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REVIEW: Atlas offers elegant flair, inspired local flavors

By LaDawn Edwards

It’s been a long time since I was a student in Iowa City, but the last time my parents were up from the Sunbelt I suggested the Atlas World Grill, 127 Iowa Ave., for lunch and both my vegetarian father and omnivorous mother loved it. So, I was happy to return recently for a review. Keeping it all in the family, I met my brother for lunch. (I didn’t let it cloud the entire experience, but our total number of parking tickets for our two hour reunion was three, so learn from our example and keep plugging those 60 minute meters downtown.)

As we know to expect in Iowa City, our server was intelligent, informed and a big fan of the food. We ordered two starters—first, the tuna crisps. This is the ever-popular sushi-grade Ahi tuna encrusted in black pepper and barely cooked, then sliced and laid on some slightly oily wantons that appeared on a plate decorated with both spicy wasabi cream and sweet teriyaki sauce. Just like the sushi it’s modeled after, the dish was served with a little stash of pickled ginger to cleanse the palate. It was okay, but I would have preferred tuna this good atop a salad.

Our second appetizer really tied in with the whole “world” part of their title. The creamy herb-infused disc of Boursin gournay cheese was breaded and deep fried. It arrived in an accompaniment of fig sauce and sweet pickle with toast. I know it sounds bizarre, but I really enjoyed it!

My brother took one taste of my mini macaroni and cheese entrée and emphatically called it the “best mac and cheese I’ve had in my life.” While I wouldn’t go that far, the elbow macaroni was delicious—covered in a delicious gruyere and Parmesan cheese with a mouthwatering buttery crumb crust. Not overly gooey, this dish was baked in a little casserole dish and came topped with a mound of slightly sweet tomato reduction and a sweet pea sprout.

For my side dish, I requested the soup of the day, which was borscht. I was a bit disappointed in the traditional thin beef broth with slices of beet, carrot, and cabbage floating around. While I’m sure it’s tremendously authentic, it didn’t match the pink delicacy I’d hoped for. By brother ordered the jerk chicken burrito, with black beans, grilled veggies, oranges and papaya. This Jamaican dish was quite pleasant and filling, but too messy to eat without a fork.

For eight years Iowa natives Jack Piper and James Adrian have been building a restaurant that combines the elegant flair acquired in their ten years working in New Orleans, Park City and Boulder restaurants with the inspired flavors of local meat and produce. The superior quality comes through every time you open your mouth.

On to dessert—since it came with vanilla ice cream, my brother and I were willing to compromise on the flourless chocolate torte. Lots of restaurants offer this, but I can’t remember having a better version of the pudding-like chocolate, just barely crusty at the edges and presented on a plate that displays heart-shaped drops of red raspberry sauce against an orange mango background, with a generous dollop of mint-garnished real whipped cream next to a sphere of vanilla ice cream.

It’s challenging to split such a delicious dessert fairly, but a lifetime of practice restrain our dessert spoons from actual war. I completely recommend Atlas World Grill to vegetarians, dessert lovers, culinary armchair travelers and “buy local” advocates. Does that sound like you?

This review originally appeared on CorridorBUZZ.com on June 8, 2008.