British Invasion: Jason Atherton Debuts The Clocktower

Ding-dong, London calling!

We couldn’t be more excited that the highly anticipated, The Clocktower, is officially open for business on Madison Avenue, headed by Michelin-starred British chef, Jason Atherton (the accomplished Gordon Ramsey protégé also runs six restaurants in London, and seven more throughout Asia).  Tucked inside Ian Schrager’s brand new, super-swanky Edition Hotel, and in partnership with Philadelphia bigwig, Stephen Starr, Atherton’s luxurious, clubby eatery comes complete with three separate dining rooms (including a billiard room), massive fireplaces (for show only, now that it’s spring), and tons of artwork; mostly black and white depictions of NYC.

The menu reads very New York steakhouse, but with a touch of British whimsy and a continental feel; an Old Fashioned Bucket of Oysters comes festooned with “bits and bobs;” a classic Caprese is made with Brooklyn’s own Lioni mozzarella, but gussied up with tomato jelly and basil gratinee; plebeian Macaroni and Cheese is bombed with morels and musky clods of slow-cooked ox cheek; Colorado Lamb comes dusted with North African spices and served with smoked eggplant and curried onions; and Prime Filet Mignon, 40 day dry aged New York Strip, and Creekstone Prime Skirt Steak are accompanied by golden piles of thick, triple-cooked “chips.”  There’s also a “Social Section” (likely inspired by Atherton’s top London restaurant, Pollen Street Social), which offers oversized dishes to share, including Côte de Boeuf with foie gras salad, potato gratin and bone marrow jus, and Peking Duck a l’Orange paired with moo shoo pancakes.

The Brits may take a lot of guff for their dun-colored, heavy cuisine, but Atherton’s ready to prove they’ve got a lot more to offer New York than just shepherds pie, fried fish and mushy peas.  Either way, you’ll want to beeline it down to this newly minted hotspot to see what all the fuss is about.