Among the many new businesses now occupying the grandly renovated Revolution Cotton Mill, a Greensboro historic landmark, resides a delightful cafe and bakery helmed by Tracy Furman Lamothe, former chef and proprietor of Rivas. That downtown full-service restaurant serving authentic Italian pasta dishes achieved much acclaim, and now the chef is using her considerable skills to offer daily breakfast and lunch fare at incredibly reasonable prices. And there's also catering and cooking classes coming from this space in the mill.
Open the door to the cafe, and you immediately notice a glass-enclosed case full of muffins pastries, and slices of quiche. Customers are greeted with a cheery hello from behind the counter, where orders are placed. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads and a daily soup, which on the day of our visit was a corn chowder, lightly seasoned with fresh-tasting tender kernels in a creamy broth. The current sandwich menu, consisting of seven choices, pairs several cheeses with four of the items, Turkey with Brie; Rosemarie Ham with gruyere; Posciutto Caprese with fresh mozzarella; and Buffalo Chicken with Gorgonzola dressing. I selected the Caprese (minus the prosciutto), which in addition to the mozzarella contains sliced tomato and basil, and is served on a choice of whole wheat or white baguette. The full-flavored multigrain whole wheat bread, from Tribeca in New York, was perfect for this combination. Salad options, all with tomatoes and cucumbers, are Garden Salad; Spinach Salad, with mushrooms, hard boiled egg, red onion and pecans; traditional Greek Salad with olives, feta and red onion; Kale Salad with walnuts, pumpkin seeds and craisins (our choice, with a celery paprika dressing). The kale, like many of the ingredients, is from a local farm. A mouth-watering Key Lime bite-sized tartlet finished the meal.
The food is made to order with sandwiches and salads served in clear plastic snap-lid containers, a convenience for the many patrons who apparently opt for takeout. But I'd be happy with a paper plate for dining in, which we did on this occasion. The sparse but sparkling clean dining room, with a soaring ceiling and large windows that invite the sun to shine in, has seating for about eight but room to add a few more.
Blue Spoon is a perfect place for a quick lunch when you have to get back to work, where the service is friendly and accommodating, and the healthful fresh food is carefully crafted. Not to mention the many snack offerings (cookies, pound cake, cup cakes, apple turnovers and more) you can order with coffee or local custom-blended Tea Hugger tea. The chef and her staff welcome suggestions from customers, as the menu is subject to change.
There is much to recommend about the service, the food and charming location. And if you have the time, wander through the vast old mill corridors once used for spinning cotton but now full of salons and office spaces and countless artworks. read more
