Teddy & the Bully Bar 10.03.2013


Oh, DC is a depressing place right now.  The government shutdown has left loads of people at home twiddling their thumbs, all the museums are closed, and fortheloveofgod! the National's Zoo's baby panda cam is turned off.  What!?  And even the scenic overlooks up and down long stretches of parkway are closed to people needing some damn scenery.  

While I am not a government worker, I feel the pain of this situation (mainly because it is idiotic) and have been doing my best to cook fine food and dine with good friends to keep from getting so irate that I cannot think straight.  And until Congress gets it's shit together, I'll be dining like a mad woman, and feeding friends who are no longer going into an office and have no idea when they will be going into an office.

I was meeting a friend for lunch downtown, and asked David Smelson of the blog Pleasures of the Table for a recommendation.  He suggested Teddy & the Bully Bar near Dupont Circle.  

Completely designed (both in its menu and its aesthetics) around the whims and loves of President Teddy Roosevelt, Teddy & the Bully Bar serves up small plates and excellent service.  Executive Chef Michael Hartzer (previously of Jack Rose, Citronelle, and IndeBleu) has plenty of game on the menu but there also is plenty of greenery and other diversions.

My friend Kim ordered the Teddy hamburger, and whenever someone orders a hamburger, I immediately want a hamburger.  But I resisted:  I started with the cured meats (so yummy), followed by the peaches and goat cheese salad (completely satisfying).  We both drank a glass of Cava (Mont Marcal, Brut Reserva, 2009) with our meal.



There are three selections under the cured meets and I chose the Proscuitto Rosso (Iowa) and the Salametto Piccante (California).   They arrived on a wooden tray with toasted bread.  I thought I would be in love with the proscuitto, but I loved the salametto more -- spicy and meaty.  The proscuitto seemed a little dry, as if it had been sitting out for a while.



The salad was delicious:  Maryland peaches and goat cheese crumbles on artisan field greens with mache (corn salad) and croutons.  The peaches were cooked and a great compliment to the greens and goat cheese.  

When I had arrived, Kim recommended going into the ladies room to see the following massive photo -- very I-will-take-my-lady.  We ate outside because these are the last warm days before the cold days of late fall and winter arrive, but next time I'm eating in the dining room, which is minimalist and elegant, as is the bar area. 


Teddy & The Bully Bar
1200 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC

202-872-8700



  




Missed yesterday's scintilating post about how to talk to a Jehovah's Witness about sexy time?  It's not too late...read it HERE.

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