Atomix: NYC Restaurant Review

"Tucked behind a battered black door at the bottom of a slightly dilapidated townhouse on 30th Street in Nomad, the Atomix omakase is a hushed, theatrical ritual: online reservations with a sizable nonrefundable charge, a posh limbo bar where staff in loose gray smocks and caps lead you in silence to a 14-seat counter, personalized decorated chopsticks, and informative cards for every course. The food moves from delicate seafood cakes spiked with burdock root and sea bream marinated in rare tangerine vinegar to an ethereal fried langoustine glazed in a salty-sweet crust and garnished with nasturtium, uni, and chopi, and continues through smoked-eel “stamina” preparations with poached oyster, a melting pool of cheese curd topped with Osetra caviar, a deboned grilled turbot touched with chrysanthemum-flavored seafood sauce, and candy-size blocks of charcoal-grilled Wagyu cured in fruit juices that remain unforgettable. The fall menu leans into curing and fermentation with rich soybean jang pastes sweetened by butternut squash and persimmon, alongside rice dotted with Dungeness-crab roe, a halibut-and-foie-gras jjim, and a crispy duck breast finished with a gochujang mole. Drinks are subtle and well structured (try the soju-based Three Kingdoms or the house martini infused with angelica root), the house wine list includes many Champagnes, and a bar upstairs offers an à la carte option (not the omakase) where rice-stuffed fried chicken wings are a standout. The ceremony culminates with the menu cards folded into a box and sealed for safekeeping; with two seatings per night and a $175 set price, I awarded it three stars for inventiveness, technique, and pleasure." - Adam Platt