Date Night: Mythology, DC

Happy Monday, all! I am on the way to take my Mom for eye surgery (sounds scary, right?) but she won’t need glasses for the first time since she was 5 years old. Not to mention, the cataracts will be gone so it’s a win/win.

This morning I am once again living vicariously through Kacy and Tom as they continue to date all around DC. This particular date took them to H Street to check out a brand new restaurant – check out what she had to say about Mythology, DC!

*****

There’s a new date night spot in town that’s unlike any other in DC. Tom and I spent a recent evening under the clouds at Mythology on H Street celebrating a recent promotion he received at work with an especially fun dinner.

Yes, there are clouds hanging from the ceiling, and the whimsy doesn’t stop there. Playing on their location in the “Atlas Neighborhood” on the H Street Corridor, Mythology feels magical from the moment you enter. There is not much else on this particular stretch of H Street, but you once you arrive you won’t want to go anywhere else. 

 

It was a chilly evening, so I wanted nothing more than a glass of red wine. Tom opted for a celebratory cocktail, choosing the The Watcher made with an interesting blend of bourbon, coconut water, sage and bitters. He enjoyed the drink, which was tropical but still refined. 

 

Mythology is already making a name for itself for its delicious frites, so we made sure to get in on the action. There are six regular varieties with different seasonings and dipping sauces and six additional smothered options such as bulgogi and French onion. You can also add an egg to any order for a buck. At our server’s recommendation, we opted for the non-smothered sushi frites, which are served with a togarashi aioli. 

 

The togarashi seasoning – a Japanese 7 spice blend – was delicious, but didn’t exactly scream sushi to me. No matter, because these fries are incredible. Perfectly crispy and salty and addictive. Served in a huge pottery face, this dish gives new meaning to have “fries on the brain”. The frites could easily satisfy a group of four or larger, so we eventually had to force ourselves to stop eating in order to save room for the rest of our food. 

To balance out the decadence of the frites, we ordered the Beets Me Salad from the selection of starters. 

 

This beautiful mash-up of at least four different beet preparations is served over a fluffy bed of quinoa. While it perhaps wasn’t the best beet salad we’ve ever had, we appreciated how tender the beets were and loved the presentation, which resembled a living garden on the plate. 

This mystical sort of plating continued as we were presented with our entrees. In a city where tiny plates of perfectly styled food are the norm, Mythology sets itself apart with grandeur and abstractly beautiful dishes. Tom’s beef ribs were served on a large steel plate with a giant trident on top. 

 

Subtlety may be lacking, but there’s no denying this is a fun way to eat. The ribs themselves, arranged almost haphazardly on the plate, were full of flavor and offered a variety of textures from the addition of shishito peppers and crunchy cashews. 

 

We were somewhat less impressed by my sea scallops entree. The flavors leaned a little too far toward the sweet side with the kabocha squash puree and red grapes. Where presentation was a high point in other dishes, there was something off-putting about the limp oyster mushrooms strewn about the plate.  

 

This one minor snafu didn’t deter us for long, considering we still had dessert to come. We could not pass up the unique-sounding “coffee and tea” option, which turned out to be the perfect his and hers dessert. 

 

On the left, a decadent iced coffee pot de creme was Tom’s ideal sweet. And because I am not a fan of coffee-infused desserts, I more or less took over the iced tea creme brûlée, which was light and airy with the most delicate crunch. We split the anise seed cookie, wholeheartedly agreeing that this is one of the best desserts we’ve had in DC in a long time. 

After dessert, we took a sneak peek of the upstairs lounge, Lore. While it sadly wasn’t open at the time of our visit, this space will be perfect for a post-dinner drink in a more intimate atmosphere. 

 

Image Cred: Jim Folliard

 The Lore lounge is now open Thursdays through Saturdays. If you’re looking for a one-stop date spot, Mythology and Lore are excellent choices. The quirky decor will provide great conversation starters on a first date or allow for a little silliness if you’ve maybe one too many run-of-the-mill date night dinners. Whatever you do, don’t miss out of the frites or the “coffee and tea” dessert.