Charleston City Paper by Brys Stephens
"A handful of tables dot the inside and outdoor patio of Black Bean Co.'s tiny Spring Street location, but the bulk of their business is takeout, delivery, and catering. Local art adorns the walls, and proprietor Ellis Grossman keeps the operation green, with energy-efficient lights and biodegradable utensils and vessels. The restaurant's website is cleanly designed and has a streamlined, user-friendly online ordering system. It lets you customize your order with optional additions, subtractions, and sides. It may take a few times to get a feel for the current online menu, but the food is original and appealing.
"Black Bean Co. calls itself Charleston's "premium organic, all natural, speedy service restaurant," specializing in "carry-out, delivery, catering and online ordering of energy food, which can be made vegan friendly upon request." It's been open since September 2010, and Charleston native and Culinary Institute of Charleston graduate Grossman already has additional locations on deck, with one set to open on James Island in early March. Ambitious and enthusiastic at age 25, Grossman personifies the restaurant's frenetic sense of purpose. "Sometimes when people think health food they think expensive, and I want to show them that it can taste great and be moderately priced. It's all about flavor.'"
