BWW Preview: Murray Hill Favorite Hendriks Opens THE ATRIUM

Hendriks, the classic New American restaurant and craft-cocktail bar in Murray Hill, has expanded to include the Atrium, an intimate extension of Hendriks that offers a quieter, more sophisticated dining experience.

Located just around the corner with a separate entrance on 37th Street, the Atrium opens to a chic, well-stocked granite bar with an industrial style exposed-brick backdrop. The ambiance extends to two partially separated dining rooms, one of which is a sky-lit, glass- enclosed patio and a smaller, more intimate dining room.

Owner Himansu Patel grew up in the food and beverage industry working in his father's restaurants and concepts. Patel received an MBA in public health and attended medical school, before changing career paths and coming back to take over the family business while beginning new ventures like Hendriks and Atrium. Patel emphasizes the guests' experience through genuine connections with neighborhood regulars and consistently great food.

The menu, created by Chef Jaime Munoz, who is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, includes house favorite appetizers like deviled eggs topped with smoked salmon and slow-cooked lamb meatballs in Romesco sauce, sprinkled with parmesan and Maine crabcakes.

Entrées include house made pasta dishes like rosemary gnocchi with acorn squash cream, smoked pear, chestnuts, and parmesan, as well as smoked pork belly risotto with wild mushrooms and green peas. Seared rainbow trout with spicy kale, crispy pancetta, tarragon corn puree and fingerling potato; and the signature black angus burger with aged cheddar, smoked onion jam, pickles and sage parmesan fries.

Standout desserts include the rich and fudgy flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream and the apple brown betty with crème fraiche in a brown- sugar crust.

The brunch menu, served at Hendriks, features classic breakfast choices like eggs benedict and buttermilk pancakes made with cornmeal batter and served with honey butter, blueberry jam, and rum syrup in addition to shrimp egg-white omelet with avocado and caramelized onions; lox BLT on brioche with herb aioli and truffle fries.

The Atrium cocktails designed by bartender Luis Santos, who worked for two decades at the former Murray Hill haunt Hudson Place, include original cocktails like the Hendriks Margarita, with mezcal, lime juice, triple sec, and smoked salt along the rim; the Gin Fizz, with gin, lime juice, St-Germaine, and a fresh mint garnish, and the Earl Grey Pisco Sour, made with Pisco, Earl Grey-infused simple syrup, lime juice, and egg whites.

The global wine list was influenced by manager Prabal Belbase's world travels and passion for wine: the list ranges from Italian pinot grigio to French chenin blanc to California sauvignon blanc, and reds like California cabernet sauvignon, Italian chianti and Australian shiraz.

To post a comment, you must register and login.