Photo by Tomas Espinoza
Fine dining restaurant Atlas and its sister spot, the Instagrammable Garden Room, are switching things up this summer with a variety of pop-ups around the St. Regis Hotel. A kitchen renovation caused the team to get creative in developing ways to continue serving guests, albeit in new places. The result is a pastry boutique called the Choux Box in the Papillion Room (the private dining room) at Atlas, a tasting menu in the Maisonette Room of the St. Regis (dubbed “Atlas Underground”), and a “guilty pleasures” menu in the Garden Room and the Tavern at Atlas.
“What do you do when your kitchen needs a refresh, and you have two restaurants to run? You get creative, you improvise, and you find ways to innovate while you renovate,” says Atlas and Garden Room culinary director Freddy Money in a press release. “We’ve rolled out a variety of unique, one-time-only dining offerings that offer an impeccable experience while tapping into the lightness of summer and fun vacation/staycation vibes.”
Photo by Tomas Espinoza
Photo by Tomas Espinoza
Atlas Underground
The kitchen renovation will create two separate spaces for the Garden Room and Atlas culinary teams, enabling smoother operations. For the summer, Money’s teams will be cooking in a smaller kitchen in the St. Regis, which necessitated more concise offerings. Although Atlas’s typical a la carte menu will be on hold, its nine-course tasting menu will be available at Atlas Underground, along with canapes in the kitchen and a choice of three tiers of wine pairings. The two-and-a-half-hour experience features an ever-changing menu with select favorites, such as Wagyu beef, keeping a consistent presence. The 40-seat space will provide an intimate, temporary home for the Atlas experience.
“I’m from the UK, so our marketing team thought it would be fun to play off the name of the Tube system,” Money explains.
Photo by Tomas Espinoza
Summer Staycation Pop-Up Series
For a more casual meal, the Garden Room Summer Staycation Pop-Up Series will play off American comfort classics with offerings like a burger topped with foie gras, a lobster roll, gourmet hot dog, and porcini Caesar salad. The menu will feature approximately 10 items, including appetizers, entrees, and shareable large-format plates. Dessert will include a take on a Japanese snow cone and a vanilla parfait with a liquid nitrogen rose garnished tableside. These options will also be available the Tavern at Atlas, complete with caviar add-ons.
The Garden Room’s cocktail and wine lists will remain the same throughout the pop-ups. “Everything will be fresh when we reopen mid-August,” Money says. “We’ve been traveling, getting inspired, and seeing what’s on trend. We will relaunch with an amazing, new cocktail menu.”
Photo by Tomas Espinoza
Choux Box Pastry Boutique
For dessert, the Choux Box (pronounced “shoe box”) offers both dine-in and takeout pastries designed by pastry chef Eric Snow. “We wanted to create a boutique pastry store and play off the world of fashion, so we have these beautiful, designer Choux pastries served like little gems in a jewelry-style cabinet,” Money says.
These handheld treats come in pairs of two (like shoes), look like long profiteroles artistically decorated and filled. Flavors include coffee caramel , chocolate hazelnut, raspberry with chocolate pearls, and red velvet with a cream cheese center. Each lends itself to three or four bites.
The collection is offered in collaboration with Moët Hennessy. “XO Hennessy pairs well with desserts, and we have a big array of champagnes,” Money says, adding that the Choux Box will likely remain active even once Atlas returns to its traditional state.
Photo by Tomas Espinoza
“We’re excited to reopen with a bang,” Money says. “I’d like to continue to push the boundaries with gastronomy in Atlas and have fun creating whimsical experiences in the Garden Room.”
Photo by Tomas Espinoza
