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Rest in Peace: Dinner at Automat
Banana bread with miso caramel ice cream, we hardly knew you
Jack
June 27, 2023
Before we get into it, rest assured that Automat isn’t shutting down. They’ll still be slinging baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, smashburgers, and what may be the best french fries in the city from 9am to 3:30pm Tuesday-Sunday.
We’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled programming to pay respects to the dinner service at Automat, the bakery slash restaurant brainchild of former Lazy Bear sous chef Matt Kirk, who set out to create a neighborhood vibe with an “ambitious” menu. The restaurant recently announced its final dinner service (for now), so I had to check it out. Ironically, the restaurant was packed to the brim at around seven, morbid curiosity getting the better of folks.
I had previously tried the lunch service thanks to Cheryl and Evan, and while there’s more research to be done before naming the best burgers and best fries in the city, Automat is a strong front runner for both.
So now, let’s dig in to Automat’s last dinner service:
🥖 Starters
Automat has strong "cowboy in space" vibes with a distinctive color palette that extends from the graphics on the walls to the crockery to the food itself. Servers were friendly and polished, helping steer us in the right direction.
Here the bread is the star - the bakers know exactly what the people want and are more than willing to give it to them.
 Fresh bread and garlic butter |  White fish tartine |
Not pictured is the bloomin’ artichoke that was novel if not a little confusing, a little gem salad that hit all the right notes, and a massive bowl of the most perfect french fries in the city served at a restaurant not named McDonald’s.
🥘 Mains
The fried cod accompanied by clams, greens and beans in a cajun dressing was a standout, while the lack of seasoning on the veggies served with the steak left the dish feeling half-baked.
 Fried cod with clams  Ribs al pastor with grilled pineapple |  Chicken and “dumplings”  A (rich) Hungry Man Dinner |
Evident on the main course menu was the desire to present approachable items with an elevated flair, but equally noticeable was that flair may not have been what was lacking from these time-tested classics.
🍌 Dessert
Had we known what was waiting at the end of the meal, we would have simply skipped to dessert. Apparently they used to sell the banana bread to go from the bakery but had to stop because they sold out before they could reserve any for the dinner crowd.
Warm banana bread with miso-caramel ice cream and bananas
Hopefully with dinner on the back burner we can gnaw on massive loaves of banana bread from the privacy of our homes.
🤠 Final Notes
At the risk of stating the obvious, it’s difficult to thread the needle between ambitious and affected. Automat’s roots in fine dining may have been a handicap when trying to appeal to the neighborhood dinner crowd but the stuff rolling out of the ovens and continued daytime service is a testament to the staying power of truly exceptional carbs.
I’m hopeful that the team is back in the lab with plans for a refreshed dinner service in the future; in the meantime you can still hit all the high notes for breakfast or lunch.