38 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} Adollop of Kaluga Queen caviar holds court atop a vibrant glaze of ice, encircled by a crown of roasted poblano peppers, asparagus and snap peas. With a gentle tap, the spoon breaks through the delicate sheen to reveal a trove of allium cream, asparagus tops and double-shucked English peas. As the eight-course tasting menu unfolds at L’Auberge Carmel’s Aubergine, each dish delivers on a promise. “Every element seems designed to delight,” describes the Michelin Guide in awarding one star to Aubergine. “Products of spectacular quality are prepared skillfully and painstakingly presented with an artistic eye.” Given California’s reputation as an epicurean mecca, it’s not surprising that 66 restaurants statewide currently claim one-Michelin star status. What is remarkable is that two of the honorees reside blocks apart in Carmel-by-theSea, the quintessentially quaint one-square-mile village less than a two-hour drive from the San Francisco Peninsula. With just 3,100 residents, this coastal enclave evokes fairytale cottages, art galleries and dogfriendly beaches. But Carmel’s culinary scene is heating up, arguably stoked by Aubergine’s award-winning stature, followed more recently by stellar newcomer Chez Noir. CARMEL’S FIRST STAR: AUBERGINE After earning accolades as chef de cuisine at Chicago’s renowned Charlie Trotter’s, Chef Justin Cogley decided he was ready to “get out of the city.” Maybe Colorado, he thought. “And then I saw this job opening for a chef,” he recounts. “I had no idea where it was. I looked up Carmel-by-theSea and was really intrigued that it was next to the ocean.” Besides being coastside, the PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF BONJWING LEE ABOVE: Chef Justin Cogley of Michelin-starred Aubergine goes foraging for local seaweeds. TOP: Assorted “Gifts from the Sea” canapés begin your meal at Aubergine in Carmel.
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