Anntony’s Caribbean Cafe at Asheville’s Grove Arcade recently closed its doors, but the monthly African food fest the eatery hosted will continue going strong. This Sunday, Aug. 20, La Cuisine de L’Afrique returns to a nearby locale — just down the block at the Grove Corner Market. There Chef Oso and crew will serve up authentic African dishes to the smooth grooves of Westsound and the steady beats of the Tonali percussion troupe. The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. and lasts until 9. For more information, call the Grove Corner Market at 225-4949.
A new European-style wine bar, Sante, is slated to open later this month in the Grove Arcade. Beyond wine, the establishment will offer imported beer as well as food items such as cheeses, meats, and dips. “One of our tag lines,” explains partner Scott Thompson, “is ‘stellar sips, cheese and dips,’ and the other is ‘wine without attitude.’ Our intention is to make wine fun and adventurous so the tasting menu will constantly be changing.” The wine selection will be value-driven, with most glasses priced at $7 or less, and most bottles at $20 or less. French-press coffees and a selection of Italian and French sodas will be available for those who don’t care for booze. The planned opening hours are 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Call 298-1827 for more information.
The owners of the Stoney Knob Cafe in Weaverville recently opened a new retail wine market called Vino Vino. The new market is located in North Asheville and offers “boutique wines and gourmet specialty goods in a chic yet old-world atmosphere,” according to a recent press release. The store also features wine tastings, specialty chocolates, international foods, gourmet cheeses and meats, and imported beers. Vino Vino is located at 1457 Merrimon Ave., suite 101, north of Beaver Lake. For more information, call 258-2177.
Ultimate Ice Cream on Tunnel Road has made a few changes since new owner Kevin Barnes took the helm in November. One of the most obvious tweaks on the frozen-dessert menu stems, oddly enough, from Barnes’ background in social work — the shop recently unveiled a charity flavor-of-the-month program, with profits from the sale of the special treat benefiting local nonprofits. The standard price of $2.50 a scoop will apply, so there’s no extra charge to customers. The first recipient of the philanthropic flavor is Meals on Wheels of Asheville and Buncombe County, with a vanilla/cherry ice cream with chocolate flakes. September will feature a flavor called “manna banana” in honor of the MANNA FoodBank. Ultimate Ice Cream is located at 1070 East Tunnel Road in East Asheville. Call 296-1234 for more information.
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