by Kyle Tonniges

* Carnivores have yet another option for burgers — Blanc Burgers & Bottles, a chain based in Prairie Village, Kansas, recently opened at Midtown Crossing. The centerpiece of the restaurant’s menu is their gourmet burgers, which incorporate ingredients like Wagyu and Kobe beef, with fancy-schmancy toppings like foie gras butter and house-made pickles. Those who aren’t fans of red meat will appreciate burgers with mahi-mahi, slow-cooked pork, grilled portabellas and even a lentil burger, all with equally creative toppings. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For more information call 502.3686. * Another Midtown Crossing restaurant, Ingredient, will open a second location around Valentine’s Day. The restaurant will be in the former California Pizza Kitchen location at 10317 Pacific St. in One Pacific Place. * Last week the folks at the USDA updated their Food Environment Atlas on their web site, allowing visitors to check out their local food environment by county. You can check residents’ proximity to grocery stores, what they’re eating and all sorts of dorky food data. What do they say about Douglas County? Well, there was a 43 percent increase in the number of superstores and club stores from 2007-08, a 26 percent drop in convenience stores, a 4 percent rise in fast food restaurants (which totaled 409 in 2008) and an annual consumption of approximately 66 gallons of soft drinks per person in 2006. Maybe that’s why we’re seeing all those billboards encouraging us to lose weight. For all these stats and more, way more, surf to ers.usda.gov/foodatlas/.

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