C Says --
The Atlas Room was recommended to me by a colleague. She basically had me at, "short rib ravioli." In a word, these are little nuggets of sheer bliss and heaven on a plate. The Atlas Room is the brain child of Matt Cordes -- the owner and chef. The menu focuses a central ingredient presented in three different ways, and portion sizes. As I mentioned, I started with the short rib ravioli. You should RUN not WALK to try these. They were in a word, unbelieveable.
For my main course I selected the lamb duo with a root vegetable gratin, broccoli rabe, olives, smoked paprika aioli, Fennel emulsion & rosemary lamb jus. While I love olives, I didn't really understand why there were on the plate. The rest of the vegetables though were excellent and fresh.
The cocktail list is great and an homage to old-timey cocktails of days gone by. The Atlas Room is small and quaint and a great date place for sharing small plates or going full-hog and ordering many items. It's a great addition to the burgeoning H Street Corridor dining/night life scene.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J Says --
So C chose to take us to H Street NE for a new joint that had opened called The Atlas Room. Not knowing what to expect, I immediately enjoyed the décor and felt it was a great symbol of transition for the neighborhood and its cuisine.
J Says --
So C chose to take us to H Street NE for a new joint that had opened called The Atlas Room. Not knowing what to expect, I immediately enjoyed the décor and felt it was a great symbol of transition for the neighborhood and its cuisine.
Offering “small”…”shared”…and “full” courses, we each opted for a small (to share, take that!) and a full plate. I went with the lamb meatballs as my small dish – one word: DELICIOUS. I can easily say they were as comparable in flavor to the short rib ravioli, which immediately set the tone for the dinner. For a full course, I went with Spring Pork Duo. Honestly, I remember it being fine, but nowhere near the excitement of the small plates. That’s always the fear you have when going with the big bold dishes to start.
With the wine and specialty drinks selection, the place has all the fixings of being a must-go for H street – exactly what that blooming neighborhood needs. I look forward to returning, though I may just order a slew of small plates since they are that damn good!
The Atlas Room, 1015 H Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 388-4020
