About a month ago, my boyfriend and I celebrated our
one year anniversary at the Atlas Room on H St. To me, H st. can still
be considered uncharted territory; up until about a year ago, I had no
way to get there except metro or bus, and let’s face it–I fall waaaaay
short of any Magellan-like qualities. It’s safe to say it would have
been at least a hassle and at most an expedition for me to get there.

Exactament.  

Now, I divide my life much like believers do with
Jesus–there’s a timeline before Jesus, and one after Jesus. Except for
me, the defining character is a red Vespa. Life BV (before Vespa) was
punctuated by cab rides that bled me dry of any extra cash, and life AV
is essentially a glory fest of going anywhere I please at essentially no
cost for transportation. That was my Vespa plug–please purchase one
and bask in the fabulousity.

So it was a sight to see–two people, dressed to the nines, in
a cute little Vespa–Atlas Room bound. Once we finally arrived, the
Atlas Room was virtually empty. We went on an off night, and were
delighted to see that we had the whole space to ourselves. The ambiance
is romantic, personal, and very simple. Our server recommended a bottle
of wine, which we polished off with our meal.

We had the Duck Rillette as a starter, the Beef Two Ways, and
the Lamb Duo. We skipped dessert. Now, there are few things you can
count on for consistency in DC. For example, the presence of egomaniacal
policy wonks in seersucker jackets that only talk about their jobs at
happy hour. Or hipsters balancing on their fixed-gear bikes at red
lights. Or maybe even women who change out of their heels and into
sneaker eyesores after work or during their lunch breaks. And the Atlas
Room.

Here’s Matt Cordes! 

Everything on the menu was absolutely delicious. Now, I’m a
pretty critical human being, but there was genuinely nothing even
remotely mediocre about this meal. To make our experience even better,
the chef and owner, Matt Cordes, wished us happy anniversary and bonded
with us over a complementary glass of wine. We got a tour of the place,
finished up our conversation, and left for home. We felt welcomed,
valued, and we were very happy with our experience. It is a perfect
venue for a special occasion, or simply for a superbly prepared meal.

– Helena B. 
 
 More From Helena:
 The Unofficial Guide to Being a Man, From a Woman 
 Clearing Up the Blurred Lines
 America The Beautiful: A Response to the Ignorant Backlash in the Miss America Pageant 
 Dear Crazy Break Up Text Girl