Restaurant Guide

This solid, refreshing addition to downtown Detroit is set in the Addison Building, a refurbished former hotel that dates to 1905. It occupies the ground floor looking out on Woodward, between Orchestra Hall and the Fox Theatre. The Atlas is an elegant, very urban, white-tablecloth bistro with an eclectic menu that's popular for both lunch and dinner. In the evening, recessed ceiling lights bathe the interior and its diners in an amber glow, making it all the more inviting from the street. Chef Christian Borden has taken the kitchen in a more adventurous direction with such dishes as risotto croquettes with herbed mushrooms; a Mexican-influenced pheasant breast on a poblano pepper stuffed with chopped fruit and a frothed walnut sauce; and a delightful duck confit. Another main dish worth trying is a cassoulet with crisp duck legs and Michigan white beans braised in lamb stock, smoked andouille sausage, and sweated vegetables. L & D daily.