Restaurant-go-round

Max Cooper

Thai Basil in the Grove Arcade is closed, but it will soon reopen as Thai Tara.

Tony Pornchinda of Charlotte recently purchased the business with some partners, and he says it will reopen in a couple of weeks. Pornchinda used to own a restaurant in Charlotte called Thai Cuisine.

Thai Basil remains open in Black Mountain under the same ownership.

Just around the corner at 1 Battle Square, Havana Comida Latina is under new ownership. Hector Contreras, who owned the restaurant for seven years and spent 25 in the Asheville food industry, has moved to Alabama, according to one of the new owners, Chris Kronberg.

He and his partners, Kurt Langkau and Samantha Rink, will keep the restaurant open as they makeupgrades. “I’m going to do my best to keep the food rolling and just kind of change the aesthetic of the place,” Kronberg says. A new ceiling, 36 taps and partnerships with local farmers are in the works.

Expect more live music, too. Kronberg hopes to host bands everyday, but right now, shows at Havana happen Wednesday through Sunday.

For more information about the restaurant, visit havanaasheville.com.

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