Atlas, Buckhead

I always love when my mom visits. One of the MANY reasons is that we often go to one special dinner; one that can never be repeated nor would I ever go to on a whim. This time I made reservations at Atlas, the new restaurant at the St. Regis in Buckhead. It opened this Spring and the Chef de Cuisine is Christopher Grossman who most recently worked at The French Laundry in Napa. From the moment you walk in you don’t think you’re in Buckhead let alone Atlanta. The use of rich mahogany and deep hunter green elevate the space. The dining room is quiet and while the kitchen is open it is not the main attraction but rather adds to the ambiance. I had heard they do a chef’s tasting, however, it was not listed. I decided to ask our server, Hugo, anyway. He explained that they do have a chef’s tasting you get to select how many courses (it starts at 6 and can go up to as many as you want) plus specify any preferences or dietary concerns you may have then the meal curation begins! I’m not sure about you but this was very exciting. We also choose to get the wine pairing.

I will admit I was one of those people who took pictures of the dishes but I pinky promise the flash was off and I was discrete.

 First course: cured yellow tail hiramasa // Delamotte Brut, Blanc de Blanc, NV

 Second course: young sprouts salad // Thermen Moser, Gruner Veltliner, Per Due, Krenske 2012

 Third course: tomato soup with roasted tomatoes & a seared cubed of cheese // Schloss Schönborn, Riesling, Rheingau 1997

 Fourth course: pan seared halibut // Garaudet, Meursault le Limozin, Burgundy France 2012

 Fifth course: grilled beef tenderloin with a truffle potato pierogi dumpling // D’Arenberg Dead Arm, Shiraz Australia 2010

 Sixth course: milk chocolate mousse with peanut butter cremux, feuillentine crisp, & blueberry // Smith Woodhouse 20 year Tawny Port

I treasured every minute of this dinner due to the care of presentation, finesse of pairing, and dedication to service. It will always be a meal to remember.