Atlanta-based chef Anish Nair is to open Pataaka, a modern Indian small-plates restaurant, in Midtown Atlanta on Saturday 22 August.
The restaurant will open for lunch and dinner at the base of Spring Quarter, a mixed-use district developed by Portman spanning a full city block and incorporating more than 40,000 sq ft of retail and dining space alongside offices and residential accommodation.
Named after the Hindi word for “firecracker”, Pataaka will focus on regional Indian recipes interpreted through Nair’s experience in New American cuisine and modern French cooking techniques.
Executive Chef and Partner Anish Nair said: “With Pataaka, we’re looking forward to creating a destination for the neighborhood that celebrates the breadth of recipes and culinary traditions across India.
“I’ve dreamed of opening this restaurant for a decade and can’t wait to finally share an experience with our guests that’s full of energy, warm service and bold flavors.”
The kitchen will employ techniques including sous vide cooking, infusions, smoking, tandoor roasting and slow braising.
Small plates designed for sharing will include Chulbule Jhinga Tart, combining a buttery tart shell with spiced tiger prawns, avocado mousse, pickled onions and tamarind glaze; Oysters Rockefeller with spinach, paneer and fennel; and Lamb Empanadas filled with spiced minced lamb and garam masala.
Larger dishes will include Slow-Braised Lamb Shank finished with a reduced spiced jus; Old Delhi Butter Chicken, featuring char-grilled chicken thigh with tomato, butter and fenugreek sauce; and Shrimp Malvani, combining jumbo shrimp with a Malvani coconut curry, curry leaves and roasted spices.
Soups and salads will include She Crab Soup, Watermelon Thecha Salad and Carrot Soup, while accompaniments will include Dal Makhni and a selection of house-made naans and chutneys.
Desserts will include Gulab Jamun Pie and Cardamom Crème Brûlée.
The restaurant’s drinks programme will be led by Beverage Director Prrateek Chaudhary, who brings 15 years of luxury hospitality experience, including roles with The Leela Palace, Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace, Shangri-La New Delhi, Hyatt New Delhi, Fairmont Jaipur, IHG Hotels India and Kiran’s Houston.
The menu will be divided into three sections: Somras for signature cocktails, Aamras for non-alcoholic drinks and Mukhwas for dessert cocktails.
Each cocktail will draw inspiration from a city or state in India connected to different stages of Chaudhary’s life and career.
Drinks will include Whiskey Thandai, inspired by the Holi festival and made with Indian single malt infused with saffron, dry fruits and pepper; Rajni, combining curry leaf-infused rum and coconut; and Puchka, inspired by Indian street food and combining street chaat flavours with tequila.
Pataaka has been designed by Atlanta-based Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry and will accommodate 114 guests alongside an outdoor patio and mezzanine-level private dining space.
The two-storey dining room will feature terracotta and amber tones, banquette seating, oversized arched windows and a central bar, alongside a combination of communal and more intimate seating.
Nair brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to the project. Born in Chennai, India, he studied Indian cuisine and French culinary techniques at IHM Chennai before beginning his career as a pastry chef in India.
He moved to the United States in 2002 and worked in kitchens across South Carolina, including Sea Pines Resort, before opening his first restaurant, Fusion, in Hilton Head in 2011.
After moving to Atlanta in 2013, Nair joined Savi Provisions as Corporate Chef across the company’s locations. He became Executive Chef at Jai Ho Indian Kitchen in 2017 and helped open its spin-off inside Krog Street Market in 2020.
Pataaka joins a developing restaurant line-up at Spring Quarter that also includes ISHIN by Ito, Celestia, Sozou and Habaneros.
The wider development is anchored by the 24,000 sq ft historic Patterson House, which is being redeveloped into a dining destination by Hal’s The Steakhouse.
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