Henry M.
Yelp
My wife and I have gone to the Atelier Florian for brunch every Sunday for over a year and have found it to be the best way to start the week...for many reasons. To begin with, Sunday means free parking in downtown New Haven, so parking is generally available within a short walking distance. The restaurant's design is tasteful, attractive, and efficient. There is a wide variety of booths and tables to accommodate groups of almost any size (a separate dining room upstairs is available for private parties). We prefer to sit at the end of the bar, where we can observe the interesting vignettes that compose the intricacies of a rich dining experience. We have also enjoyed talking with many people at the bar, which has added to the pleasure of our experience. The background music - always low and tending toward "cool" jazz - adds an invisible but visceral, soothing mood to the ambiance.
The Sunday Brunch menu is as varied and enticing as any we have seen. Classic pancake, waffle, and omlette offerings are interspersed with selections of seafood (PEI muscles in a variety of broths, salmon, Belgian beer-battered fish & chips, shrimp mouclade), beef sliders & frites, numerous salads, and a variety of sides. The coffee, brought in and prepared by an outside vendor each day, is incomparable. The drink choices are extensive, evidenced by the beautifully lit wall of bottled alcohol and wines composing the backbar. Their Bloody Mary is our "go to" Sunday morning brunch drink of choice and we don't hesitate to admit that they are the best bloody Marys we've ever tasted. Anywhere. The entire staff - from the maitre'd to the waitstaff to the bartender to the busboys - is skilled, friendly, efficient, and eager to meet the wishes of their customers.
Throughout our year-long association/friendship/love affair with Atelier Florian, we have come to know some of the staff personally; individuals with extremely diverse and interesting life stories: musician, artist, writer, student/real estate broker-in-the-making. Their friendliness and willingness to share themselves with their clientele speaks to them both as individuals and as members of a small community dedicated to helping others enjoy a pleasant dining experience. In short, having Sunday Brunch at Atelier Florian is arguably one of the best parts of our week and we look forward to it every Sunday morning.
There is, unfortunately, one thing that has recently produced a potential negative aspect to the overall Atelier Florian experience. Until very recently, Chef Jean-Marc Cabirol was the man behind the stove who oversaw every aspect of the restaurant's beautiful dishes. Plates was prepared with deliberate care and pride. Unfortunately, the present chef seems to have neither the experience nor the desire to perpetuate his predecessor's acumen, and it shows. We have observed Items that are sometimes undercooked, less-than-expected in portion, or which, when served, have little in common with their description on the menu. Patrons are disappointed and waitstaff are embarrassed. We miss Chef Cabirol and we hope that this shortcoming can be addressed promptly so that the Atelier's reputation for excellence will continue to bring back faithfull patrons - like ourselves - for months, if not years, to come.