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The first things I noticed when I walked into the new R|E|F|S, a sophisticated sports bar tucked away behind Kohls and Village Tavern off Westridge Road, were the wall-sized displays of cocktail ingredients, the slick black seats and the flat-screen TVs hung beside almost every table in the two-story restaurant. This is a place you go to watch the NCAA championships or the Super Bowl with your buddies while licking chicken wing juice off your fingers, not arguing the merits of eco-certifications or reflecting on the last deep ecology conference you attended.

But the non-smoking restaurant does include several features that might motivate you greenies out there to check it out: The owners remodeled the store using local contractors and suppliers. Their rotisserie chicken is free range and American Humane Certified from Springer Mountain Farms in Georgia. The pork comes from Hopkins Poultry in Browns Summit and the bratwurst comes from Giacomo's Italian Market in Greensboro. They also serve Rain Forest Alliance certified coffee and locally baked kaiser rolls, and uses plant-based to-go cups and food containers. The waste vegetable oil is recycled and then picked up to be converted into biodiesel.

The owners included this statement on the front of its menu: "As part of the Greensboro community, it's important for us to develop plans to act responsibly, sustainably and continue to build relationships, whether it's reusing and recycling or striving to use products that are seasonal, sustainable and made locally whenever possible."

The restaurant also provides free Wi-Fi and a VIP room at no extra charge that accommodates up to 25 people. Oh, and the chicken wings are smoked, not fried.

R|E|F|S

Address: 3404 Whitehurst Road, Greensboro

Phone: 286-3131

On Facebook and Twitter @REFSgreensboro (No Web site yet)

"Green Eats" is an occasional posting about food service providers in the Triad that are "going green" by adopting socially and environmentally responsible practices. Contact Morgan Josey Glover at morgan.josey@news-record.com if you want a business profiled. Check out the Green Eats map here.