LYNQ is a restaurant in Fort Myers, FL. The restaurant was opened in the Spring of 2017 by seasoned local restaurateurs Jean Claude Roge and Chris Whitaker. Blanc and Blu Sushi restaurants in Fort Myers are two of their other establishments.
In the dining areas, there are indoor and outdoor options. The restaurant links a number of materials on the patina of their indoor space. Glass, wood, metal in addition to lighting combine well to provide a very pleasant aesthetic. There are even a couple of lounge areas with cushioned sectional seating for more of a linked in experience. On some evenings, a DJ performs linking entertainment with a very eclectic menu drawing from Latin, Asian, American and Latin-Asian cuisines.
Wanting to eat indoors early on a Saturday evening, my dining companion (DC) and I were told there were no available tables. There seemed to be many open tables at that point but that was ok so we were seated outdoors.
We tried to make our menu selections as eclectic as LYNQ’s menu and ordered accordingly. The chefs, restaurateurs, seemed to take a deconstructionist approach with some of their menu items which showed in many of the dishes we ordered.
As a starter, DC and I split their pork belly BLT. Three thick slices of breaded fried green tomatoes, topped with garlic aioli and crispy pork belly. Chopped frisee finished off the dish and served as more of a garnish. I have always been a fool for pork belly and that being said, the dish was excellent. It could easily be a meal for a light eater. Highly recommended.
We then moved onto ordering tacos. Of the many taco flavors offered, we chose short ribs. This menu choice was also excellent, with 3 tacos per order. The tacos were loaded with shredded short rib, topped with pickled cucumber, avocado, red and green onion and hoisin sauce to make them all that more savory. Again, this could be a meal in itself for almost any appetite.
Despite a very nice selection of sushi offerings, we opted to split an order of pork belly ramen. The soup base was beef broth, unusual for ramen. Carrots, green onion, coriander, pork belly, soft boiled egg and of course noodles finished the dish. The boiled egg in this dish was perfection and the pork belly very tasty. Unfortunately, the ramen broth lacked the richness I have experienced with other bowls of ramen. I believe the restaurant’s addition of “5 spice powder” to this dish was an attempt to remedy this and also another unusual ramen ingredient. This menu selection was good, though not as good as other ramen I have had.
DC and I finished up with Whit’s fried chicken. Two chicken breasts, breaded and fried, were served with mashed potatoes and a deconstructed green bean casserole. The chicken serving was interesting. I don’t know if this was done on purpose, but one piece of fried chicken breast was boneless while the other served bone-in. If this was intentional, I thought it was a brilliant idea to accommodate those who like to slice their chicken in addition to diners who prefer to eat their chicken off the bone. The potatoes served here were really good, coarsely mashed with cheese and plenty of butter. The deconstructed green bean casserole was also excellent, the green beans topped with a lovely mushroom sauce and onion rings. The chicken was good, though not the best fried chicken I have had. I found the meat a bit dry, but than I prefer making this dish good instead of a standout.
All in all I found the food at LYNQ good to excellent. Our server was also very good, making multiple trips to our table to accommodate our piece-meal ordering. She was very knowledgeable about the items served to us.
With a very pleasant, hip atmosphere, eclectic menu and entertainment, I think the restaurant will do extremely well. It’s close proximity to Sanibel and Captiva islands should also help the restaurant as it’s the only establishment in it’s class near these two communities.
As Southwest Florida moves into the winter months, I would guess reservations would be necessary if not required to get a table here during peak dining times. I would recommend LYNQ as there is something here for everyone.
It’s a wrap for another post on Forks.
LYNQ
16230 Summerlin Rd. STE 223
Fort Myers, FL 33908
(239)204-9345
LYNQ Facebook page
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