A WELCOME ADDITION to the outer loop, chef Aaron Bludorn's new Hedwig Village tavern is packed nightly with coworkers, couples and families.

With Bar Bludorn, he's put the cooking in the hands of head chef Alexandra Pena, who you’ll spot in the shiny open kitchen. Our first visit ushered in punchy flavors of mostly classics with some twists — like carrot-ginger soup with fresh and candied ginger, a Wagyu short rib Rueben sandwich on housemade bread we would gladly eat daily, and green pea hummus singing with fresh garlic (order extra pita bread, it’s that good!).

Expect a wide range of entrees, including a beautiful Ora King salmon filet with yogurt-dill sauce; tender steak frites draped in au poivre vert; and roasted duck with mango and yam. Fried chicken gussied up with peanut-butter gravy, mashed potatoes and collard greens is a popular option, and of course there’s a towering tavern burger. But one of the best dishes is homemade tortellini: so perfectly al dente with a unique artichoke stuffing and garnish of bright tomato confit and lemon zest. Addictive.

The handsome, softly lit and intimate restaurant has a timeless clubby look, while still being everyday-comfy. Although it is a bar and restaurant, according to the team, its design concept is somewhat of an extension of the spacious bar at Bludorn restaurant in Montrose. The new tavern is located in the nondescript, red-brick rectangular building previously home to Jonathan's the Rub. Walls between the adjacent tenants were all knocked down, and Bar Bludorn is one giant open-concept space.

Planning to pop in without a reservation? The bar area typically fills up daily by 5:30pm, so advanced planning is recommended to snag a coveted dining-room table. Cheers!

Tortellini at Bar Bludorn (photo by Lauren Holub)

Lemon-ricotta ice cream sandwich (photo by Caroline Fontenot)

Bar Bludorn (photo by Claudia Casbarian)