At Aurora Restaurant, a new seasonal menu is here to surprise and delight the senses
It’s often been said that we eat with our eyes first. That has never been truer than at Aurora Restaurant. The award-winning venue is housed within the Immersive Light and Art (ILA) organisation, aptly located in Light Square. In parts a gallery and event space, ILA offers experiences to immerse and delight your senses, and on their ground floor, Aurora has ‘gustatory’ well in hand.
Heading the kitchen team is Executive Chef Robin Wagner, whose career began in Germany. Before moving to Australia, he worked in many Michelin-starred restaurants across the globe. After arriving on our shores, he continued to hone his skills in some of our finest hatted establishments, including Daylesford’s Lake House and Adelaide’s very own Magill Estate.
In 2022, Wagner was crowned the winner of San Pellegrino’s Young Chef award in the Pacific region. The win rewards his philosophy that flash isn’t required to make a lasting impression. It’s often the simplest ingredients that, when prepared with thought and consideration, lend an unbeatable complexity to a dish. It’s a through-line showcased on Aurora’s new tasting menu, where the best of local, seasonal produce is championed.
Things kick off with a Spencer Gulf kingfish, paired with radish and kiwi fruit. On the kingfish’s tail is an earthy, aromatic combination of wood ear mushroom with jasmine and yuzu tofu. Then, a clattering of Kinkawooka blue mussels is complemented by sweet butternut pumpkin and turmeric. Dry-aged duck is the star of the main dish, paired with kombu-pickled lotus root and quince. Ever a grand finale, savoury and sweet are brought together in Aurora’s new dessert, a refined beetroot granita, with dark chocolate soy gelato and mascarpone.
“This menu is about harmony and contrast, bringing together ingredients at their peak and allowing them to express themselves in new ways,” says Wagner. It’s a new chapter informed by his surrounds. “Working within ILA arts organisation, I’m constantly surrounded by bold, creative ideas,” he says. “That energy naturally informs how I approach the menu: thinking about composition, balance and storytelling in the same way an artist would.”
Aurora Restaurant is open on Fridays and Saturdays. Bookings are essential, so be sure to pay their website a visit to secure yourself a place.
Aurora Restaurant
Ground Floor, ILA, 63 Light Square, Adelaide
South Australian Style Magazine 