It’s all hands-on deck at ATLAS Steak + Fish, where staff are putting the finishing touches on a gleaming 5,000-square-foot steakhouse. The restaurant, in the heart of the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre, is the crowning jewel of the resort’s recent $15 million face lift.
“It is approachable indulgence,” says executive chef Sylvain Cuerrier. The menu offers a combination of proprietary cuts of beef, complemented by a diverse array of fresh seafood served up in a refined, contemporary, yet comfortable and approachable space.
Guests are welcomed into the lounge by a swooping white marble bar curved around a dramatic Boston Baby Grand piano. Customers can cozy up on blue velvet couches with one of nine signature cocktails from beverage manager Micah Dew.
Dew recommends the Agua de Valencia to start the night. It’s a citrusy mix of Grand Marnier, Cointreau, English gin and orange juice with warming Asian Five Spice. The El Diablo is also one of his favourites, featuring lime juice, crème de cassis and Blanco tequila presented with sparks of fire.
Moving into the dining room, customers will find a sleek and luxurious space lined with black velvet semi-private booths and filled out with low black marble tables. Smoky mirrors and copper Art Deco chandeliers give the room an opulent and truly distinctive feel, while soft touches of blue inspire thoughts of Burnaby’s coastline.
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One of the best features of this 130-seat space is the open kitchen, which gives diners a full view of ATLAS’ signature Josper oven. The oven is the heart of ATLAS’ menu, and is one of only five mesquite coal-powered ovens in all of Western Canada. It functions as oven, smoker and broiler. Chefs control the airflow for more consistent cooking using higher temperatures.
The 48-ounce Double R Ranch Tomahawk Steak shows up at the table perfectly caramelized, with no trace of char from unruly grill flare-ups. The meat stays supple and juicy on the inside and comes kissed with a hint of mesquite.
Chicken breasts are brined and lightly smoked on the Josper before hitting the grill, and the flesh is smoky with a crisp exterior. Cuerrier drapes his chicken in a velvety shitake peppercorn sauce, making this one of the most elegant chicken breasts.
The pork chop is one of Cuerrier’s favourites, featuring brined and grilled Berkshire pork — the Wagyu of pork products. Cuerrier tops the pork chop with sweet Josper-smoked pork belly and apple relish to finish and every protein comes with a side of Argentinean chimichurri and warm German potato salad.
ATLAS Steak + Fish also use the Josper for its seafood. To make the most of a salmon steak, Cuerrier slices it on the darne, allowing the fatty fish belly to be enjoyed in the same bite as the leaner back flesh.
Sides, sauces and accompaniments may be ordered à la carte. Blue Cheese Gnocchi delivers a pungent kick, while Josper-roasted Wild Mushrooms and Truffle and Parmesan Fries are crowd-pleasing favourites. Alaskan King Crab Legs on the side are a steal, coming in at just $29, well below what might normally be expected.
Although entrees are the star of the show, the starter menu offers its fair share of dramatic flair. Servers push gleaming carts through the dining room, dressing and tossing Caesar Salads tableside. Chilled Seafood Towers show up with a wisp of dry ice, revealing piles of chilled king crab legs, fresh oysters, poached jumbo prawns, and an Atlantic lobster tail.
As for the wine list, ATLAS Steak + Fish sticks to an active list of 43 wines, updated to feature special releases and interesting vintages for every grape and colour. Wine comes served up by the glass in Italian self-aerated glasses or by the bottle in colourful hand-blown decanters.
To end the night, diners should order the Baked Alaska, featuring layers of homemade raspberry coconut gelato, lemon sorbet, and orange vanilla cake cloaked in lemon meringue. Servers spritz the tower and set it on fire to finish off a meal high on drama and flavour.
An after-dinner espresso is also a good idea. Dew uses the Cadillac of espresso makers, La Cimbali, and sources his beans from a local roaster.
ATLAS Steak + Fish officially opened Thursday, October 19. Check out the website for more information.
