Herbalist Andrew Krull and baker Kristin Wheelock opened Bloom Cafe this week with a focus on fresh flavors.
The cafe along Camino del Rio in the Albertsons parking lot offers sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts.
Its Kull’s sixth restaurant. Most recently, he ran Zest in Denver, a restaurant and bar that served comfort foods, like steak and lasagna. He put together a new menu for his venture in Durango.
“It’s good food that’s going to do good for you,” he said.
For example, the Bloom’s Artichoke Delight Sandwich, served with tomatoes, feta, pesto and greens, promotes a healthy liver.
While several of the sandwiches are vegetarian, customers have the option to add chicken, turkey, salmon and ham.
All sandwiches can be ordered with gluten-free bread as well.
Krull brings his expertise as an herbalist to his teas, such as ginger-mint limeade and lavender lemon.
Wheelock bakes organic bread and desserts. She developed her craft at home in Vermont and ran Mountain Girl Bakery in Georgetown before moving to Durango.
It is a more European style of baking that is not heavy on the sugar.
“You actually taste the flavors in the baked goods, so you taste the butter and the lavender in the cookies,” she said.
She also uses organic sugar in her coconut macaroons to give them a tang.
Krull, who ran a health center down in Florida, sells his own line of herbal teas and tinctures at the restaurant.
Sandwich prices range from $8 to $13 and salads are between $6 to $14.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
