BLK MKT Eats will open next month in Midtown

A new eatery with a flair for worldwide flavors and an interest in healthy eats will arrive at 9 S. Vandeventer Ave., Midtown. Co-founders Kati Fahrney and Ron Turigliatto are looking at a late August opening for BLK MKT Eats.

The restaurant will bring flavors from around the world to burrito-sized sushi rolls and bowls. The fast-casual restaurant will feature raw fish options like a poke roll (the Shaka Spirit) or the Swedish Fish, which pairs Scandinavian-cured salmon with yuzu slaw and lemon-spiked asparagus. The menu offerings also include organic tofu, buttermilk fried chicken and veggies.

“We have flavor profiles for everybody,” Turigliatto said.

The 1,000-square-foot space will be primarily carryout, but there 14 seats are available for dining in. Turigliatto said they hope to offer a late-night option for hungry diners and college students.

“We’ve always been foodies at heart,” Turigliatto said. “We wanted to bring flavors to St. Louis that people aren’t used to.”

This is their first foray into the restaurant scene, but both Fahrney and Turigliatto are passionate home cooks with a penchant for traveling and teaching others. Fahrney recently returned from a trip to Korea and Taiwan, and Turigliatto, a former brand ambassador for Deschutes Brewing and special education teacher, spent summers teaching children with autism how to cook and expand their palates.

“We’ve always loved cooking and getting in the kitchen and being home chefs,” Turigliatto said. “The opportunity presented itself to take it to the next level.”

Curious consumers can get a taste of what’s to come when BLK MKT Eats pops up on July 21 at 7 p.m. in Tower Grove Park shop during a screening of “The Big Lebowski.” Tickets available online.

Micki Wagner is an editorial intern at Sauce Magazine.