Atera

"Portland toque Matthew Lightner helms this 18-seat TriBeCa “foodie destination” offering an avant-garde multicourse American tasting menu served at a counter opposite an open kitchen." Full review

"New Yorkers love glitz and glamor, hype and buzz, but what really gets resident foodies pumped is a fresh new talent. Enter Chef Matthew Lightner, who has made us all sit up and take notice." Full review

"Atera took Big Apple diners by surprise when it opened in 2012, sneaking in under everyone's radar." Full review

"A kitchen that had seemed willfully strange began to use strangeness as a key to unlock sensations and emotions. Irritation and bafflement yielded to a steady sense of wonder." Full review

"Portland, OR, import Matthew Lightner, a James Beard Rising Star Chef nominee, offers a forager-driven tasting menu at this reboot of the failed Compose." Full review

"He wants to stimulate, to educate, and to entertain, and in terms of range, technique, and quirky inventiveness, he does as good a job of this as any chef in New York." Full review

"Atera, like WD-50, knows its science tricks, but knows its classics too. The four stars will surely come one day." Full review

"The intimate dining room vibrates with life and warmth, from the friendly service to the hand-thrown ceramic dishes." Full review

"The tasting menu changes frequently, but keep an eye out for frozen "peanuts" that are actually foie gras." Full review

"Looking for a way to recuperate after the closure of the short-lived Compose, Jodi Richard recruited Matthew Lightner from Portland, Oregon, to rebuild the restaurant from scratch." Full review