It’s hard to find a concept that hasn’t been introduced in Manhattan. Many food snobs like myself feel like we’ve seen it all… however Atlas Kitchen proved this guy wrong by introducing a new take on what a Chinese restaurant can truly be.
Atlas Kitchen is a brand new neighbor to the Upper West Side, located at 258 West 109th street only a short walk away from the 1 train.
The beautiful space opened back in mid-October and is definitely going to be a place to stop at in 2019 based on how packed the place was when me and a friend dined there last month.
There are two key factors as to what separates Atlas Kitchen from other restaurants like it: decor and cuisine. Gone are the days when the traditional Chinese food options are what we could be ordering. Chef Kaiyuan Li provides an accelerated and elevated experience that challenges what can really be done when it comes to how amazing Chinese cuisine can be.
Chef Li is someone who is well respected in his home country of China due to his 20 plus years experience in the field and is recognized as a first tier chef there.
What he is able to do with his dishes is on the same level of a Meryl Streep acting performance. It’s purely incredible and something I’ve really never experienced before.
Let me break down some items you should definitely devour while there. The Sliced Pork with Garlic Sauce is absurdly amazing and the presentation of it is fantastic. The pork hangs from side to side while the sauce is directly underneath it. The flavor in the sauce just makes the pork taste that much better.
A soup happens to be a great idea, especially with the cold weather we’ve been having. The Fresh and Salted Pork with Bamboo Shoot Soup was wonderful. It’s a perfectly crafted soup with all the flavors melding so well with one another.
They also have some wonderful land and sea options to try from, notably their Sauteed Chicken with Ginger which is simply divine. Atlas Kitchen provides American options as well, but then again… you can get that anywhere. This is special, so treat it as such.
Atlas Kitchen also paired up with artist Qiu Anxiong to create some wonderful visual experiences as you dine on the delicious food in front of you. Take a good look at the murals that are all around you which simply enhances you culinary experience. It’s something to take in for real.
For more information on Atlas Kitchen, please check out their official website.