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Business & Tech

Setting the Food Bar High

The creators of Blu American Eatery and Sugo Trattoria get ready to present their next project

By next Monday, Lori Shea will be up to her elbows in salad.

The creator of Petaluma restaurants ,  and New York Subs (now, Super Subs) in Petaluma has turned her attention to making what is traditionally a starter into the main course.

Shea plans to open Food Bar, a restaurant that will create an entire menu around salads, using knowledge she's gleaned from opening seven other restaurants in Petaluma since 1978.

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“It’s a combination of all the different places we’ve done,” Shea said. “It’s fast-casual.”

Food Bar, located at 139 Petaluma Blvd. North and which will open on Aug. 29, operates similar to a sandwich shop, except the salad is the main course and not pushed to the side of the plate. Customers order from the counter and choose up to five ingredients out of 20 to put in their salads. The server will put the leafy greens together with the customer's choice of dressing and then deliver the entree to the table.

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While the salad will be a main course, Shea also plans to have a few light sandwiches as well as a mix of different hot foods, like lasagnas, pastas and even some Asian noodles, but those sides may change by the day or week. Shea hopes to keep prices for lunch between $7 and $11, which should be a great price point for cash-strapped families in this economy.

“When you’re in a recession, and if you open a new place, the prices have to be reasonable,” said Angelo Sacerdote, who owns nearby Petaluma Pie Company that opened last December.

Sacerdote likes the idea behind Food Bar, which takes over the space from Lombardi's Downtown Deli, and views the restaurant and nearby eateries, like Della Fattoria, Thai Ginger Bistro, Lala’s Creamery and Starbucks, as complimenting one another.

“None of us are in a competition here,” said Angelo Sacredote or Petaluma Pie Company. “The more the merrier.”

Expect a relaxed, contemporary décor to the restaurant when it opens next week. Even passersby Sarah Campbell, Bruce Glidewell and their dog Singer couldn’t help but poking their heads in.

“We always eat downtown, so any restaurant that gives you a no-meat option is good,” Campbell said. “As someone with food allergies, if I am able to pick my own food, it’s a lot safer.”

Food Bar plans to open Monday, August 29.

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