"Avery, the reborn pop-up once known as RTB Fillmore, has complete its transformation into a grown-up restaurant. From chef Rodney Wages and partner Matthew Mako, Avery is a tasting menu-only affair, bringing Wages’ refined style of cooking to the forefront and combining both partners extensive fine dining back grounds — the two became friends while working at three Michelin-starred Benu, and continued on respectively through kitchens like Saison and Atelier Crenn. Designer Noz Nozawa (Noz Design) reimagined the 2,000-square-foot space as an homage to Milton Avery, an American painter known for his colorful, abstract landscapes. It’s quite a change from the space’s former tenant, Mosu, which many criticized for its stark, minimalist interior. In contrast, Avery is awash in color, though in reality it is still a restrained palette of cool tones, from the green walls on the upstairs level to the blue-toned wall treatments from artist Victor Reyes on the main floor. Brass accents, textures like the comfortable Calligaris chairs, and a warm wooden tabletops are intended to make the place feel cozy and intimate, like a home. Except at this home, dinner is cooked by Wages and chef de cuisine Kristina Compton (Plum, Atelier Crenn), and wine and sake are poured by sommelier Daniel Bromberg (True Sake, DassaiSake, Les Clos) from extensive lists. Three different prix fixe menus are available, each named after one of Milton Avery’s works. The “cello player” is a seven to nine course menu for $89; “shades of spring” is a 10-15 course menu for $189; and “Avery’s room,” a private dining experience for six to eight diners which includes a special menu from the kitchen for $289 per person." - Ellen Fort
