Rori C.
Yelp
I hate to do this.
Atelier by Radex used to be my birthday dinner of choice for several years but I doubt I will go back.
I'm a gild the lily sort of woman - extra sauce, extra everything for me, however...
We went this year, and everyone ordered something different for their entrees. Elk, Lamb, Steak, Duck were nearly identical. Nearly identical sauce, and much too much of it - you couldn't taste the protein for all the overly salty sauce. Each had a dollop of scalloped potatoes, a few spears of asparagus, and an unidentifiable root vegetable. The mystery veg was undercooked so that it was nearly rock hard and you couldn't taste it for the salt and pepper. No one knew what it was. The duck was overcooked, as well, at medium. Why smoother fine cuts of meat with so much heavy salty sauce when a drizzle will do? The plate was swimming with it.
The apps were lackluster, other than the smoked salmon, which was the only light and delicate item of the evening. The fois was again smothered in sickly sweet berry sauce. Between the overly rich brioche and the sauce, the foie gras was lost. I cleaned up my bit and ate it separately.
The waiter was very... French... enough said, other than his alternate wine suggestion. While I appreciate a lower-priced bottle (get two!), when I ask if it's comparable, I hope that it is. This was a flat, single-note, barely serviceable bottle of wine when I was looking for something more robust and complex.
The menu hasn't changed much in years. Even the specials seem to be on regular rotation. Everything is heavy, salty, and tired. With so many amazing restaurants with fresh menus, friendly service, and a more balanced menu of light and heavy meals, for this price point, you can go pretty much anywhere else.
Pros:
Traditional French cookery
Extensive wine list (but come prepared or do homework)
Cute little place with a charming patio
Decent portions - you won't leave hungry
Cons:
SALT - my feet started swelling at the table!
Repetitious sides - for the money, I'd prefer some creativity
Atrocious plating, not helped by the amount of sauce
Too much sauce and the sauces are too similar and heavy
Low returnability - it never changes
Some waitstaff is chilly if not downright judgemental
Tired, outdated