I was headed to the Atlas Performing Arts Center last night on H Street, NE and needed a place to grad dinner and totally forgot about SALLY's MIDDLE NAME right across from the theater. At 530pm the palce had just opened with several tables occupied and I was able to get a table, but by the time I left at 650pm, the place was jammed and indeed quite noisy as it has to be one of the hottest spots in the 'hood.
The décor is simple and unpretentious with wooden tables and floors and about two dozen seats downstairs(not sure if there is more upstairs)....and a dozen high bar stools. The menus are in black on the white tile walls and drinks are on the chalkboard; a pile of used cookbooks was on a shelf near me which I enjoyed checking the titles of.... The napkins are checked blue and white cotton dish towels.
My server Amy seemed to be handling the entire restaurant and she later explained the hostess did not show! The bartender was helping as well in what was a team effort that went fairly smoothly except when I needed a glass of wine as my main course arrived a bit earlier than I expected.
I started with a wondrously herbaceous NORONIC which is Mezcal chilled with nonino amaro and vermouth.
Amy suggested two dishes saying they should be shared, but two per person is about right. The Grilled Carrots (see FB) with Harissa, Herbs and Shallots packed a punch and I loved the herbs:dill, parsley, chervil, cilantro and micro greens. For my main course I had the super moist and juicy Cajun Brined Chicken Breast with "Stuffing Cornbread" and a divine Red pepper sauce. The cornbread had mushrooms and was seared crispy and a glass of Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone was a nice pairing.
There are many vegetarian options bus steak, sausage and more were also on the wall...this is a place I could return to over and over for sure.
