BLOOMINGTON — BloNo, located below the floor at 608 N. Principal St. in downtown Bloomington, is this week's “Eats of the Week.”
This full-service vegan and vegetarian restaurant is owned by Cecil and Jackie Gunderson. We started as a meal prep service in Downs in March 2020, but opened as a full-fledged restaurant in downtown Bloomington on June 13, 2022. The facilities include Garcia's Pizza, Flinger's Pizza Pub, Lizard Lounge and Century Flip.
“Native and sustainable is a big part of that. The fare we offer is a separate segment, so it needs to be native and sustainable,” Jackie Gunderson said. “We compost and we recycle. We put very little waste in landfills. So it's a real necessity for us and for running a business.”
Cecil Gunderson moved to Bloomington and started working at Avanti's, eventually working his way up to government chef at Lancaster's, owned by Jean Lancaster, and now owning The Bistro downtown.
The couple have been on a plant-based, meat-free, dairy-free weight loss plan for the past 10 years, ever since Jackie Gunderson's health deteriorated as she grew older and she adopted an elimination diet to determine the cause. . Then, every time they traveled, they needed to go to a Google place where they could eat, so they were impressed with vegan food delivery in Bloomington. Jackie Gunderson said the full menu is like “Christmas” as it offers just that.
She added that Cecil Gunderson's love of cooking meant a lot more to him than just preparing meals, so he thought a full-service kitchen would help.
In addition to her role as restaurant common supervisor, Jackie Gunderson works full time as a procurement supervisor for development and services purchasing at Illinois State University. She can also become president of Penguin Enterprises of McLean County, a theater program for youth and young adults with developmental disabilities.
“We hope that when individuals are available, they will actually feel that this is a place where they are well-protected and where they can derive pleasure from food. ” said Jackie Gunderson. “We also have quite a few allergy-friendly options on our menu, and we take allergens very seriously. So, people who probably don't understand that, quite often, don't understand our Subway capabilities or our products. I’m surprised that so many are gluten-free.”
The fashionable menu gadget embodies monster breakfast burritos, salads, vegan macaroni and cheese, as well as the restaurant's first-ever sandwich, Philadelphia. Breakfast items, available only on weekends, include additional cheese or eggs.
The restaurant's meal preparation menu changes weekly. This allows clients to purchase gadgets to take home in addition to breakfast burritos, biscuits, gravy, and more, or buy gadgets in bulk along with homemade vegan smash sauces. Additionally, the menu includes a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) bowl, with a portion of the proceeds supporting local charities.
The Gunderson family is also working on revamping the menu and adding chicken and shrimp selections for those who feel they may not be able to find what they like on the menu. The adjustments suggest lunch and dinner menus will likely see fewer sandwiches and bowls, and even fewer fake meats and vegetables.
“We love feeding individuals, and we also love making sure that the individual really feels like they're important and that at least the worries of the day melt away just long enough to sit down and eat a good meal.” I love having a place to go,” Jackie Gunderson said. “We do think that food is a trigger for a lot of problems, but once you deliver a group of people and give them a good meal, they're more likely to leave. I really feel like I can overcome it no matter what.”
Beneath the Floor BloNo offers indoor dining, takeout, online ordering, and supplies through DoorDash.
What to do if you go: Under the Floor at BloNo Where: 608 N. Principal St., Bloomington Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Weekend breakfast served from 9-11 a.m. Mobile: 309-212-0333 Website: https://utgblono.com/ or for meal prep orders https://orders.cake.web /11398174
Celebrity Birthdays: July 11 Alessia Cara Bruce McGill Greg Grunberg Jeff Hanna Justin Chambers Kirk Whalum Leesha Hailey Lil' Kim Lisa Rinna Michael Rosenbaum Miguel Cardona Peter Cincotti Stephen Lang
