TABLE (SEAT) FOR ONE: ATERA

I had dinner at Atera 3 weeks ago, but it's not really dinner, it's an experience. A magical experience. The cuisine at Atera could be categorized as "modern foraging". The place settings, decor, and dishes themselves, all take on an "earthy" quality. Some dishes are literally served on rocks. Some dishes look like rocks. This is one of the most unique dining experiences of my life. All your senses are tested at Atera. The food may not be what it seems. Atera is not for everyone, especially at $150 before tip or drink, but Atera, is for those culinary adventurers looking to expand horizons. If you are a "foodie", or someone who is interested in unique dining experience, Atera is for you. It really is dinner and a show. You sit at the chef's counter and chef Matthew Lighter and his team begin their show. This is like a Momofuku Ko, or a Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare. There were many snacks and dishes I can tell you about. I'll let the food porn do the talking. Sit back,relax, and enjoy the show. A magical culinary adventure awaits.

Snacks

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Courses

Yogurt: nuts, freeze-dried fruit, beet

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Diver Scallops: citrus, gin botanicals

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Fluke: barbequed onion, coriander, fennel seed

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Squid: cured pork fat, squid broth

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Dried Beet: trout roe, crustacean sauce

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Soft-Shell Crab: brown butter

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Skate: beef tendon, greens, chicken bouillon

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Squab: pickled wild onion

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Lamb Collar: root beer, hickory nuts

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Dessert Rock

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Parsley Root Split: banana ice cream, meringue

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Oak: wintergreen, brown butter

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So there you have it. The food porn. To describe in detail every dish, well, I think it's something you need to experience for yourself. It's an adventure. Looking back on the meal, it makes me want to go back. I want my taste buds to relive those ingenious flavor combinations. Did my buds love every flavor? Maybe not. But I was so happy they were introduced to a new world. A culinary world that is unique, that made me see and taste food differently. It was like being in a forest, and everything was coming to life, and everything was edible, everything was magical.

Atera
77 Worth St. (bet. Broadway and Church)
New York, NY 10013
212-226-1444

www.ateranyc.com

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