Auguste, a new Italian restaurant in Hackney, London, is a fascinating blend of old and new. Named after a clown, the restaurant's atmosphere is a mix of the tragic and the trendy. The owners, chef Mike Bagnall and general manager Dylan Walters, have transformed the space from Papi, a hip, European-influenced small plates spot, to a modern Italian restaurant with a focus on Abruzzo cuisine. The menu features skewers or arrosticini, tiny mini kebabs with meat cut into 1cm cubes and grilled over a furnacella. The live-fire craze among London hospitality's menfolk shows no signs of abating.
On a Wednesday night just three weeks after it opened, the restaurant was entirely mobbed. The arrosticini came in three varieties: salt marsh lamb, Suffolk wagyu, and rose veal liver, all with a choice of four dipping sauces. The short, frequently changing menu leans heavily on the central Italian region of Abruzzo, so expect the likes of coppa stagionata, stracciatella with yellow datterini tomatoes, and wild boar-stuffed morels with Italian summer truffle.
The meal was more a collection of loose ideas than a coherent dinner. The salt marsh lamb arrosticini were a little too pink, and the rose veal liver skewers were tender but lacked a cohesive flavor. The dessert options were limited and lacked the finesse expected from a modern restaurant. However, Auguste shows some fleeting moments of greatness, and the loyal fan base may not have realized there's a new circus in town.
In my opinion, Auguste has the potential to be a great addition to the London dining scene, but it needs to improve its execution and consistency. The live-fire craze is an interesting trend, but it needs to be balanced with a more cohesive menu and attention to detail. The restaurant's atmosphere is a mix of the tragic and the trendy, and it's up to the owners to ensure that the food matches the ambiance. Personally, I think Auguste has the potential to be a success, but it needs to work on its small details and ensure that every dish is a moment of greatness.
