Atlas Restaurant is somewhat hidden in a relatively modern business district in the northwest of…read moreAltona. Like some of its surroundings, the restaurant oozes a bit of the red brick loft style that was so fashionable a decade ago. Unfortunately the dining room was rather empty on the evening of my visit, which - together with the empty (except for the cloth and a single candle) tables - made the place feel a bit barren.
Service was fast and friendly throughout the evening and is one of Atlas' strong suits. The food, on the other hand, was a bit of a mixed bag. The evening menu is competitively priced (at 28 Euros per head) and includes three courses, which leads one to expect above-average, brasserie style cuisine.
The salmon tartar starter was accompanied by pulpo, melted tomatoes and pickled cucumbers - a combination I personally didn't quite understand. The salmon tartar was decent, if a bit bland on its own, but how the other elements should be combined harmoniously eluded me, despite many attempts.
The main, Boeuf Bourguignon, was better: the meat was tender and the sauce rich (in a good way), only the vegetables were slightly too tough.
Desert was a lovely mousse au chocolate cake with pistacchio ice cream, which left very little to be desired, indeed.
Atlas Restaurant is offering more than decent food at a good price. Maybe I'd just caught the wrong day of the week, but I'd probably not go there for dinner again, if the place is always as empty in the evening.
Just in terms of food there is little to keep one from exploring the backyards of Altona.