Fish and finger-pickin’: The Monte Vista Hotel, a Black Mountain family enterprise founded in 1919, presents a seafood buffet every Friday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. After the Friday, Oct. 21, buffet, the hotel will feature some after-dinner entertainment: an old-fashioned guitar pull featuring music by Billy Edd Wheeler, Doug and Darcy Orr, and Richard […]

Chapel Hill. Two words, one town – but the name says a lot. For many North Carolinians, the place evokes Tar Heel basketball. For others, it’s a liberal academic haven set in a state that retains a distinct strain of Southern conservatism. But here’s the kicker: Chapel Hill is also home to some major players […]

Through the grapevine: The Lobster Trap is full of surprises this month. The restaurant has unveiled a brand new menu for the fall season, as well as plans for a wine dinner with burgundy-wine importer Steve Pignatiello titled “An Evening in Bourgogne.” The cost of $65 per person or $120 per couple includes a five-course […]

Flavor: Pan-Indian Ambiance: Classy and sensual Service: Knowledgeable Mela is a Hindi word for a coming together, especially for a celebration. By the looks of it, Asheville’s newest Indian restaurant is living up to its name quite nicely, and the celebration is quite picture-perfect. A drive down Lexington Avenue often reveals a gaggle of smartly […]

Farewell, Beanstreets: Beanstreets Coffeehouse Cafe, long an Asheville staple and recipient of numerous awards in the yearly Xpress readers’ poll, has closed. A handwritten note posted on the front door thanks loyal customers for 12 years of business, and then states simply, “We have to go now,” but then hints at the possibility of a […]

Flavor: Seasonal modern American Ambiance: Classy, modern Service: Good The Cellar Door certainly has its aspirations, and it makes sure that you take notice as soon as you arrive. What strikes you, after descending from street level into the Black Mountain restaurant’s subterranean chambers, is the boldly designed interior. The journey below ground occurs via […]

Classics and chocolate: The Haywood County Arts Council and accomplished pianist Frank Iogha will present a feast for the senses with their Classics and Chocolate concert event at Waynesville’s Performing Arts Center, Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be followed by a reception featuring chocolate desserts made by both professional and amateur […]

Flavor: Upwardly mobile pub grub Ambiance: Slightly raucous at times, but generally warm and neighborly Service: Good September’s here again, and nothing says fall to me like Guinness and burgers for breakfast. No stunning autumn landscape, no crisp, blue day, could possibly rival the downright decadent satisfaction that comes from sleeping through a chilly morning, […]

Howling good times: Madison’s Inn and Restaurant in Black Mountain is going to the dogs. On Thursday, Sept. 22, from 6 to 9 p.m., the Inn will host a silent auction fundraiser for Full Moon Farm, a 17-acre mountain haven dedicated to the rescue and shelter of the wolf dog. There will be a wine […]

Flavor: Japanese Ambiance: A bit stark Service: Tolerant and obliging Though it has other merits, Green Tea Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar is most impressive for its tolerance. After a long soak at Shoji Spa for a friend’s birthday, we decided that there could be no better follow-up to a Japanese spa experience than a […]

Edible art: Though summer still lingers, it may be time to start thinking about the holidays — especially if you want to take part in the Grove Park Inn’s 13th Annual Gingerbread House Competition on Nov. 7. Last year, the event drew more than 300 entries from around the country, and organizers expect even more […]

You probably know the feeling. Your work day is finally over, your dogs are barkin’ (for more recently transplanted Yankees, that’s Southernese for seriously tired feet), and you’d kill for a cold drink and some grub, as long as it requires little to no effort. Generally, when I feel this way, I tend to gravitate […]

Dinner in demand: The Corner Kitchen is expanding its hours. Due to popular demand, the quaint Biltmore Village restaurant is now serving dinner seven days a week — becoming one of few independent restaurants in Biltmore to offer such dining flexibility. Chef Joe Scully and his staff serve “comfortable Caro-American food” in a restored Tudor-style […]

Flavor: Modern American, global Ambiance: Bright and cheerful Service: Pleasant and welcoming West Asheville’s Sunny Point Café and Bakery has been praised many times over for its breakfast. For its culinary genre, it’s about as top-notch as any in Asheville; the prices are excellent, the food is wonderfully consistent (I’ve had nary a complaint in […]

Fork and cork: Small bites, half portions and tapas seem to be gaining in popularity, and Black Mountain’s newest fine dining restaurant, the Cellar Door, has taken note. The restaurant has introduced a new bar menu, “Fork and Cork,” to satisfy the desire of diners looking for a light meal or those who prefer the […]

Flavor: MediterraneanAmbiance: Sleekly — but warmly — urbanService: Attentive, knowledgeable, professional Rezaz is one of those places that invariably pops into my head when a visitor to Asheville asks me where to go to dinner. The restaurant is exotic yet approachable, inexpensive for the quality of the food, and generally performs beautifully as a whole, […]

Breakfast for dinner: One of West Asheville’s most successful breakfast/lunch joints is now offering dinner. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the Sunny Point CafZ’ and Bakery is now serving such goods as smoked duck with blackberry barbecue sauce, sesame-seared mountain trout and veggie options. Fear not, Sunny Point breakfast devotees: You can still enjoy […]

Flavor: Salvadoran cuisine, with Cuban and Spanish influences Ambiance: Bright, cheery and loud Service: Short-staffed and somewhat lacking in the basics, but pleasant It’s somewhat hard to know what to make of Tomato. The restaurant is now in its second incarnation, having recently morphed from a cocina Italiana to a cocina Latina, and it still […]

Brunch at Table: After a successful few months of feeding downtown Asheville, Table is adding brunch to its repertoire. From 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the restaurant will dish out such fare as Croque Monsieur and dandelion green and potato frittata, while staying true to Table’s fundamentals: seasonal, affordable and pretty […]

Flavor: French baked goods and light fareAmbiance: Bright and cheeryService: Congenial, if sometimes overwhelmed On a recent Sunday, I decided brunch would be best served in Paris. Feeling slightly askew from Bele Chere’s mild debauchery (and reluctant to revisit the scene of the crime), I headed down to the Paris Bakery and Café. The quaint […]

Get your shake on: Burgermeister’s just brought in their anniversary with a bang. Well, more like a shake. To celebrate two years of successful business in West Asheville, Burgermeister’s Kitchen and Tap has introduced hand-dipped milkshakes of the regular variety, as well as some more grown-up shakes, like Kahlua, Butterscotch Schnapps and Grand Marnier. Move […]