Kim S.
Yelp
A work friend recommended Atlas Dining, hooking me in with a promise of the best value dego in town. So I went there for lunch a couple of Saturday's ago, and for a four course menu for $65 I was inclined to agree. So inclined, in fact, that I came back tonight to try the seven course dinner version.
Started with a plate of amuse bouche: any oyster with vinagraitre (nothing you wouldn't expect), an escargot croquette with diced mushroom (much more interesting and de A work friend recommended Atlas Dining, hooking me in with a promise of the best value dego in town. So I went there for lunch a couple of Saturday's ago, and for a four course menu for $65 I was inclined to agree . So inclined, in fact, that I came back tonight to try the seven course dinner version.
Started with a plate of amuse bouche: any oyster with vinaigrette (nothing you wouldn't expect), an escargot croquette with diced mushroom (much more interesting and delicious), a venison tartar with walnut, and a lovely vegetable dip served with crispy baby carrot, zucchini and radish. This came with a plate of bread and Danish butter which tasted like a French triple cream cheese. Great start.
This was followed by an onion soup; a rich bouillon with caramelised onion hiding I the bottom of the bowl, four little onion caps each containing a dollop of aged Comte cheese, and thin wafers of fried onion on top. I'd had this already as it was part of the lunch menu - in fact, all the courses on the lunch menu are included in the dinner version - but as I really liked this dish I wasn't overly disappointed trying it again.
Next up was cured ocean trout served on a puddle of parsley and spinach purée and topped with dill and fresh parsley. Not bad.
Another repeater followed; the mushroom parmigiana, a creamy sauce covering a pile of sautéed mushrooms and mushroom tapinade topped with crispy noodles. Really interesting blend of soft and crunchy textures, and the flavours worked really well together.
I'd started the meal with a Rickard and sparkling water (my usual opener with French food) before moving onto a red wine; a very tasty, somewhat musty Grolleau from the Loire Valley. This grape gets its name from the French word grolle, meaning "crow" and is said to reflect the deep black berries of the Grolleau vine. Thank you Google.
The next course was the one I was really looking forward to having again - the lamb. A lovely piece of meat, barely cooked (just the way I like it) served with fennel and anchovy dressing. Just delightful
The first dessert arrived - a sweet Delice de Bourgogne cream between layers of crispy pastry covered with thin slices of apple and, of all things, lettuce. Divine. Reminded me a little of the pastille in Morocco but much more subtle and interesting. Definitely the pick of the dishes.
The second dessert was also on the lunch menu and as I remembered this very sweet and quite rich I ordered a 2015 Pedro Ximinez to have with it as anything delicate a floral would be completely overwhelmed. They also have a much older vintage for $27 a glass if you're in the mood for a splurge. This course consisted of chocolate mousse, coffee jelly and Jerusalem artichoke ice cream sprinkled with crunchy sweet biscuit crumble. Just as good as the first time.
Really like Atlas, and the whole rotating menu concept (the owner/chef visits a different country every four months then comes back to Melbourne and builds a menu around that particular culinary style) means I'll be coming back here on a regular basis.