Bluto’s brings tastes of the Mediterranean to Mississippi

Katie RainwateR Staff wRiteR

At the former Humble Taco location on University Drive, a new restaurant enters the Starkville culinary scene. The flavors of Bluto’s Greek Tavern are something to behold.

My two friends and I arrived at Bluto’s Friday around 4:45 p.m., the night after the restaurant’s grand opening. We came in with high expectations, and we were not disappointed.

My first step into the restaurant foretold what my experience would be; the atmosphere was buzzing, yet intimate. The blue and white walls resembled the villages of Santorini, or so I have been told.

Immediately, we were seated and ordered the $6 Pita Mozz as our appetizer. Within minutes, our server delivered the warm, cheesy, doughy pita bread and homemade "Granch" dressing on the side.

We each ate two to three

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On Russell Street, a new gift shop held its ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.

Best friends Alicia Harwell and Morgan Stonecypher said they opened Two Flamingos’ doors on Nov. 1 after dreaming of owning a business together. Harwell said the duo saw a need for an affordable gift shop in Starkville and wanted to fill that gap.

Last Thursday afternoon, their friends and family, local shoppers and Greater Starkville Development Partnership ambassadors gathered around the store’s displays of jewelry, wedding gifts, men’s toiletries, Valentine’s Day- slices of the pita, and the dressing’s texture felt like a combination of Greek and ranch dressing (I wonder if that is how they got the name).

We flipped the menu over to find an extensive cocktail list titled “Nectar of the Gods,” so we knew we were in for a good time. They offered both tried-and-true and original cocktails, but we were excited to see three different types of 40-ounce Fish Bowl cocktails joining the ranks.

Ah, the Fish Bowl. A mixture of spirits (typically vodka and/or rum) and fruity flavors in a fish bowl-shaped container with sour candies floating throughout. A fan favorite among college students that are sold at a numerous bars around Starkville.

We tried both the Finish It Flounder and the “Delta Punch” Fish Bowls, priced at $12 each and presented to us with dry ice smoking from the surface.

The Finish It Flounder themed accessories, kitchenware and colorful candles.

“We picked out things that we like (for the store),” Harwell said, “things that we think that nobody else in town has, things we think everybody else would like … what would be fun, girly stuff.”

The owners explained how they created the eccentric title for their business.

“We came up with the name together, just brainstorming,” Harwell said. “We wanted something cute and girly, and so, we thought about flamingos and how pretty they are, and there’s two of us.”

Harwell and her husband also own Tough Guys Haircuts in Stark - contained coconut rum, vodka, melon, lemon, pineapple and apple-ring gummies. This green goddess of a drink was our favorite. The Delta Punch contained vodka, rum, soda, watermelon, lemon and sour watermelon gummies. It was not as good as the Finish It Flounder, but we still drank every last drop.

An unexpected winner ville, while Stonecypher manages a home health agency. The gift store's owners call Eupora, Mississippi, home, and Stonecypher currently resides in Starkville.

The Two Flamingos team experienced its first Christmas season shortly after opening the shop. Harwell said the community support during the holidays was “better than (she) expected.”

Stonecypher and Harwell noted their bestsellers.

“The So Delta candles have been great,” Stonecypher said. “Made in Greenville (Mississippi) … tons of earrings, anything girly you can think of, pink and frilly.”

The shop also sells high-quality accessory brands, Ronaldo and of the night was the Smoked Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo. It was earthy, tangy, comforting to eat and only $4.

For our entrees, we opted to try three gyros out of the 17 they offered. I ordered the Santorini gyro containing pork belly, onions, lettuce, french fries and tzatziki. The pork was remarkably tender.

Ella Stein.

“We also have Ella Stein jewelry, which is real diamonds, and they’re affordable, so that has done very well for us,” Stonecypher said.

Resident Cyndi Brown attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and browsed the shop’s selection afterward. Brown said she came to support her longtime friend, Harwell, in her new business adventure.

“Well, Alicia and I have been best friends for 20something years,” Brown said, “and I mean, we’ve supported each other through thick and thin and still do it. The things that they’ve ordered and got in here is just amazing.”

Brown said she purchased a Lily Pulitzer bag

My first friend ordered the chicken cordon bleu gyro with chicken tenders, ham, grilled mozzarella and honey mustard. She enjoyed the unique flavors but looks forward to trying a different gyro next time.

My other friend ordered the Greek meatball Gyro with meatballs, French fries and pepper jack cheese. The meatballs were massive but a little dry on the inside. The gyros ranged from $12 to $15.

Somehow after all of the food and drinks, we still had room for dessert.

We ordered the fried Oreos; the $5 order came with four Oreos deepfried in batter with a small milk carton on the side. They were good but could have used a little more powdered sugar.

We left Bluto’s content and eager for our next visit. The line extended out the backdoor nearing Commodore Bob’s and the wait time had risen to two hours. People of all ages were excited to try the new Greek restuarant. groups at inexpensive prices.

Bluto’s is unique not only in its menu but in its operating hours. According to Facebook, their current hours are every day from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., atypical for other Starkville restaurants.

The business will most likely benefit from the late hours and limited latenight menu starting around 9 or 10 p.m., as college students are known to have unpredictable eating schedules. The location also works in their favor being less than a 10-minute walk to the Cotton District.

In all, the addition of places like Bluto’s Greek Tavern excites me for what is to come for the Starkville foodie scene. It will quickly become a community staple where everyone will have their go-to gyro, Fish Bowl and appetizer.

The heart and soul of the American-Greek restaurant reflect the unique, yet sincere personality of our college town.

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