Atera — Restaurant in New York

Here is my honest review and it's a tough one to write. I flew into NYC to come eat here and had super high expectations but unfortunately they were not met. This is not a review to say do not go here or to bash the restaurant...instead I hope it inspires the team to to do even better. All the ingredients are there for a spectacular experience but unfortunately it fell a little flat for my taste. The biggest sin in my book was I left very hungry...A meal of this caliber absolutely should not have a guest leaving feeling very hungry. I actually was googling places open late night to get a snack on the way back to my hotel...for this money and caliber this is just unacceptable.

-6/2/24 -Tasting menu + wine pairing. Somewhere around $600

1. Atmosphere: 8/10. Very small intimate restaurant with open views of the kitchen. This has every chance to be spectacular but I found the team did not capitalize on this. Not one of the team members explained what they were doing or spoke to the guests outside of very dry/rehearsed presentation. Sterile experience and "vibe"

2. Service: 5/10. I had a very boring, dry and almost robotic experience. The staff only said very rehearsed/robotic descriptions of the food/drink. You could tell it was practiced and it did not come from a place of passion or excitement for the product they were serving, its came from a place of memorization instead.

3. Presentation: 6/10. They focus on fresh ingredients which they excel at but I found the visual presentation pretty "standard" for these caliber restaurants and nothing was memorable or spectacular in this regard. Nothing unique

4. Taste: 7/10.

-Razor Clam 3/10: Beautiful but bland, nothing memorable, no flavor that stood out

-Aebleskiver 9/10: this was excellent. Beautiful truffle flavor and texture. Elevated comfort food

-Caviar 8/10: Smokey flavor that was very intriguing with the salty caviar, very very tasty

-Trout Roe 7/10: So crunchy and the texture was amazing

-Tuna 5/10: Watermelon added a nice sweetness but nothing stood out as innovative or unique about this dish

-Halibut/Scallop 8/10: Perfectly cooked scallop, best fish dish of the night, well executed

-Pork/Corn 9/10: this was my favorite dish of the night. Excellent unique flavors. Only reason it's not a 10/10 is because of the presentation. It's served and just looks like a cup of foam, uninteresting visually but taste wise exceptional. Served a little too hot as well but flavor was spot on.

-Wagyu 3/10: This was cooked perfectly but very bland flavors. Nothing stood out in this dish compared to other A5 dishes I've had. A5 strip or ribeye may be better for this dish if trying to not overpower the beef flavor. Underwhelming overall

-Squab 9/10: this was my second favorite dish. Absolutely delightful. I wish it was twice the portions is my only critique of this dish

-Desserts 10/10: These were the star of the show, Desserts were absolutely phenomenal. Beautiful presentations, flavors and textures. Very well executed and memorable

Wine Pairing 5/10: Most of these caliber places the wine pairing honestly falls short. I wish I would have done the non-alcoholic pairing. People around me seemed to really be enjoying that and seemed more interesting than the pairing I had. Nothing memorable, I would not get it again if I had the choice

Again my goal is not to sway someone from coming here. You can tell this has everything to be an exceptional experience but on my night of service it just wasn't. No one is perfect but just too many things fell flat for me to give it a rave review...

[update] I returned to Atera after many years and to my surprise I had a rather unpleasant experience.

I recognized the gentleman at the entrance from the last time I visited. I remembered him to be a bit patronizing, as if we didn't quite belong there. Well, this time wasn't any different. Upon entering, he walked right to us, got uncomfortably close, and asked "Are you here to dine with us?" No, I walked in for no reason at all.

The other host seemed to read the situation and took over. She led us downstairs. This time, we were seated in the separate dining room in the basement, normally used for private events. The room itself was gorgeous with calming decor and soothing lighting.

Strangely, the music was all over the place. Everything from some 007 soundtrack to 90s R&B to alt rock. It felt like I was listening to someone's random mix of favorites off Spotify. Maybe I was.

The food had hits and misses. I recognized that some were repeats from years ago, which I didn't mind because I did enjoy the dishes last time. But this time, there were many misses. The duck, one of the mains, was underwhelming. It was tender, but it ate more like ham and the skin was soggy. All the 3 desserts were actually pretty bad. Most lacked textural contrast, and some flavors like chocolate overtook others. There was one dish with passionfruit foam on it, which I thought was strange and didn't really work. What I did like the most about the meal was my non-alcoholic pairing, which, despite being a tad bit too sweet, presented truly creative drinks.

What I least appreciated about my visit was this one particular server that sometimes came by to serve us. His egregious lack of professionalism was noticeable. He noisily hummed along to whatever song was playing while standing near our table. He at one point said to us, "Are you done with that, honey?" This kind of behavior was such a contrast to the last time, when every server was very professional and well trained.

Overall, it was a meal that was partly brilliant, partly lacking cohesion, served by staff that lacks professionalism, at a gorgeously designed dining space, ruined by strange music choices.

What a shame.

[older review below] I had an amazing experience at Atera from the moment I stepped into the restaurant til the moment I left. The service at this place is beyond amazing. Every gesture was with a professional touch and a warm smile. They tirelessly refill your water glasses and re-steep your tea. They clean your tabletop if it's in any way dirty. They even give you hand warmers on your way out!

Their every dish showed the level of finesse and quality they bring. For example, I ordered their toasted buckwheat tea, and they actually prepared it how it's supposed to be prepared; they warmed the tea cup with warm water first before steeping and pouring tea into it so the tea doesn't cool too quickly. The most impressive for me was the lobster dish with trout roe and carrot, which came with a bisque that was warmer than the lobster but not too warm so the fresh roe can be enjoyed properly. I also loved their halibut with brown butter. I believe they butter-poached it and it was just so silky and melted in your mouth.

Overall, I really enjoyed their menu as well as their service. The place has a warm ambiance and although fancy, it's not pretentious. I'm not surprised they have two...

I went to Atera just before chef Matthew Lightner left the restaurant to pursue another opportunity. My first dinner at Atera was a moving experience, with delightful, unexpected and sophisticated flavors skilfully presented by a staff that provided me with the first impeccable service I have ever experienced at any top restaurant in the world where I had the pleasure of eating, including NYC, LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Tokyo, London, Seoul, Paris, Hong Kong, Sao Paulo or Rio. I was so moved by my experience at the restaurant, I left the largest tip I ever left at a restaurant for a dinner for two people. But I hesitated to review Atera in part because Mr. Lightner was leaving and didn't know how good the restaurant would be after Ronny Emborg took over.

My second experience at Atera, this time under the leadership of Mr. Emborg, was just as perfect as my first but remarkably different as well.

Just as before, guests eating at the counter could watch each dish being expertly prepared. But this time, the preparation seemed more artistic. It was like watching Japanese artists engaged in flower arrangement or master sculptors creating modern art.

Just as before, every dish was a new experience for me with new flavors or subtly different twists in classic flavors. But the approach of the new chef was different, with his training at El Bulli shining through his masterpieces. I won't bother to describe all of the individual dishes because the menu changes frequently, with one or two dishes changing frequently, even on a weekly basis. So I will tell you about just one dish: Baerii Caviar with Pistachio sorbet and beer cream was such an unexpectedly powerful and artistic combination of sweet, salty, creamy and refreshing sensations that as soon as I put the first spoonful in my mouth, my eyes got watery with tears of delight. I only experienced this with one other dish in my life: toro and caviar toast at Masa.

Just as before, the service was impeccable. Drop a napkin? Someone will hand you a new napkin before you bend over to pick up your old napkin. Want to use the restroom? Someone will make sure that the restroom is available, clean and presentable before you get up to use it. Yet, the experience this time was different. This was my second time at the restaurant but I was welcomed back as if I were an old friend. Staff members who helped me at my first dinner remembered me. Jeff Ruiz, the tea curator who masterfully prepared and served me the delightful variety of teas perfectly paired with each course, was especially informative and helpful.

The new Atera's course dinner price includes gratuity. So I was under no obligation to tip. But I left the same tip I left my first time because perfection must be rewarded and encouraged. Atera is simply the best restaurant I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing and it is my favorite culinary paradise.

I went back to Atera at the end of 2018 and it is still my favorite highest-end restaurant in the world. Each bite made me emotional because it was so excellent. Service was impeccable. The staff is so attentive that they will know before you do if you drop your napkin or utensil. They literally check and clean the restroom before each guest goes in. They remember you and your dietary...