SPANISHHIPSTER
T
,whenNewYorkCity
foodiesbragaboutrecentmeals,
they’reusuallyplayingupclose
proximitytochefsinaction,
viewsofdishesbeingmeticulously
constructed,andtastingmenusthatpushed
thembeyondtheirboundaries.Forgetabout
starched linenandstuyprotocol, inside
Gotham’shottestrestaurants—placeswhere
youwaitsixweeksforareservationandfeel
luckytogetone—it’sallaboutspecialexperi-
encescomplimentingintimatespaces.Expect
acoupledozensmalldishes,exoticingredients
(thegiant,saltwaterclamknownasgeoduck
reignsasa luxestandard),andfoodthatisbest
preparedforcrowdsoffewerthan30.
Atera,discreetly located inastretchof
Manhattanthat fallssomewherebetween
TriBeCaandthefinancialdistrict, isa
perfectcase inpoint.Walk inandyouarees-
corteddownstairstoasubterraneancocktail
roomwherethebartender improvisesand
customizestocreateterrificdrinksthatfit
justaboutanytasteprofile.Thenheshakes,
intheaggressive“hardshake”modethathe
pickedup fromeliteJapanesedrinkmixers,
tocreatea libationofyourdreams.
Upstairs, inanausterediningroom,
MINIMALISTICBUTMEMORABLE:
AtAtera, stunningplatesof artfullycrafteddishes, suchas razor clamswith
garlicandalmonds, are served.
TRENDS
SomeofNewYorkCity’s
topchefsare scalingdown
to serveadventurous fare
inmore intimate settings.
Michael Kaplanexplores
the trendof
microdining
andwhyyour reservation
justgot a littleharder
toget.
SMALL
SCALE,
BIG
TASTES
36
SUMMER
AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING
