The first thing to know about the Bureau is that it's a bar. Yes, there's food. And some of it's quite good. But if you go there hungry, particularly on the weekend or late in the evening, be prepared for a few frustrations — such as service that's sometimes more friendly than efficient and an ambitious menu that's liable to promise a bit more than it delivers (and have items quickly deleted).
That said, the sprawling Edgewood Avenue storefront space — with a connecting gallery upstairs called the Art Department and a downstairs rumpus room equipped with a billiard table, big-screen TV and leather couches — offers playfully stylish surroundings.
ARTS AND CRAFTS: The Bureau is a collaboration among four friends, Blake Everett, Chris Lopez, Blair Muessle and Anton Uys, who have worked in the bar business at places like 97 Estoria and the Standard. The name has no specific meaning, says Everett, but the concept comes from the partners' collective backgrounds — basically, they wanted a place where they could hang out at the bar and still have a decent meal. Indeed, much of the artfully crafted interior has the look of a rustic men's club, with lots of exposed brick, stout wooden beams and burnished floors.
One recent night, the street-level bar and dining area were crowded with the overflow from a party at the gallery. In the basement, smokers and drinkers gathered at the concrete, U-shaped bar, downing beers and shooters while smaller groups of diners hunkered down at a few high-top tables around the perimeter.
CHANGES DAILY: Chef Jay Clark, who once worked with Shaun Doty at the now defunct MidCity Cuisine, creates a changing daily menu, divided into four categories: finger foods, plates, entrees, and desserts. So far, most of the staples tend toward modern pub and hearty brasserie-style cooking. Deviled eggs with assorted toppings, chopped chicken liver on toast, and lamb chops with pipérade are typical of the small bites.
Among the plates, buttery bibb lettuce comes dressed with bits of goat cheese and dates. What's described as "osso buco shepherd pie" is a tasty but puzzling melange of meat and gravy topped with soupy whipped potatoes, crispy fried sweetbreads, and leafy green pea tips.
Entrees include a house-ground burger with Jack cheese and frites, and braised lamb shank with potato mousseline and brussels sprouts. A Painted Hills natural flatiron steak is served up in juicy slices, with sweet onions and roasted fingerling potatoes — but for $25, it comes off as a bit dear for the venue.
Desserts range from the tried and true, simple chocolate pot de crème, to the willfully weird "Elvis Crepes," with banana cream, peanut sauce and sweet pork belly. Clark is now doing lunch weekdays and brunch on Sundays.
AT A GLANCE
• Signature dish: Menu changes daily
• Entree prices: $12-$25
• Hours: Dinner: 5:30-11 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 5:30 -10 p.m. Sundays. Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Brunch: 12:30-3 p.m. Sundays. Bar open late.
• Reservations: For parties of six or more
• Credit cards: Yes
• Online: thebureaubar.com
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