Opening this week: Organic food served with blynk speed
Slated to open at 200 S. Tryon St. this week is blynk, a breakfast-lunch “lounge” focusing on organic and health foods, served with speed (eat-in or takeout) in a contemporary setting, and aimed at business folk.
Green practices include 100-percent recyclable boxes for box lunches, compostable cups and utensils, hybrid delivery vehicles and interior design that features bamboo floors and energy-saving lighting. Cofounder and president Karl Purkarthofer wants “to inform people about what we're doing and how they can contribute to preserve resources and protect the environment.”
The menu ranges from sandwiches such as diced grilled chicken with organic curry yogurt on organic seven-grain and flax seed bread, to salads and wraps, using about 80 percent organic ingredients, according to blynk. Desserts include organic chocolate raspberry mousse. Organic baked goods, coffees, teas and juices will also be available.
Flat-panel screens in the restaurant display nutrition and green living info.
www.blynk.com; 704-522-3750.
Taste of New South preview
Gallery Restaurant (at Ballantyne Resort) will present a Taste of the New South dinner Nov. 10 at the James Beard House in New York, and will offer a preview dinner at home this Thursday.
Among the five-course menu items from executive chef Kirk Gilbert and chef de cuisine J. Kelly Morrow, with Childress wines, are housemade cheeses and charcuterie, a duo of barbecue-glazed squab breast with Grateful Growers ham hocks, and pot-au-feu.
Cost of the Charlotte meal is $85; 704-248-4100. If you're interested in the Beard dinner ($165 for nonmembers), call 212-627-2308.
‘Beastly Ribs' at speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway, called the Beast of the Southeast, has added “Beastly Ribs” to its food lineup (offered by Levy Restaurants) for this weekend's racing.
The beef ribs come with a sauce made with the hot pepper known as the Red Savina, said to be the world's hottest pepper, and racegoers who order them will have to sign a waiver acknowledging they understand what they're getting into.
Yes, they're kidding about requiring the waiver, but the ribs do come with “cooling agents” of milk and cheese. If you down the ribs, you get a special commemorative button.
Get a taste of Charleston
Longitude 81 (971 Gold Hill Road in Fort Mill) now offers “Taste of Charleston” weekends, with an a la carte menu and four-course tasting menu. Fare varies from week to week, but among planned fare are blackeyed pea soup with grilled andouille sausage; oyster stew; marinated, wood-grilled quail; benne-seared tuna; and more. 803-802-9981.
A new chef, menu, shop
Nolia (366 N. Caswell St.) has a new chef: Joshua Rosenbaum, a Johnson & Wales grad with experience at Maine's Chebeague Island Inn and Doubletree at Gateway Village, who also worked as chef consultant for blynk (see above). He's planning Monday night beer dinners with three courses paired with different beers; Tuesday night wine dinners; and more. 704-376-1515; www.nolia restaurant.com.
Among the items on the new menu at Pewter Rose (1820 South Blvd.) are bison burger and bison steak, veggie burger with tofu, and braised shortribs.
Conrad Hunter of the Wine Shop at Foxcroft says the new shop is now open at RiverGate, though there's still tweaking being done.
Tavern to open today
The Red Lion Tavern is slated to open today at Ayrsley Town Center, 2127 Ayrsley Town Center Blvd., off York Road near I-77 and I-485. The design was inspired by European pubs and includes a 62-foot bar that was shipped from England and assembled inside the restaurant.
Billed as a “gastropub,” the tavern offers white cheddar soup made with Guinness Stout, jumbo lump crabcakes with corn remoulade and fried pickles. Traditional pub fare includes bangers and mash, fish and chips and duck shepherd's pie. Open for lunch and dinner daily. www.redlionnc .com.
This story was originally published October 9, 2008 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Opening this week: Organic food served with blynk speed."