Food: Bravo, Atrio
The Conrad’s Mediterranean Restaurant Shines During French Spice
By John Zur
French Spice, the offshoot restaurant promotion of Miami Spice, has continued to impress with its host of restaurants. On a recent visit to Atrio at the Conrad Miami Hotel, in Brickell, it was easy to see why Atrio just might be the most overlooked restaurant in Miami. The restaurant is helmed by executive chef Jonathan McCann, whose roots include a stint with French chef Michel Bourdin, and working his way up the ranks of the kitchen at various hotels in the Savoy group’s portfolio in his native England. Following relocation to a Hilton in Washington DC, where chef McCann catered events for President Obama, he spent six months at Mclean in Virginia before coming down to Miami.
McCann reinvented a predominantly Latin-influenced menu to its current state as modern, global cuisine. The results incorporate prime cuts of meat, locally caught fish, and use of Florida’s fresh produce. Atrio’s French Spice dinner menu ($35 per person) features items that cannot be found on the regular menu.
Reservations were easy to come by on the same weeknight that we visited Atrio. Upon arriving at 7:45 pm, the restaurant was nearly empty. We weren’t ones to complain, not with availability near the window twenty-five stories above the glowing city. The restaurant is elegant, but not stuffy. The Wine Room is a sight to be seen. The wooden tables have runners and are accompanied by seats upholstered in a plush cloth. Staff is poised and professional, but not offensively stiff. Service is solid.
The French Spice menu comes with one glass of wine per guest. Atrio offers a French merlot and a French chardonnay in addition to sparkling white wine. We chose Barton & Guestier Bistro Chardonnay, which retails for about $9 per bottle. Although on the lower end, the wine was actually a pleasant surprise with its fruit aroma of peach. It paired nicely with our menu choices including salad, chicken, and pasta.
An amuse bouche of smoked salmon mousse set atop a brioche began the meal. With a hint of dill, and subtle smokiness, it’s a palate-pleasing tease. The bread service included slices of Atrio’s country bread, not warmed, and a small dish of Beurre D’Isigny butter, which is balanced in creaminess and saltiness.
We began with the duck rillette, which was shredded but not turned into a pate-like paste as is typically the practice. Accompanying the dish of duck rillette is a thick, toasted slice of country bread – toasted to a crunch – and topped in arugula, red onion salad, and charred orange. The duck rillette was fantastic with good flavor and seasoning, although a little awkward to eat as it is presented. Also an appetizer, the nicoise salad with grilled chorizo included fresh tomatoes, quartered hardboiled eggs, and a slice of bread toasted with cheese set on top. The vinaigrette was light.
The coq au vin, French for ”rooster in wine,” is a half-breast of chicken marinated and cooked in burgundy wine and served with mushrooms, sweet onions, and dauphinoise potatoes which are creamy with an appropriate amount of garlic. The dish is not too rich and the reduced red wine marinade is not too powerful. The flavors come together quite successfully and the presentation is artful.
The other entrée sampled included the goat cheese and asparagus ravioli with wild mushrooms and truffle broth. This is a fine dish with tremendous use of ingredients. The vegetables are not compromised, but rather enhanced by the goat cheese, broth, and pasta. The appetizer and entrée portions are perfect and you will find yourself beyond satisfied with the experience.
Desserts included the mille feuille, also known as a “Napoleon,” of chocolate, which is served with lavender ice cream. The mille feuille needs to be somewhat dismantled in order to successfully eat with a fork, as the chocolate is fudgy. Overall, the dessert is sweet, but not too sweet, and is a conversion of desirable tastes and textures.
McCann’s take on the traditional tarte tatin, a hot caramelized apple tart, is altered to reflect the tropical temperatures (especially this time of year) in South Florida. The result is the apple parfait with caramel ice cream. The surprise is that it is a cold dish made with frozen apples.
It was a delight to see the restaurant attaining more guests as the evening went on. A space this beautiful, with magnificent views, and food this refined needs to be recognized. Miami needs more masters of their craft in the kitchen, such as McCann. It’s a shame once French Spice goes away at the end of the month, so do these wonderful dishes.
Atrio also offers a lunch French Spice, through November 30th, for $22 per person.
TO GO: Atrio Restaurant & Wine Room at Conrad Miami Hotel. 1395 Brickell Avenue. 25th Floor. Miami, FL, 33131. (305) 503-6529.
