The classics are cool forever, and a new downtown Cary restaurant is breathing new life into timeless American dishes.
Lloyd’s Full Service opens its doors for the first time Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 107 E. Chatham St., in Cary, reviving one of the town’s most recognizable buildings — a former service station dating back more than 70 years.
Lloyd’s is the latest project from Early Bird Night Owl, the hospitality wizards behind boutique hotels like The Durham and Cary’s Mayton Inn.
Steering the Lloyd’s kitchen is Dennis Bernard, who spent years in some of the top restaurants in Chicago, including Blackbird and The Publican, where he was regarded as one of the city’s best chef de cuisines.
“We’re thrilled to have found a chef of Dennis’s pedigree and talent. His dynamic, seasonally-inspired menus offer guests a reason to come back often,” said Craig Spitzer, founder and chief executive officer of Early Bird Night Owl, in a news release. “Chef Dennis’s bright, vibrant approach to cooking perfectly reflects our intention to carry on Lloyd’s legacy as the cheerful place on the corner.”
The Lloyd’s menu touches on many of the classic dishes from the American restaurant canon, with creative twists. The opening menu includes an updated Seafood Cocktail, with a bit of habanero heat, tomato and burrata with mint and pistachios and airy Milk Bread with salted sweet butter. There are larger dishes like linguine with clams, a crispy pork schnitzel with fennel and mustard greens and a restaurant-level Breakfast for Dinner, with glazed pork belly, a poached egg and potato pave…