Sugar Beet Cafe: The hardy sugar beet, a plant known for successfully sprouting in seemingly adverse conditions, lent its name to Sugar Beet Café, a breakfast-and-lunch spot that last month bravely opened in the face of a deteriorating economy. But the recession has proven no match for the casual restaurant’s sandwiches and egg plates, which have become instant favorites in Fairview.
Sugar Beet, housed in a former Huddle House at 1185 Charlotte Highway, is co-owned by Ashley Thalen and Colleah Habis (who—along with her husband—launched Over Easy Café).
“We serve as much organic as we can,” says Thalen. “We’re using City Bakery bread and Hickory Nut Gap Farm meat.”
The breakfast menu includes a “benedict of the day,” a long roster of omelets, freshly made quiche and huevos rancheros.
“We don’t have any signs up, but we’ve been busy,” says Thalen.
Sugar Beet is open Wed.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Sat.-Sun., 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 628-0094.
French Broad Taqueria: Trout tacos are no longer available in Marshall. But just wait til spring, French Broad Taqueria’s owner Heather Brown advises her restaurant’s many fans. “We are closed until further notice,” says the outgoing message on French Broad’s voicemail. “We hope to re-open in March.”
“Obviously, the financial times have hit us out here,” says Brown. “We’re severely undercapitalized and trying to find funding.”
The search is going well, Brown reports: Some of French Broad’s regular customers—a group so devoted that many of its members worked at the restaurant for free during its final weeks before the current hiatus—have expressed interest in helping the restaurant survive.
“People have come forward,” Brown says.
Brown is urging heartbroken patrons to watch the restaurant’s front door for a re-opening notice.
Two Brothers: While champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries are requisite elements of Valentine Day menus, Waynesville’s Two Brothers on Main is adding theater to the mix, treating Feb. 14th diners to an in-house performance of A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters. “This is our first play,” office manager Kim Alvarez says. “There are only two actors involved, so it’s not going to need a huge space.” Tickets for the three-course dinner, available by reservation only, are $39 each. For more, call 246-0800.
Papas & Beer: The Papas & Beer empire in Buncombe County is growing, with owners of the original Hendersonville eatery planning to open a second outlet this spring in the Tunnel Road building previously occupied by Lone Star Steakhouse. “It will be maybe a month and a half, maybe two months,” co-owner Larry Huerca said when reached by phone last week. The restaurant will feature the same menu as the locations in Hendersonville and West Asheville (which is operated under different ownership).
I LOVE the Sugar Beet!! The food is so fresh and tasty. Long, long overdue for Fairview. Being in a gas station I was skeptical at first but the cafe is spotless clean and each table has fresh flowers. My only complaint is they are not open for dinner!