Bay scallop crudo
Last night, Heritage hosted the last dinner in its guest chef takeover series with Tim Bereika, formerly of Secco and Mosaic and soon-to-be head chef at The Urban Tavern (check out our post about it) who cooked four courses of light, Mediterranean-inspired food. I stopped by to dine and get the scoop on when The Urban Tavern will hit the West End.
The meal started with summer flavors — Bay scallop crudo topped with fennel, pink peppercorns, lime and watermelon. Up next was creamy burrata served with summer tomatoes, celery, fennel, black truffle vinaigrette and celery salt. The truffle was used delightfully delicately in this dish, allowing the cheese and tomatoes to shine with an earthy finish. I was tempted to drink the last of the vinaigrette after my salad was gone.
The main course consisted of three lamb-and-pork meatballs served atop savory tahini sauce and topped with pickles, pine nuts and fresh herbs. This combination was satisfying, and the meatballs were cooked just right, with a nice finishing tang from the pickles.
To finish, we enjoyed berries and sweet corn crema topped with lemon, thyme, and ginger crumb, and finished with toasted corn silk. This dish tasted like a clever play on the flavors of Corn Flakes, both sweet and savory, providing a distinctive end to the meal.
Every course reflected Bereika’s culinary style of simply highlighting seasonal ingredients, allowing each flavor to shine. And, when The Urban Tavern opens on July 28, you’ll be able to enjoy his cuisine more regularly. The spot will have 180 seats and 24 taps, and I can’t wait to check it out.
