"Wyatt, who previously worked as the executive sous chef under Junior Borges and Justin Mosley at the James Beard nominated Brazilian kitchen Meridian, has taken the basic ideas of a tea menu and turned it on its head. The dishes aren’t tiered stacks, although they are set on a height differential. Service starts with traditional scones served with creme fraiche, seasonal jams, and a glass of Champagne. The first course, which includes the first cup of tea in a thin coffee mug, sets the tone. Bites are served in sets of three, and this one is made up of a take on coronation chicken that is stood up on the side and stuffed into a crust that is shaped like a pirouette cookie. It’s accompanied by a sunflower tart, which is Wyatt’s conception of what eating a sunflower might be like. There are sunflower seeds atop a soft center, and a crispy tart surrounds it for an earthy bite. And he added a buñuelo, a Colombian fritter that he makes with the light cheese flavors of queso fresco and parmesan. The sandwiches in the second course aren’t cucumber or jam — instead, the signature sandwich is a slab of rich wagyu short rib that is circulated for 48 hours and then pressed (it requires, in total, 72 hours of preparation), topped with cold, crispy shallots, and sandwiched between two pieces of milk bread and served on top of a shiso leaf that is meant to be consumed with each bite. Another is a take on an empanada loaded with smoked cucumber-infused cheese, a dense amount of fresh herbs, and shiro dashi. Finding a process to fry it so that the soft interior maintained its integrity was no small feat, Wyatt says. And newly on the menu for spring is a salmon rillette served between chips with capers, dill, and tarragon and dipped in everything spice. The third course of dessert bites is made nearby at Commissary, with direction from Wyatt. For spring, they include a rhubarb tart that feels like the moistest oatmeal cookie if it were condensed into a small bite, a white chocolate-covered pistachio macaroon embellished with gold foil and sparkles, and a brown sugar choux filled with rich espresso cream that is not too sweet but entirely decadent." - Courtney E. Smith
