Before Lent, anyway. Then Tracy is going to roll out the Fish Fridays in honor of the season. In the meantime, most of the usual suspects showed up for locally raised, humanely slaughtered, slow-cooked and thinly sliced beef on Kate Jansen’s home-made Kemmelweck rolls, topped with deep-fried olives and with horseradish, caramelized onions, sour cream and au juice on the side.

We might have talked about the Russian intervention in Ukraine, but I do not recall. I do know that John-with noted the new term of art being used at Foggy Bottom, which is “Uncontested Arrival.”

I said it was better than Leading From Behind, and marveled at what the language has become. John-With got his sandwich to go, and disappeared into the night. Jon-without and TLB had theirs at the bar.

The Master Chief was there for his monthly fix.

Old Jim does not indulge in the sandwich (he prefers the tuna sliders which are not on the menu for some seasonal mystery), nor did I, but the place was jammed and the joint was jumping. The new $10 bar lunch is a huge hit, and owner and executive chef Tracy O’Grady stopped by to say that the savory meat loaf (Mondays) and the rest of the weekly line-up would stay for a month, and then she would swap out the menu. It is really good to see the place alive with activity.

TLB talks to Heather 2, who came by to chat with the usual’s and has a new look- lighter and feathered around the bangs.

Jerry the Barrister retailed us with legal tales, and Bryan and Ann Marie were there in time to get a little table over in the Fish and Wildlife area, which had been occupied by newcomers eager to get a taste of Buffalo. There was no regulatory response from F&W, which seemed like a real possibility for a moment.

A grand time was had by all, and just in time for Lent to begin. And after that, the March Madness and The Masters and maybe this gawdawful winter will go into the books.

Another storm coming Monday. I probably should have got a Beef on Weck to go like John-With did to tide me over.

Copyright 2014 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303