The Grill at At.mosphere
The undulating wood panels and glass railings are one of the signature pieces of the design, according to Tihany, who says they create softness and pay homage “to the ‘curvy’ architecture of the building itself”.

Hand-polished mahogany panels clad the walls and arch up across the ceiling, leading the eye to the ubiquitous floor-to-ceiling windows.

The Grill has a capacity for 68 seated, although exec chef Dwayne Cheer says that on the busiest evening so far, they did 90 in The Grill and 270 in The Lounge.

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The entrance
The entrance to the restaurant is through Burj Khalifa’s Corporate Suites lobby with guests exiting the express elevator on Level 123 to face a two-storey glass atrium.

The sculpture hanging from the ceiling was created by Carol Bove and is constructed from hundreds of bronze rods. A flight of cantilevered staircases leads guests to the arrival lobby, which of course, has panoramic views of the city.

The Lounge
Opposite the restaurant is a separate doorway leading to At.mosphere Lounge, which can seat 135 people in addition to a private area for 35 people.

Deeper shades of amethyst in a rich combination of patterned velvets, natural woven textiles and leathers create what Tihany terms “an effervescent setting for a fashionable and trendy crowd”.

Here, the polished wood beams and panelled walls and ceilings gently undulate upward, suggesting a lighter, more animated atmosphere.

The lounge and its surroundings rest on a marble-clad, elevated platform overlooking the sunken and lushly textured lounge furnishings, where each seat affords an incomparable view. Within the area is a VIP section.

At night, the DJ transforms the windows into canvases onto which contemporary images are projected from concealed video projections — all while overlooking the Dubai skyline.

In private
The private dining room features unique art and lighting and can seat 12 people. The custom-designed chandelier was supplied by Lasvit, while the ‘Width of Circle’ artwork was by Corey McCorkle.

Interior designer Adam Tihany asserts that these pieces “contribute to the bespoke nature of the project and highlight its elegance and uniqueness”.

The Lounge bar
In place of the traditional lounge design is a round “conversation table” created by Tihany, anchored by a glass-enclosed back room, discretely displaying the beverage selection through etched and backlit glass walls.

Show kitchen
Composed of marble and surrounded by glass, a sleek exhibition grill at the back of the room separates the main dining area from a private dining room and offers guests a discrete glimpse into the art of culinary creations.

The show kitchen features a Josper charcoal oven, which uses a very traditional method of cooking with a cast iron door and charcoal only — like “a closed barbecue” according to Rashid B. Bahar, business development manager at Technical Supplies & Services Company L.L.C. (TSSC), which supplied At.mosphere.

“This gives a number of advantages when cooking but most importantly for the guest, a true barbecue taste!  This all happens front of house without any possibility of the guest smelling any of the exhaust from the oven due to this unique system,” explains Bahar.

Menu Highlights
The Grill - meaty treats include a 300g Aged Prime Angus Sirloin (priced at AED 270), 150g Japanese Kobe fillet (AED 440) and 250g Grade 7 Australia Wagu Sirloin (AED 450).

The Lounge - a martini menu created by executive chef Dwayne Cheer and the mixologist at Armani Dubai includes Blue Cheese, Tomato, Beetroot and Espresso Martinis with accompanying food item, e.g salmon and a beetroot sorbet with the Beetroot Martini.

Signature dish - At.mosphere ‘surf and turf’, which is a beef tartare with caviar. Cheer says this is one dish that will definitely stay on the menu, which he plans to change with the seasons.

Minimum spend: to reserve a table in The Lounge, guests must commit to a minimum spend of AED 200 per person; in The Grill for lunch it is AED 300 per person; and for dinner in The Grill there is a minimum spend of AED 450 per person.

Suppliers
Food service equipment: TSSC including MKN (Germany) cooking equipment, Hoshizaki (Japan) ice makers, Follett (United States) Ice Bins and a Meiko (Germany) Conveyor Type Dishwasher.
Show kitchen: Josper (Spain) charcoal oven supplied by TSSC
Lighting: Lasvit
Flatware: Sambonet
Tableware: Raynaud Limoges Porcelain
Artists: Yoshiaki Yuki, Carol Bove and Corey McCorkle
Beverages: TSSC supplied the Vin au Verre system from EuroCave (France).