L’Atelier: Heaven every time

I just love L’Atelier. I have eaten there many times and it is consistently excellent in both food and service. If you are looking for inventive French cuisine, service that makes you feel like the only diner in the world, and an extensive wine list, then make reservations at this Boulder treasure. You won’t regret it.

On this particular occasion, there were three of us, which was perfect for a Tuesday night and L’Atelier’s half-price bottles of wine. This deal actually brings the wine back down from over-inflated snootiness, typical everywhere, to something resembling reality. We ordered a 2003 Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CdP) that retails for around $40 and normally sells for twice that on other days of the week. I really hate to admit this, but after wallowing in the Rhone for several months now, CdP really does have a much higher quality that the typical Cote du Rhone that you can find in your neighborhood liquor store. The Chateau Mont-Redon was very nice indeed. My other find of late was a 2001 E. Guigal CdP. It was exceptionally smooth, ruby red, and so light on the tongue I had to make myself swallow.

Don’t go to L’Atelier for just the wine though. Their menu is long and detailed. If you are not careful you can get lost. Fortunately, the staff is more than happy to help you navigate the complex list of small and large plates on both the regular and special menu. Don’t discount the small plates. Two or three of these combined together is a great way to celebrate diversity and is one of my favorite strategies.

This night the table shared an upscale rendition of a New England Clam Chowder. Don’t be fooled by such a humble name, however, this chowder was delectable and full of flavors. It came with a few obligatory potatoes, but also bright carrots, celery, and just enough heavy cream. We wouldn’t let them clear the bowl until every dribble had been sopped up with fine French bread.

Our next small plate was a steak tartar with capers, red onions, olive oil, hot sauce and biscuit. Steak tartar is an acquired taste for most people but anyone who is willing to perform menial labor for decent sushi will find transitioning to steak tartar painless. In France it is a common dish and one of my favorite things there.

One of us ordered a third small plate as an entrée. This was a Bibb lettuce salad with mango and shrimp with a citrus vinaigrette. Small it was not. It was very light and fresh and would be perfect with a light glass of wine on a warm day.

For our entrée we chose the stewed short ribs and lobster tail in a red wine reduction sauce. Our waiter said they normally only serve this on weekends and sell out every time, so despite its strange pairings, we decided to give it a try. All those weekend diners were right. I would have thought the heavy red sauce would have overpowered the lobster tail, but it complimented it wonderfully. The sweet but acidic sauce actually made the lobster taste buttery. The secret apparently was a lobster reduction added to the sauce itself. The ribs came with truly crispy red potatoes. I hate menus that advertise something as crispy and it comes out looking like wilted lettuce.

By this point in the meal all three of us were drifting off into the Never land of culinary induced endorphins. Ditch the yoga classes Boulderites! Wouldn’t you much rather reconnect with your inner guru by dining at L’Atelier than by contorting your body into positions resembling a pretzel on steroids? The money you save on chiropractic appointments will surely enable you to dine at L’Atelier with financial ease.

In such a state bliss, who can resist dessert? I must confess a little trepidation at this point. L’Atelier is superb in so many ways but it is weak on desserts. Over time, I have tried several and they are disappointingly uninspiring. This night we decided on something light and chose the chocolate bag filled with strawberries and bananas. It was definitely enough for three people. The chocolate bag was thick and we ended up hacking at it with a knife. The fruit was fresh, and several confectionery reductions graced the plate and provided us with sufficient swirling action. Swirl the cognac, swirl the chocolate in the sauce. This is a timeless ritual guaranteed to bring a seductive gleam to the eye. This simple dessert was better than any I have tried at L’Atelier before and may just redeem them on this front.

The ambiance at L’Atalier could use an upgrade. While their stemware is fine, their flatware looks a little haggard and is devoid of style. The primary decorations are wall boxes filled with ceramic figurines in 18th century French clothing. Some may find this perfectly elegant but it reminds me too much of a curio shop. I am admittedly biased here. Oil paintings of chateaux in bright colors would be more appealing to my mind.

Another great way to enjoy L’Atelier is to sneak away from work for a long luxurious lunch. The prices are lower, you can order a glass of wine, and by the time you return to work your colleagues will wonder what activity put that serene grin on your face. So go try L’Atelier for yourself and experience the serenity for yourself.