where jess ate

When was the last time you had a pop tart? Along with a whole bunch of other American comfort food classics, this DC diner specializes in making these childhood favourites in-house.

After Mike and I arrived in DC in the morning, we took a stroll down 14^th street and ended up at Ted’s Bulletin (@TedsBULLETIN) for brunch. I was surprised by how large the space was. It features a separate bar area and take-out area for grabbing baked goods like cookies, doughnuts and Pop Tarts to go.

Further down the space, you’ll find the enormous dining area.  I loved the old-school feel of the place which features a long diner-esque counter down one side of the restaurant. It was surprisingly packed on a Friday so I can imagine just how chaotic it would be on a weekend.

We arrived just past 11am and thankfully, their breakfast menu is served all day. The menu, which is printed like a newspaper is incredibly extensive. Their menu is divided into breakfast, lunch (soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers) and supper which consists of comfort food classics like buttermilk country fried steak, three cheese lasagna and meatloaf. Both lunch and supper items are available starting at 11am.

Ted’s Bulletin also has quite the selection of milkshakes, including adult milkshakes (aka alcoholic milkshakes). There were some tempting options including s’mores, PB&J and apple pie but the one that caught our eye was the Peanut Butter, Chocolate & Banana Milkshake ($6.49). They sure know how to make a milkshake here. This is one of my favourite combination of flavours and it didn’t disappoint. So wonderfully creamy with bits of peanuts mixed in… absolutely delicious!

Mike and I both shared one order which they split into two cups for us. It was more than enough – I can’t imagine finishing an entire milkshake myself. I’d be in a serious sugar coma.

For my meal, I chose the The Walk of Shame Breakfast Burrito – sirloin steak, scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheddar & green chile sauce ($12.29).

The white flour tortilla was stuffed full of deliciousness and I particularly enjoyed the green chile sauce which topped it all. While the sauce could’ve used a bit more of a kick, it was still a home run for me.

Mike went with the T.U.B.S. (Teds Ultimate Breakfast Sammy) – Texas toast, fried egg, scrambled egg, sausage, bacon & cheddar ($9.79). It was essentially a grilled cheese filled with eggs (2 ways), sausage and bacon. I loved that they included both a fried egg and scrambled eggs. The fried egg had that nice runny yolk which coated the sandwich and the scrambled eggs gave it more substance. It was a solid breakfast sandwich but the breakfast burrito won my heart.

For dessert, we ended off with a Blueberry Cheesecake Pop Tart. Let me start by saying that I wasn’t a fan of pop tarts growing up. I felt compelled to try one anyway given that it’s their specialty. Sadly, this pop tart didn’t change my mind. The filling was enjoyable but I just don’t really like that pop tart pastry. I’d only recommend ordering one of these if you were a fan of them as a kid.

Even though their pop tarts didn’t change my mind about them, I still had a great meal at Ted’s Bulletin. We came hungry and their breakfast sure hit the spot!

At a glance:
• Serving up American comfort food classics
• Breakfast is served all day; lunch and supper menus start at 11am
• 2 locations: 14th street (covered in this post) and Capitol Hill
• Large restaurant with an old school diner feel; plenty of seating but it gets busy
• Highlights: breakfast burrito and peanut butter chocolate & banana milkshake
• Famous for their house-made pop tarts

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars