Restaurants reopen after winter sabbaticals

AT YOUR SERVICE: Chef Luis Martinez is ready to welcome taco lovers back to El Gallo when it reopens for pickup and inside dining. Photo by Chris Talbot

Whether wary of the weather or weary of the worry of keeping up with pingponging pandemic response phases, several restaurants opted to take a bit of a winter nap. With spring around the corner, it’s time to rise and shine again.

Re-re-re-re-opening

Ralph Lonow, sommelier and co-owner with Tony Creed of Avenue M, spent January and February when the restaurant was closed playing with his 3-year-old daughter. But now he’s ready to get back to work. On March 9, Avenue M will reopen for the fourth time since the partners signed the lease in June 2019.

“When Tony and I bought it in 2019, we had the first reopening. Then we closed in January 2020 for a remodel and to get our new chef, Andrew McLeod, on board, so we re-re-opened after that,” Lonow explains. “We closed for COVID in March, and re-re-re-opened in May, and then we closed this January and February, so this is our re-re-re-re-opening.”

Avenue M will roll out new operating days and hours — Tuesday through Saturday, 5-9 p.m. — and some menu tweaks, including what Lonow calls a “chef cooks for you button,” — also known as a moderately priced tasting menu — from newly married chef McLeod. Mazel tov!

Avenue M, 791 Merrimon Ave.  avl.mx/91w

Tacos and cocktails

In 2020, restaurateur Jacob Sessoms (Table, Imperial Life, Cultura, All Day Darling) flipped the table on Table, closing the acclaimed Asheville eatery and installing popular taco pop-up El Gallo as a permanent resident at 48 College St., operating under pandemic protocols via a streetside order window and sidewalk tables. He and chef Luis Martinez kicked off the new year with a two-month winter sabbatical and will reopen El Gallo on March 11 with new menu items; safely distanced, indoor, table-service dining on both floors and a cocktail menu from Imperial Life.

El Gallo, 48 College St. avl.mx/91t

Parking lot dining

Zia Taqueria took a few weeks off in November then brought back to-go orders with curbside pickup or delivery through Kickback AVL. On Feb. 12, operating partner Robert Tipsword reopened Zia’s brightly painted and tented al fresco dining room on the site formerly known as the parking lot. “Opening before spring will help us shake the rust off from being closed and get our systems in place,” he says. “Last year was so wishy-washy — open, close, open, close — I just wanted to make a decision and stick to it.” And the decision is: Zia Taqueria will be open seven days a week, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Zia Taqueria 521 Haywood Road. avl.mx/91v

Wine and dine

Feeling parched? Leo’s House of Thirst is there for you after a two-week break in February. The wine shop, wine bar and restaurant offers limited indoor seating and tables under heaters on the deck and yard. Chef Austin Inselmann’s full dinner menu is also available for online orders and curbside pickup.

Leo’s House of Thirst, 1055 Haywood Road. avl.mx/91x

Sunny days ahead

Sunny Point Café pulled the shade shut on service Jan. 19 through Feb. 3, reopened for counter-service breakfast and lunch and table-service dinner on Feb. 4, closed again Feb. 22-27 for repairs and renovation, then opened again Feb. 28. “We are anticipating spring,” says Alice Oglesby, garden manager and marketing. Aren’t we all?

Sunny Point Café, 626 Haywood Road. avl.mx/91u

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.

About Kay West
Kay West began her writing career in NYC, then was a freelance journalist in Nashville for more than 30 years, including contributing writer for the Nashville Scene, Nashville correspondent for People magazine, author of five books and mother of two happily launched grown-up kids. In 2019 she moved to Asheville and continued writing (minus Red Carpet coverage) with a focus on food, farming and hospitality. She is a die-hard NY Yankees fan.

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.