Bar Hygge - Come For Beers, Not Blankets
In today's post, we welcome back guest contributor M, whom you may remember from her evocative review of City Works. Thanks M!
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I went to Spring Garden’s Bar Hygge on a chilly fall evening, eagerly awaiting a cozy meal with friends. I didn’t research the restaurant extensively prior to dinner, and therefore crafted a picture of what I expected from anything involving the word hygge - candles, throw blankets, a warm beverage or glass of wine, a gentle fire. For those new to the term, hygge is a Danish word describing a feeling of joy and comfort. Besides the name, Bar Hygge does not proclaim to be Danish themed in any way. Their menu, full of vaguely shareable “Hygge Boards” and a range of entrees from burgers to mussels is considered New Contemporary American.
I liked Bar Hygge, but didn't love it. Its atmosphere, food, and the more interesting house brewed beer kept me somewhat interested. Perhaps I am spoiled by a recent trip to Scandinavia, where I experienced hygge to its fullest. Breakfasts and dinners glowed with candlelight, and comfortable chairs were always draped with blankets. Scandinavia can produce dismal and rainy days, so this concept of hygge is necessary to transform ones mindset from dark and dreary to comfortable and content. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that Bar Hygge is dark and dreary, but a few string lights and a squash still life do not live up to my definition of hygge. To be fair, an industrial style brew pub is a difficult space to mold into something warm and fuzzy.
The only unique aspect of Bar Hygge had to be the house made brews. We tried the Lemon Meringue IPA, the Leaf Peeper Golden Saison, and the Grinding Grooves Gotlandstricka to name a few. The beers were good enough that we had several rounds, with no temptation to try cocktails or wine. The beer comes from the brewpub within Bar Hygge, Brewery Techne, from the owners of Earth Bread + Brewery in Mount Airy.
To pair with our satisfying beers, we ordered a 5 piece “Hygge Board”. We had charred octopus, Maria’s Arepas with house made chorizo (my favorite), sweet potato croquettes, pork speck, and roasted heirloom carrots with a few slices of bread that I could never reach at the other end of the long board. The small bites I had from the small portions presented were not easily shareable. For $30, it would’ve been nice to experience the dishes more fully. I had half of a tiny croquette with a delicious crispy shell filled with sweet potato. I ate a nibble of octopus, sitting upon a crunchy contrasting salad of chickpeas and pomegranates. Even if we had been two rather than four people sharing this board, I would’ve still felt the portions teasingly small.
The service was slow; they seemed in a rush at the end of the night to move us out, though not sure why because a group of people were collecting at the bar. We made it through to our entrees, still hungy after the “Hygge Board” morsels. The brie and broccoli rabe grilled cheese sounded tasty, and paired with a supposedly gin infused roasted tomato soup, did provide me with a transitory moment of hygge. The warm crunch of the perfectly buttered, toasted bread dripping in brie and dipped in soup made me glad I ordered it. However, the broccoli rabe could’ve used a few more chops on the cutting board, as it wasn’t the most easy meal to eat gracefully. The burger was cooked well but lacked that special something. Our friends ordered the fries and beer steamed mussels, and again, I failed to find a special je ne sais quoi.
There were three distinct spaces within Bar Hygge: the rather plain dining area where we ate, the bar which seemed lively as we were leaving at 11pm on a Saturday night, and a side room where I spied sofas and perhaps a slightly more cozy environs. Perhaps I’ll have to return to this section of Bar Hygge for an appetizer and a beer before heading to dinner elsewhere. Though I hoped to be transported back to the hygge moments and meals I had in Scandinavia and I would’ve loved more candlelight, I was in the company of good people, and that is in itself: hygge.
TL;DR - Visit Bar Hygge for a house brewed beer and a bite with friends, but don’t make a big dinner out of it or expect hygge - BYO hygge to make it worth the trip.
