They cover the geographical gamut from almost downtown to Midtown to East Memphis. He is supposed to return to Memphis in March, having taken time off for travel and recuperation. In the meanwhile, Bjorklund's wife Juliana has been running Aubergine at lunch Monday through Friday, with Wes Matheny, of the kitchen staff, piloting the stove. And he's a very good pilot indeed. The lunch menu at Aubergine is compact, and what it offers is perfectly prepared.
Several items reflect favorites from the past, while others are new and completely gratifying.
A classic pan-fried trout grenobloise , served with brown butter, lemons, capers and minute croutons and terrific mashed potatoes, remains one of the city's most comforting dishes. Deeply flavored slices of roasted chicken breast are arranged around a slightly crusty cake of redolent and earthy saffron and wild mushroom risotto, all bathed in a mild but rich parmesan cheese sauce. Wisely, the restaurant's splendid signature dessert, the warm chocolate pyramid cake, remains on the menu, as does the luxurious creme brulee. Also try a dish of sumptuous bittersweet chocolate ice cream with caramelized bananas, a sort of reverse bananas Foster sans rum. Chef and owner Linda Waller brought local culinary empire-builder Jimmy Ishii in as a partner last fall, and, in a surprise move last month, Ishii summoned a new chef to the kitchen.