Suddenly Erratic Wicked Bloom Turns to Impossible Burgers for Help

Struggling Bloomingdale bar Wicked Bloom is hitting the reset button for the second time in just a few months, this time swapping the global plates it introduced a few weeks back for a mish-mash of barbecue, Mexican fare, and trendy plant-based patties known as the Impossible Burger.

The three-year-old neighborhood bar has been closed for over a week in order to implement the replacement menu; it plans to unveil the updated lineup of smoked wings, tacos, burgers, loaded pork rinds, and sandwiches next week.

“We are transitioning into what I would say is a resurgence of our brand,” Scott Jacobs, co-owner of parent company Southeast Restaurant Group, tells Eater. Late last year, Bourbon Steak head bartender Torrence Swain and pop-up dining vet Johanna Hellrigl were hired to consult on the drinks and food, respectively.

“They did a great job but we wanted to get back in there and recapture the space and Wicked Bloom’s essence,” Jacobs says. “We took a risk on the area and we want to give back to a neighborhood that’s given us so much.”

Older sibling Dcity Smokehouse originally debuted in 2013 with a handful of counter seats and soon became known as one of the city’s top barbecue destinations. The smoked meats mecca relocated to 203 Florida Avenue NW a year ago and just tacked on a patio seating component.

Its one-time sole supplier of food, Dcity will resume feeding Wicked Bloom barbecue favorites including its Big Snoop half-smoke sausage ($10) topped with pulled pork, coleslaw, barbecue sauce, and crispy onions.