Getting some breathing room, slightly west of Asheville

As we’ve recently said, the RAD is getting rather, well, rad. With the addition of several new restaurants joining an ever-burgeoning food and entertainment scene, there’s plenty to do in east-West Asheville. The lesson we’ve learned from the popularity of the RAD businesses is that people are craving a place to go that’s yet to become over-crowded. When the tourists are gathered around Pritchard Park, gawking at the drum circle, we know we can hit the Wedge or the Magnetic Field for a relatively quiet space in which to decompress from the work week with an adult beverage.

Xpress photographer Chris Wood was on hand to capture the goings-on in the district on the fairly busy Thursday night before Memorial Day Weekend. View the slideshow below.

One of the newest additions to the RAD, The Junction, has opened to a very warm reception — the patio is jumping, the kitchen busy. The bartender also has plenty to do, what with the complexity of the drinks being served in The Junction’s small, hip dining room. Try any number of the seasonally-appropriate artisan cocktails from the menu — like the Crossroads (with grilled pineapple, brown sugar and cinnamon, muddled with El Jimador Blanco and Licor 43, finished with lime and a touch of vanilla). Xpress was impressed by the Spring Smile, a concoction of strawberries, cinnamon and cardamon, muddled in Cruzan Rum and Grand Marnier and finished with rhubarb gastrique. It packs a deceptive wallop. From the evening menu, make sure to try the tempura cherry tomatoes with lemon-basil aioli.

Here’s an even more detailed take of The Junction from A Not So Academic Food Blog.

The White Duck Taco Shop is also doing quite well. Ben Mixson, owner of the train track-side restaurant with his wife, Laura Reuss, recently emailed Xpress to report positive feedback.

“We are very busy every day now,” he wrote. “Is it because we are:
A. New
B. Good
C. Cheap
D. All of above?”

Xpress says that the answer is most likely D. Although there are a number of creative and solidly good menu options from which to choose, including Bangkok shrimp tacos, we recommend the fish tacos highly. In addition to tacos, the frequently changing menu also includes soups, salads, snacks and dessert.

Roots Cafe and Clingman Cafe both boast extended hours, with Clingman now serving beer and wine and Roots now offering lunch.

The Magnetic Field has undergone some changes that have resulted in a very good core menu, supplemented by an (often) even better specials menu. The kitchen recently turned out a great dish of pork belly served with a watermelon salad and a spicy chile sauce for a perfect early summer evening dish. 

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

One thought on “Getting some breathing room, slightly west of Asheville

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.