Flavor: Hoppy Ambiance: Cavernesque The nuttiest archetype in all of craft brewing is the potbellied, tonsured Belgian monk. Presented as equal parts mad scientist, gifted seer and spiritual loon, this mythical fellow has spawned intense devotion amongst serious beer drinkers. Indeed, his reputation as a jolly helter-skelter genius is so revered that it’s not uncommon […]

With spring come dreams of living off the land: One opportunity to do so profitably comes courtesy of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, which this year will realize a long-held goal of establishing a citywide market featuring Western North Carolina products. ASAP is inviting farmers and crafters to apply for a spot at the market, […]

Flavor: Indulgently rich upscale standards Ambiance: Punched-up pizzeria: Think khaki-comfy instead of jean-casual Even moviegoers who have only a passing familiarity with Dirty Dancing—and as someone who owns the Ultimate and Anniversary editions of the film on DVD, I’d include most everyone who’s only seen it two or three times in that piteous group—know the […]

Asheville residents can now enjoy the bounty of the region without venturing too far from home, thanks to the newest dining concept from Mark Rosenstein. Bar 100, showcasing ingredients available within 100 miles of the city, opened late last month in the front bar section of The Market Place. Although Rosenstein vows the spin-off eatery […]

Flavor: High-end bistro Ambiance: Looks like the “after” on a kitchen makeover show The thoroughly appealing notion behind StoveTrotters, the chi-chi bistro that opened last September at the location of the former Polar Bar on the outskirts of Biltmore Village, is that its meals are meant to satisfy the palate and stimulate the mind. While […]

If you’ve properly celebrated North Carolina Sweet Potato Month (aka February), your recipe box is likely brimming with preparation techniques for the beta-carotene-loaded taters. Fortunately for you, the NC SweetPotato cq Commission is soliciting entries for its first-ever recipe contest. First-place winners in the soup, salad, sides and sweets categories will each claim a $500 […]

Eating in moderation is sage advice for anyone, but it’s a near-mandate for folks with diabetes. Amy Beane, a clinical nutritionist, will explore the relationship between diabetes and nutrition in a free lecture at the South Asheville Earth Fare on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. Registration for the program, which concludes with a guided […]

Flavor: Warm and cozy continental Ambiance: Neighborhood watering hole for the hippest of neighbors I’m quite sure I’d have to surrender my alternative-press credentials if I didn’t like The Admiral. The Admiral, the snug little gastropub that suddenly materialized late last year across the street from BJ’s convenience store on Haywood Road, probably hews more […]

Early birds get the organic worms, with a reduced registration fee for the 15th annual Organic Growers School in Flat Rock available through the end of the month. The March 8 event includes 69 different sessions on topics such as heirloom tomatoes, passive-solar greenhouse design and pastured-lamb production. In addition to the workshops, programming includes […]

Got the post-holiday blues? Then Happy New Year! That’s right, it’s time to celebrate the Chinese new year (2008, by the way, is Year of the Rat). On Wed., Feb. 6, Asheville’s China Palace will celebrate with a special buffet and a celebration including a traditional Lion Dance. Cost is $12.95 per person; dinner will […]

Flavor: Traditional taqueria Ambiance: Clean, utilitarian and very well-lit There’s a new taqueria on Haywood Road. Perhaps you’ve seen it. OK, surely you’ve seen it: Agave Azul exudes a fluorescent glow so bright it’s probably catching the eye of local astronomers. But who needs a Big Dipper in the sky when you can have first-rate […]

Restaurants hosting wine dinners typically offer their guests the finest of foods, the lushest of wines and sometimes even a commemorative corkscrew. But very few eateries give their well-soused patrons what they really need: A bed for the night. Who better to remedy the oversight than the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa? The prestigious […]

Flavor: Mainstream Thai classics Ambiance: More King & I than downtown Bangkok Some towns have all the luck. When a town’s school cafeteria’s versions of Italian, Chinese and Mexican classics rivals its restaurant row for wild exoticism, despairing local eaters generally give up on quality and start saying silent prayers for quantity. Even their most […]

‘Cue hounds in Asheville know Arden is a local porcine paradise, with Sweeten Creek Road our regional equivalent of Memphis or Kansas City. And now the current biggest name in Buncombe County barbecue is set to take up residence on the strip: 12 Bones Smokehouse is opening its second area location in a former gas […]

P.F. Chang’s is coming! P.F. Chang’s is coming! In a release sure to excite devotees of the stylish Chinese restaurant chain, the developers behind Biltmore Park Town Square this month announced a commitment from the company to open its first Western North Carolina outlet. P.F. Chang’s will join previously announced tenants Barnes & Noble and […]

Just what is a Super Tuscan anyhow? And can you discern it from a Chianti? For those many, many wine drinkers who couldn’t respond with a confident “si,” Asheville Wine Consulting is offering a class in Italian Wines. “Italian Wine Demystified” is scheduled for the evening of Jan. 17 at Hops & Vines, 797 Haywood […]

“Asheville needs a yacht club,” Billy McKelvy declares inside the newly opened Asheville Yacht Club downtown. Photo By Jon Elliston Tiki bars typically thrive on their implicit promise to tranquilize its customers with fruity, high-proof drinks. Donn Beach, who launched the midcentury tiki craze from his Pacificana-seeped bar in Los Angeles, famously offered a cocktail […]

Among serious foodies, it’s a big deal just to dine at one of the signature establishments owned by acclaimed chefs like Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. But Tom Michaels, a plant pathologist from east Tennessee, went one better last year, becoming a supplier to these and other kitchen stars. As chronicled in this column, his […]

Flavor: Local and organic in Mexican garb Ambiance: Energized lunch counter A passel of volunteer firefighters were milling about Main Street in Marshall on a recent Thursday night. Having just wound up a departmental meeting, the guys were stubbing out cigarettes and swapping holiday plans before heading home. It was the sort of “Norman Rockwell, […]

If a well-executed downward dog doesn’t balance your innards, perhaps a vegetarian diet might do the trick. Chef Jason Brodsky is offering instruction in both disciplines next month at an Ashtanga Yoga and Vegetarian Cooking Mini-Retreat at Stovetrotters, 4 Sweeten Creek Road. The one-day workshop is $125; to reserve your spot, call 713-5337. To simplify […]