Over 30 restaurants are creating special deals for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s eighth annual Asheville Restaurant Week, which takes place Tuesday-Sunday, Jan. 21-26.
The weeklong event “gives restaurants a boost during a typically slower time period,” says Erin Leonard, vice president of communications at the chamber. At the same time, Leonard adds, locals can “enjoy a winter special or try out a restaurant they’ve never been to.”
Bargello, The Bier Garden, Broth Lab, Button & Co. Bagels, Mountain Madre and Vivian are all new this year to the lineup. Returning businesses include The Admiral, AUX Bar, Benne on Eagle, The Bull and Beggar, Buxton Hall Barbecue, The Cantina at Historic Biltmore Village, Capella on 9, Carmel’s Kitchen & Bar, Chai Pani, Chestnut, Copper Crown, Corner Kitchen, Cúrate, The Greystone Inn, Hemingway’s Cuba, Isa’s Bistro, Laughing Seed Café, The Lobster Trap, The Marketplace Restaurant & Lounge, Posana, Red Stag Grill, Rezaz Pan Mediterranean, Rhubarb, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Strada Italiano, Table, Tupelo Honey South, White Labs Kitchen & Tap and Zambra.
The specials vary widely but include such deals as a three-course meal for two for $30 at Chai Pani; a wood-fired pizza and beer flight for $12 at White Labs Kitchen & Tap; six tapas dishes for $30 at Zambra; and a three-course vegetarian Cuban lunch for $15 at the Laughing Seed Café.
“We are so fortunate in Asheville to have a great food scene,” Leonard says. “We hope Asheville Restaurant Week encourages locals to support these local restaurants while enjoying some great food.”
Asheville Restaurant Week runs Tuesday-Sunday, Jan. 21-26. For a list of restaurant specials, visit avl.mx/6uv.
Macaron and cider pairing
Bold Rock Hard Cider partners with À La Mode Macaron for a macaron and cider pairing on Thursday, Jan. 23. The menu includes the following: white cranberry cider paired with white chocolate cranberry almond macaron; Vat No. 1 paired with Florida sweet orange macaron with Champagne buttercream; ginger turmeric cider paired with candied ginger macaron; Reaper cider paired with blood orange Meyer lemon curd macaron. Tickets are $15. À La Mode Macaron will also be selling macarons separately from the pairing while supplies last.
The event runs 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, at Bold Rock Hard Cider, 72 School House Road, Mills River. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6un.
Food as Medicine cooking class
The Hendersonville Community Co-op will host Food as Medicine, a two-hour workshop focused on digestive and gut health, on Saturday, Jan. 25. Registered dietitian nutritionists Carol Shimberg and Tatiana Arturo will discuss the connection between gut health and skin care, as well as the role of a plant-based diet in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. In addition, the event’s Facebook page notes, students will learn “simple, seasonal, delicious, nutritious and affordable recipes.” Tickets are $25 for the general public and $20 for co-op owners.
Food as Medicine runs 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at The Hendersonville Community Co-op, 60 S. Charleston Lane, Hendersonville. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/6up.
Chili Cook-off at Homeplace Beer Co.
Homeplace Beer Co. will host a chili cook-off on Saturday, Jan. 25, featuring 12 competitors serving homemade recipes. The gathering will also feature a guacamole competition. Sampling is free, but a scorecard to vote for your three favorite dishes is $3.
The competition takes place 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Homeplace Beer Co., 6 S. Main St., Area C, Burnsville. To learn more, visit avl.mx/6ur.
Weird Science
The Blind Pig’s first event of 2020, scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 26, will be a five-course dinner inspired by the 1985 film Weird Science. The undisclosed location will be revealed to ticket holders as the date nears. Proceeds from the event will benefit Foster Our Future – Buncombe County Health & Human Services. Tickets are $65.
The dinner runs 5-9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26. To purchase a ticket, visit avl.mx/6uq.
Asheville Food Fan Awards
The annual Asheville Food Fan Awards returns Monday, Jan. 27, to celebrate and recognize individuals and businesses within the local food scene. VIP tickets are $100 and include early entry, one-on-one time with chefs, food and two drink tickets; general admission is $45 ($50 at the door) and includes food and a cash bar. Over 15 restaurants will be serving dishes at the event, including Sunny Point Café, AUX Bar, Cúrate and The Underground Cafe with DoughP Doughnuts. Co-organizer Stu Helm says, “People should show up hungry.”
The award show takes place 5-10 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, at the Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway. To purchase tickets, visit avl.mx/6us.
GoFundMe: Earthling Coffee + Espresso
Candler resident Kasey Trent recently launched a GoFundMe for Earthling Coffee + Espresso in an effort to help the Candler business recoup financial losses following a break-in. The campaign aims to raise $5,000; at press time, community contributions totaled $1,232. “Let’s show these amazing earthlings that we love them as much as they love us,” Trent writes on the GoFundMe page.
Earthling Coffee + Espresso is at 867 Smokey Park Highway. To contribute, visit avl.mx/6ut.
Bottle Riot
District Wine Bar has rebranded itself as Bottle Riot. Owners Barrett and Lauri Nichols renamed their River Arts District business following a trademark dispute brought by Peter and Martha Pollay of Mandara Hospitality Group, owners of the new District 42 inside the Arras Hotel. The new name, writes Lauri Nichols in an email exchange with Xpress, is part of the establishment’s overall mission to create a venue “void of the pretension and arrogance” often associated with the wine industry.
Bottle Riot is at 37 Paynes Way. To learn more, visit avl.mx/wordcaoq.
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