Swapping Law for Grilled Cheese

After decades of practicing law and heading his own law firm, Bruce J. Klores and Associates, Bruce Klores is realizing his dream: opening a grilled cheese restaurant. Yesterday, we got a first look inside of GCDC.

GCDC will serve gourmet grilled cheese, cheese plates, tomato soup, and crispy tater tots by day, and convert to a wine—plus cheese, charcuterie, beer, and cocktail—bar by night. (The crispy tots were the brainchild of Adrian Fenty, who worked for Bruce's law firm after leaving the mayor's office.) While the snow swirled around us, we snapped Bruce and the restaurant crew: his son and co-owner Steven Klores, GM Doug Abedje, and cheesemonger Sophie Slesinger. GCDC will open at 1730 Penn Ave in March.

Behind the long bar in the 2,100 SF space, you may spot recently retired Senior Judge Natalia Combs Greene, who's a foodie and has agreed to guest bartend once a week. You'll also find chefs creating sandwiches ranging from the Grilled Carbonara--Gruyere, goat cheese, leeks, and pancetta--to the Montadito--manchego, spicy chorizo, red peppers, and roasted chili peppers. One week a month, in a nod to the proximity of the World Bank, a different country will be spotlighted, with its native sandwiches, cheeses, and beverages on sale.

Bruce tells us the restaurant concept came to him several years ago, after tasting a delicious grilled cheese in San Francisco. He's still doing legal work from his Dupont office, but says he'll be drawing down cases and plans to finish in the next year and a half or so. For now, his office basement has also been a test kitchen (until the one at GCDC is finished), with four fridges and a high-speed convection oven.