Of all the neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Dumbo is perhaps the most radically changed since the bad old days of early ’90s New York. Where there once were abandoned factories, artist squats and dark, deserted streets, there’s now a buzz of pedestrian activity, luxury condos and even a fancy florist taking up two storefronts. Atrium Dumbo is a sign of the times, bringing artisanal food and $13 cocktails to a once forlorn area right by the river.
Still, it’s hard not to see this change as an improvement. Though somewhat controversial since it replaces Governor restaurant, destroyed by five feet of water during Hurricane Sandy, Atrium Dumbo feels like an organic development more than something that’s been thrust on the neighborhood. That organic feeling may be partly due to the green wall of plants running along one side of the restaurant. The open design – kitchen on display to the diners on two levels – makes it welcoming and very modern.
The menu changes seasonally and consists of American bistro fare with a French accent, courtesy of French-born chef Laurent Kalkotour, who trained under Alain Ducasse and Daniel Boulud. On a recent night we tried a new fall special, the butternut squash soup($9), made with buttermilk and pumpkin seeds for a wonderful mix of sweet, tangy and nutty.
Who knew that marrow and escargots could be such a winning surf and turf combination? The texture of the marrow dumplings ($14) mimicked the seared escargots alongside, all caught up in a swirl of pureed watercress, roasted garlic and seasonal mushrooms.
Though it is somewhat irksome to have to pay $3 for bread service, the house baked bread here is extraordinary, a haute version of a Martin’s potato roll. Potatoes are smoked in an applewood fire then transformed into dense, yeasty rolls served with black olive butter. They’re worth the $3.
Though the filet of striped bass ($25) was perfectly light, crisped and flavorful, the accompanying bouillabaise sauce pushed me over the edge. It tasted as if someone had taken 2o pounds of fish bones and shells and reduced them to about a half cup of broth – too intense for the delicate bass. But the licorice-y fennel fronds lighten it up somewhat.
Long Island duck ($27) is a great bet as an entree, rich but not gamey, the fattiness of the duck balanced out with a roasted sour apple, a tangle of stewed kale, and a roasted parsley root (which tastes a lot like parsnip).
There’s a bar in front for anyone in the neighborhood who just wants to stop in for a glass of wine (we liked the Morgon Prion Côte du Py, $12 a glass) or an excellent cocktail by beverage director Alexander LaPratt like the Herbs & Peppers ($13), which, with its mix of gin and yellow bell bell pepper, is kind of like a refreshing gin-based version of the spicy mezcal drinks that have been making the rounds.
Service was smooth and unobtrusive, without any of the spaciness that Manhattanites like to find fault with in more casual Brooklyn restaurants. The only hitch we had was with the menu, which did not list all the main ingredients in some of the dishes, which was a problem when one arrived scattered with unmentioned mushrooms, and one of us was allergic to mushrooms. Fortunately no EpiPen was needed.
Atrium is emblematic of the new guard of Brooklyn restaurants, serving creative food against a backdrop of sleek urban rusticity. Welcome to the neighborhood.
Atrium Dumbo
15 Main Street, between Plymouth and Water Streets
Dumbo
Brooklyn, NY
718-858-1095
atriumdumbo.com
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