Small bites: Sand Hill Kitchen opens for breakfast and lunch

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Jamie Wade says the menu at Sand Hill Kitchen sets it apart from chain restaurants moving into the area. “I think we will differentiate ourselves because we use local ingredients and cook from scratch,” she says. Photo by Cindy Kunst

When it comes to the food industry, Jamie Wade will be the first to admit she’s more comfortable in the back of the house. So when it came to opening her shop, Sand Hill Kitchen, overseeing the entire operation took a little getting used to. “I never doubted that I had the experience and the skills to operate a kitchen, but I was pretty intimidated by the business side of things,” she says.

Sand Hill Kitchen opened on  Jan. 24 in the former Asheville Sandwich Co. space inside the BP Station on the corner of Sardis and Sand Hill roads. Wade considers it an ideal location because of its visibility. She also believes the shop will stand out among the other restaurants in the area for another reason.

“There are a lot of chains coming in here, and I think we will differentiate ourselves because we use local ingredients and cook from scratch,” she says.

Sausage biscuits, breakfast burritos, grit cakes and fried-chicken biscuits with honey are among the items on the breakfast menu, with prices ranging from $4.99 to $7.29. The lunch menu features salads and sandwiches, including a fried-chicken sandwich and a pork belly BLT, as well as Angus cheeseburgers. Lunches are priced between $6 and $8.

Homemade sweets, including cinnamon rolls and pastries, are available, as is house-made lemonade. Wade says she plans to build on the menu throughout the year as well, and specialty items will be offered during holidays.

While Sand Hill Kitchen is still in its early stages, Wade says the experience so far has been inspiring. “I’ve always been told that I should take a chance like this, and I finally got the guts to do it,” she says. “And in doing it, a lot of the initial fears I had have been eliminated through the help and support of the people who know me.”

Sand Hill Kitchen is at 491 Sardis Road. Its hours are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. For details, visit avl.mx/3cc.

Winter pop-up at Knife & Fork

The Land of Smiles: Culinary Tour of Thailand is the latest winter pop-up dinner at Knife & Fork. The a la carte menu (which has not been finalized) will include khao soi, laap muu khua, papaya salad, fried bananas and coconut ice cream. Featured drinks will include Thai coffee, Thai tea and matcha-inspired cocktails. A chef’s tasting is also available, which is a five-course meal for $55 per person.

The Land of Smiles: Culinary Tour of Thailand runs 5-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 2-4, at Knife & Fork, 61 Locust St., Spruce Pine. Reservations are encouraged. Call 828-765-1511. Follow Knife & Fork’s Facebook page for updates on the event’s menu avl.mx/3cd

Recession-Proof Mixology at Sovereign Remedies 

Recession-Proof Mixology returns to Sovereign Remedies on Monday, Feb. 6. The event will feature $5 classic cocktails with bar manager Lukas Canan offering some historic insight on the beverages. Champagne specials will also be available with prices in the $8-$12 range. Guests who stop in between 9 and 10 p.m. can grab some free hors d’oeuvres.

Recession-Proof Mixology takes place 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6, at Sovereign Remedies, 29 N. Market St. For more information, visit sovereignremedies.com.

International Black Jar Honey Tasting 

Honeys from Spain, Italy, the Canary Islands, Slovenia, Israel, Rhodes, Kenya, Turkey, Canada and the United States will all compete in the sixth annual International Black Jar Honey Contest. Local judges, including Cúrate chef Katie Button, Mountain Xpress food writer Jonathan Ammons, food writer Stu Helm and West End Bakery co-founder Cathy Cleary, will pick the winners prior to the public tasting event, which will take place at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 9. The evening will include honey-inspired appetizers, Sierra Nevada beer and wine. Guests will also have the opportunity to taste the honeys and vote for their favorite for the People’s Choice Award. All money raised at the event will benefit the Center for Honeybee Research.

The sixth annual International Black Jar Honey Tasting runs 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb 9, at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel, 31 Woodfin St. Tickets are $25 each in advance, $35 at the door. For details and tickets, visit avl.mx/3ce.

A-B Tech Culinary Team heads to nationals

Congratulations to the A-B Tech Culinary Team, which won its 10th regional title at a recent competition at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte. “Being a part of The Hot Food Team has taken me beyond the limits I ever expected for myself,” says team member Habiba Smallen in a press release. “Competing with the team has taught me how important preparation is before any competition. I felt driven to be more organized and think more quickly in the moment.” In July, the group will head to Orlando, Fla., to compete at the national level. The team consists of Emma Wieber, Jessica Olin, Habiba Smallen, Nina Patterson and Emily Welch. Max Theofrastous serves as team alternate. Chefs Chris Bugher and Bronwen McCormick are the coaches.

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About Thomas Calder
Thomas Calder received his MFA in Fiction from the University of Houston's Creative Writing Program. His writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, the Miracle Monocle, Juked and elsewhere. His debut novel, The Wind Under the Door, is now available.

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