THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Auriga

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Auriga Restaurant Review:

The brainchild of four powerhouse local chefs, Auriga manages to combine wild experimentation with down-to-earth pleasures. While danger may lurk in having four chef-founders---Scott Davis, Doug Flicker, Melinda Goodin and Mark Reinholtz---the potential peril of too many cooks is avoided by their intense focus on locally grown, organic ingredients combined with other exotica. The ingredient lists can get lengthy, such as the Alaskan halibut with butter-poached egg, salt-baked cipollini onions, salsify and peeky toe crab emulsion, but the flavors are never muddled. A weekly changing menu might include goose, slow-cooked with pumpkin flan, or roasted organic chicken spiked with the fresh scents of rosemary and juniper accompanied with glazed pearl onions, globe artichokes and Swiss chard. The thin-crust pizza of the day is also a pleasure, with a crust as light and airy as a cracker and toppings that show the chefs' playful side, where an eggplant and roasted garlic purée is a more likely base than tomato sauce. Auriga's small bar is a fun place to strike up a conversation, while the restaurant's interior is painted in rich blues and oranges and lit to make everyone look their best.