THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Atrium Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Atrium Restaurant Review:

About the chef/owner: Executive chef/owner Hunter Pritchett has been cooking all over the country since he was sixteen (his first job was fry chef at Long John Silver’s). He moved to LA in 2013 where he became sous chef at Son of a Gun, and then chef de cuisine at Waterloo & City. At Atrium he offers a creative modern American menu that pivots on global flavors.

The décor: Veteran LA restaurateurs Beau Laughlin and Jay Milliken (Kettle Black, Sawyer) are behind Atrium, so the hip, Eastside vibe at this spot isn’t surprising. The former theatre rehearsal studio space has been transformed into a sprawling, elegantly casual 3,200-square-foot eatery with a contemporary aesthetic. A high, arched ceiling cradles a warm wood interior with original brick and beam accents. Mossy green circular banquettes are comfortable, and the skylights filter in gorgeous light at brunch. Sheltered al fresco alley seating is lively, charming, and also dog-friendly. The underlit, luminous curved bar that anchors the room is the center of the action on weekends, and a lyrical spot to linger over brunch cocktails.

Likes: Beautiful, airy room; excellent brunch; winsome cocktails.
Dislikes: Neighborhood parking is a big drag.

Food & Drinks: Pritchett’s eclectic menu suits this chic, social Los Feliz neighborhood place well, and most of the dishes are quite nice for sharing. Oysters are everywhere these days, but here they’re briny, sweet and served with Negroni mignonette and snowy fresh grated horseradish. Don’t miss addictive grilled focaccia with kimchi butter and buckwheat honey, or the octopus al pastor tostada, nicely offset by charred pineapple and cabbage slaw. Larger plates feature a savory uni cacio e pepe trofie, and a giant, tender katsu-style Pachamama pork chop smothered in burnt-apple bulldog sauce and ginger slaw. Brunch is a real show-stealer, however, and it’s certainly one of the best on the Eastside. Pritchett’s creativity shines in deftly executed dishes like loaded crispy smashed potatoes with a sunny egg, chipotle and queso, or a caramelized cauliflower hash with grilled thick cut bacon and a poached egg. A fresh green pozole bowl with poached egg, pickled onion, radish and crispy tortillas is another winner. Finish with a cool summer peach sorbet. Beverage director Jordan Young (Kettle Black, Sawyer) offers up clever and sophisticated cocktails; the select wine list focuses on France, Italy and the West Coast.