Ember & Oak — Wood-Fired Dining

The fire writes
the menu.

Coal-roasted oysterlardo, fermented chili, wood sorrel

30 seconds on coals

Sourdough & drippingsyesterday's fire, today's butter

hearth floor

iii

Charred leeks in ashhazelnut, brown butter, cider vinegar

buried, 40 min

Smoked black codburnt lemon, fennel pollen

cold smoke, 6 hrs

Dry-aged duck, 21 dayscherry glaze from the wood oven

hung over embers

Ember-baked sunchokecultured cream, chive oil

in the ash bed

vii

Burnt-honey ice creamoak-smoked salt, olive oil

the only cold thing here

The hearth

No gas line.
No electricity
in the kitchen.

The hearth was masoned from ninety-year-old brick salvaged from a decommissioned bakery, and it is the only instrument we own. Grill, oven, smoker, stove — it plays all four parts, depending on where the fire sat an hour ago.

Chef Mara Iwasa spent nine years cooking on induction before she lit this fire. She says the difference is simple: a dial obeys, a fire negotiates. Dinner is the negotiation.

Tonight's wood — split & seasoned 14 months

Oregon white oakthe backbone

Apple, orchard-fallfor the duck

Cherrycold smoke

Alderquick coals

Fir, kindling onlyfirst light

EMBER&OAK

The fire writes
the menu.

Coal-roasted oysterlardo, fermented chili, wood sorrel

Sourdough & drippingsyesterday's fire, today's butter

Charred leeks in ashhazelnut, brown butter, cider vinegar

Smoked black codburnt lemon, fennel pollen

Dry-aged duck, 21 dayscherry glaze from the wood oven

Ember-baked sunchokecultured cream, chive oil

Burnt-honey ice creamoak-smoked salt, olive oil

No gas line.
No electricity
in the kitchen.

The fire writesthe menu.

Coal-roasted oysterlardo, fermented chili, wood sorrel

Sourdough & drippingsyesterday's fire, today's butter

Charred leeks in ashhazelnut, brown butter, cider vinegar

Smoked black codburnt lemon, fennel pollen

Dry-aged duck, 21 dayscherry glaze from the wood oven

Ember-baked sunchokecultured cream, chive oil

Burnt-honey ice creamoak-smoked salt, olive oil

No gas line.No electricityin the kitchen.

The fire writes
the menu.

No gas line.
No electricity
in the kitchen.