunts like The Smith. Nicely pitched.
Spontaneity meant no camera (the picture above was taken on an earlier visit). I dived into some seasonal soup - figuratively speaking. A cool corn velouté with chorizo oil, basil (or parsley oil?), fresh basil leaves and a crisply refreshing heap of corn salsa. Summer is here.
Shrimp with potato gnocchi and fresh peas went down easily. The monkfish presentation took me aback slightly - at first glance it looked like the corn soup, heated up, with chunks of monkfish in it. No, I need new eyeglasses: that's fregola, not corn, and the bracing shellfish broth - okay "essence" - is tinted with saffron. I prefer my monkfish a little more cooked, but then I am a barbarian.
Much has been made of the improbable verticals of boutique wines on Apiary's list, but since I was enjoying the Calandray Côtes-du-Roussillon Villages, Grenache on stilts of Syrah and Carignan, at $38 a bottle I couldn't see why I should worry about what else was on offer. What a sensible, polished local restaurant this is.
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