Local Provisions opens this week on Biltmore Avenue

Posted on by Gina Smith
DIRTY RADISH: The Dirty Radish dish on Local Provisions' "Taste" menu features baby radishes with buttermilk, lardo and radish greens. Photos by Cindy Kunst

With a soft palette of gray tones and understated modern look, renovations are finally finished on the space at 77 Biltmore Ave. Chef Justin Burdett‘s new downtown restaurant, Local Provisions, will open for dinner service on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Featuring Burdett’s own interpretations of traditional Southern fare, Local Provisions’ menu will change frequently depending on the availability of local ingredients. Amuse-bouche offerings at a soft opening on Saturday, Nov. 21, included items such as buttermilk curds and whey with pepper, pear and oca root; fried potato with roasted turmeric aioli and oyster with fennel and burnt lemon.

Among small-plate options on the menu were clams with potato and celery, crispy country ham and bone-marrow butter; local pumpkin soup with brown butter and chives and sorghum pork belly with Sea Island red peas, kimchi and soft egg yolk.

Entrees included an elegant riff on chicken-fried steak with Anson Mills red grits and spiced Coca-Cola braised greens; South Carolina wreck fish with young ginger and whey broth, baby roots and greens and pickled young ginger; sweet-tea brined quail with whipped sweet potatoes and charred apple jus; North Carolina Trout with caramelized pear, bacon and spinach; and North Carolina pork tenderloin with farro, grilled chicory, fried sage and lemon confit.

A selection of meat terrines, cured meats, pickles and local cheeses rounded out the savory choices. Dessert options included caramelized banana bread with peanut ice cream, sweet potato panna cotta with toasted marshmallow and candied pecans, chocolate-caramel tart with benne seed-sea salt ice cream and fried apple pie with apple-bourbon ice cream.

A few specialty cocktails were available at the soft opening, including the Sleepy Hollow, a subdued blend of Troy & Sons Blonde whisky, chamomile and local honey, and the Corpse Reviver No. 2, a mix of Hendrick’s Gin, Gran Gala, Lillet Blanc, lemon and absinthe.

Local Provisions will begin weekly Sunday brunch service on Sunday, Nov. 29. Brunch menu highlights will include a house charcuterie board with bread, pickled vegetables and mustard; bitter greens salad; poached eggs with Newsom’s country ham, pickles, mustard and toast; fried fish sandwich with redeye mayo, bread-and-butter pickles and cabbage; a bacon double cheeseburger; sweet-tea buttermilk fried quail served with an apple waffle, sorghum and mustard; and soft scrambled eggs with fried oysters, caviar and creme fraiche.

Local Provisions is at 77 Biltmore Ave. It will be open for dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25, and will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. Service will resume on Friday, Nov. 27, including the restaurant’s first brunch service on Sunday, Nov. 29. Regular hours will be 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday and 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for Sunday brunch. Reservations are available by calling 424-7815 or on Open Table.

Below are photos from the soft opening by Cindy Kunst:

 

 

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.

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.