Aurora in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

So for the next birthday celebration, Will and I had dinner with Sam and Alex at Aurora. This restaurant was recommended by my friend (former colleague) that I had dinner with at Zundo-Ya. He recommended Aurora a long time ago and I finally got to try it.

I love the name and the decor and ambiance matches perfectly with the name. The decor and ambiance is rustic, intimate, but also elegant. They also have outdoor seating in the backyard, but the evening we went it was chilly and cloudy outside so we couldn't do the outdoor dining. I am definitely going to have to return to experience the outdoor dining. 

Aurora has an extensive wine menu, but also serves beer as well. Will and I didn't have wine or beer, but Sam and Alex did.

Appetizers

For appetizers, we had the Fritto Misto ($18.00) which was flash fried white shrimp, Rhode Island squid and seasonal vegetables with salsa tonnata. I don't know why I ordered this and should have inquired exactly what it was. It basically tasted and felt like tempura, so I wouldn't recommend ordering this. Sam ordered the Cavolo Nero ($12.00) which was Tuscan kale and Brussels sprouts salad with pistachios and Five Spoke Creamery Tumbleweed Cheddar. This was a very interesting salad and the Tuscan kale and Brussels sprouts were delicious and had a buttery taste to it. Sam & Alex also ordered the Formaggi - artisanal cheeses served with seasonal marmalade , almonds and honey (I forgot to take a picture, sorry).

Entrees

Will ordered the Tagliatelle wild boar which was homemade hand cut pasta with wild boar. This is a popular menu item at Aurora which is precisely why Will ordered it. I really liked his dish! The pasta was actually made from chestnut which is why his dish had a slightly nutty and sweet taste to it.

Sam ordered the Strangozzi all Norcina which was house made hand cut pasta with fennel pork sausage, crushed truffle, porcini mushrooms, and sheep's milk ricotta. According to Sam, her dish was very heavy from the cream or butter that was used. Alex ordered the Polipo alla Griglia  which was grilled Mediterranean octopus with cipollini onions potato salad, almond romesco, and Calabrian chili. I didn't get to try everything in that dish, but I did try the octopus and it was grilled to perfection!

Mushroom Risotto

I had the Mushroom Risotto which was a special of the day. The risotto was very buttery and made me very full after a few bites. It wasn't too salty and had a lot of mushroom flavor int it.

Overall, I liked Aurora and it's definitely different in terms of decor and food than what I usually eat. Although, I would prefer if the dishes didn't have as much cream or butter to it. Next time I return to Aurora, I will definitely have to opt for the outdoor dining. 

Aurora also has another location in SOHO, NYC.

Next post is on -321 Ice Cream Shop (dessert after dinner with Sam & Alex)