Atlas in Buckhead Reaches for the Stars

Cole Porter wrote that his love was “the top,” rattling off comparisons to the Colosseum, a summer night in Spain, and the Louvre Museum. Atlas, tucked inside the St. Regis Atlanta on West Paces Ferry, may not literally stack up against ancient wonders of the world or European masterpieces, but locally speaking, it earns the same superlative. Atlas is the tops.

On a recent weeknight visit, the dining room was dimly lit, romantic, certainly, though we suspect we missed some of the restaurant’s noted art collection in the shadows. Our opening question to one of the three sommeliers was whether anyone actually orders the $16,675 bottle of wine (2022 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Montrachet) and whether we might get a taste by the glass (mostly joking). The fact that the conversation wasn’t entirely absurd reveals that they have more than 3,200 bottles of wine with a 45-page wine list.

We skipped the tres cher Montrachet, settling instead for a “bruised” martini and a glass of red, both priced comparably to other upscale spots around Buckhead. A dedicated deluxe, legendary cocktail menu is available for those who want to go further. High marks for noise control and being able to converse across the table.

Diners have options beyond a standard prix fixe. Along with the à la carte menu, Atlas offers a vegetarian tasting menu, a chef’s tasting menu, a cheese menu (11 choices on the cart), and a chef’s summer vegetable tasting menu. Caviar gets serious real estate here, served with traditional condiments and buttermilk for chasing the rarefied end of the menu.

We went the à la carte route, starting with a Garden Salad of local lettuce, sourdough croutons, parmesan, and mushroom aioli, alongside a Roots Run Deep salad built on beetroot, figs, and smoked goat cheese with the emphasis on farm-to-table. A standout mid-course was the mushroom agnolotti; pasta finished with truffle and parmesan that was angelic. Some other vegetarian options are Truffle Artichoke, Yorkshire Rhubarb, King Oysters and Maitake, and Avocado Caviar with apples and wasabi.

The scene-stealer was the Dover Sole for two, priced at $120. Also known as loup de mer, Dover Sole can arrive as disappointingly thin fillets elsewhere. Not at Atlas: three substantial planks of fish, surrounded by a colorful array of vegetables that spoke for themselves rather than drowning in butter, finished with a bright touch of lemon, and cutout red jewel florets, served at the perfect temp. We also ordered the “Catch of the Day,” Turbot served with radicchio, braised onions, sea green herbs in Matelote sauce, a classic French reduction made from white or red wine and aromatics, like shallots.

Scattered between courses were smaller amuse bites: veggie tart: beets, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes and smoked trout bavarois, dill, cucumber on chickpea cracker base, seaweed glass rice paper with nori powder, compressed Nashi Pear, dusted with beet powder, not things one would make at home. Then Beet Gazpacho served in a wine glass, a striking image that may be for an acquired taste. Fine-dining restaurants can carry a reputation for stingy portions, but that wasn’t our experience.

For dessert, the Baba au Rhum Cake ($25) arrived with Chantilly cream vanilla, and a selection of aged spirits, a ritual in itself, as another server wheeled over four bottles of rum with sniffable corks from which to choose the amber “gold. liquid. It’s a theatrical touch, and it worked.

We ordered the Ferrero Rocher 2.0, built on vanilla, hazelnut, and chocolate, only to learn (thanks to an “allergy/no-no” note flagged in my file) that its base contained beef gelatin. That one was scratched in favor of the trio of sorbets ($15): Yuzu Ginger, Apricot Basil, and Rhubarb, unexpectedly intense flavors with the ginger edging out as the table favorite.

Another alluring dessert would be the LaVie En Rose ($25) pink pineapple, lychee, with French hibiscus meringue.

British-rooted Executive Chef Freddy Money earned both Michelin Star and Forbes Five Stars at Atlas, and has quite the resume, including the world-famous Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. He started learning culinary skills working at Kensington Palace at age 16. With a name like “money,” one can’t go wrong.
Atlas is worth the splurge and backs up its reputation as an ambitious table. Validated valet parking is $20.