Chef Luis Martinez has long preached the gospel of heirloom corn through his work at Asheville restaurants and pop-up events and with his business, Tequio Foods, which sources, imports and distributes heirloom products from indigenous farmers in Mexico.
Fittingly, maize will take center stage with the Thursday, Aug. 29, launch of Martinez’s new project, Taqueria Rosita, at The Odd with partner Henry Padilla.
“Everything is about corn,” Martinez says of the restaurant’s small menu. “The taqueria will be like an ode to say thank you and show people all the different corns that exist in the whole continent.”
Martinez, a native of Oaxaca, Mexico, learned to cook from his mother, who enlisted his help in making foods she sold in the streets. He was just 13 when he began working in restaurant kitchens in Oaxaca, and he later studied fine arts at the state university there. In 2005, he emigrated to California, where he continued cooking and elevated his skills in restaurants in Los Angeles and up the West Coast.
Since arriving in Asheville in 2012 with his wife, a North Carolina native, the chef has established a reputation for his culinary talents, dedication to social and food justice, and tireless support of his peers in the tight-knit local hospitality industry.
“I didn’t plan to open anything this year; it just happened,” he explains. “I have been friends with The Odd for years; they are really nice people, always helping the community. When they told me they were looking for someone to take their restaurant space a couple days a week, I realized I wanted to do it.”
But he didn’t want to do it on his own, so he reached out to his friend, Padilla, a businessman and native of Bolivia. Padilla agreed to run the business side while Martinez takes care of the culinary. (The eatery’s name honors Martinez’s late mother and Padilla’s mother who lives in Bolivia, both of whom are named Rosita.)
“Rosita is a Oaxacan taqueria focused on Oaxacan food and the use of corn in Oaxaca,” Martinez confirms. “We want to highlight the indigenous and Zapotec farmers that grow corn. We are not aiming for a big menu; we will have about seven items with high-quality ingredients.”
Among the dishes that many guests to Rosita will try for the first time is a tlayuda, which Martinez says is a big tortilla — 14-16 inches — spread with a chicharrón paste called aciento as well as a paste made with black beans cooked with avocado leaves and Oaxacan spices. It is topped with quesillo (cheese) and meat. And the memela is a 6- or 7-inch tortilla, cooked on a griddle with a bit of lard, then also spread with black bean paste and topped with tomato salsa and queso fresco.
Three tacos will join those dishes on the inaugural menu — braised beef, vegetarian or chicharrón, made with pork belly that’s fried for a “super crunch” with pickled onions, cilantro and avocado sauce. As Martinez settles into the kitchen, he will make Colombian and Bolivian dishes as specials,
“People have asked why we are opening another Mexican restaurant so close to others in West Asheville,” he says. “We are not opening another Mexican restaurant; we are opening an Oaxacan restaurant. There is nothing else like it in Asheville.”
Taqueria Rosita debuts Thursday and Friday Aug. 29-30, 4-9 p.m. Starting Wednesday, Sept. 4, it will be open Wednesday-Friday, 4-11 p.m. The Odd’s kitchen will continue offering its regular menu Saturday-Tuesday.
The Odd and Taqueria Rosita are at 1045 Haywood Road.
Smokin’ in the vineyard
What’s a Labor Day weekend without a Labor Day barbecue? No fun at all! On Saturday, Aug. 31, Ellender Experiences presents the Leicester Labor Day BBQ at Addison Farms Vineyard in Leicester. Chef and Utopian Seed Project culinary director Terri Terrell will do all the labor while guests loll about with a glass of wine and summery dishes fresh off the grill.
No tickets are required. Food and wine will be sold a la carte.
The barbecue is noon-4 p.m. at Addison Farms Vineyard, 4005 New Leicester Highway, Leicester. For details, visit avl.mx/e1e.
Apple season opener
Happy 78th anniversary to Hendersonville’s annual Labor Day weekend celebration, the N.C. Apple Festival, so big it takes four days and the city’s entire Main Street to celebrate. Henderson County is North Carolina’s largest producer of apples and the No. 7 apple industry in the U.S., according to the N.C. State Extension, and more than a dozen local apple growers will participate in this year’s event, happening Friday-Monday, Aug. 30-Sept. 2.
The early birds get the pancakes at the festival’s traditional kickoff event, the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, 7-10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30, at First United Methodist Church; the official opening ceremony will be at 2:15 p.m. that day at Courthouse Square. The street fair, food court and children’s area will offer bushels of fun 10 a.m.-10 p.m. throughout the festival until the King Apple Parade at 2:30 p.m. on Labor Day marks the grand finale. Also scheduled are a recipe contest; 8K and 5K races and 1-mile fun run; a kiddie carnival; live music; and dancers.
For a full schedule, list of participants and more information, visit avl.mx/aau.
Horse Shoe Farm offers Apple Harvest Brunch
Horse Shoe Farm also celebrates the season on Sunday, Sept. 1, with an Apple Harvest Brunch, hayrides, live music, lawn games and activities for kids. The on-site Silo Cookhouse will set up an applecentric buffet with dishes including pulled pork with apple cider barbecue, apple and maple French toast, autumn egg and chili frittata, barbecued shrimp with chili-apple glaze, braised chicken with sweet apple barbecue and apple pie, of course. Tickets are $80 for adults, $45 for ages 12 and younger and free for children age 2 and younger.
The event takes place 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Horse Shoe Farm, 155 Horse Shoe Farm Drive, Hendersonville. For reservations, visit avl.mx/e26.
Fermenting field trip
For fermentation enthusiasts in search of an educational day trip, everything you didn’t know that you didn’t know about fermentation is on the agenda at the 2024 N.C. Fermentation Festival, 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1 at Botanist & Barrel’s cidery in Cedar Grove.
Asheville-area residents Meg Chamberlain of Fermenti and Luis Martinez of Tequio Foods will join fermentation royalty Sandor Katz, breadmaker Ron Graff and other experts conducting demonstrations, seminars and breakout sessions on topics from fermented condiments to sour pickles to kimchi. Nearly 20 vendors will also be on-site, and wood-fired pizza, beer and wine will be for sale. Educational sessions are individually priced and require preregistration.
For a fermentation celebration closer to home, mark your calendars for the WNC Fermenting Festival, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 3, at Olivette Farm in Alexander. More details to come.
Botanist & Barrel Winery + Cidery is at 105 Persimmon Hill Lane, Cedar Grove. For more information, class schedule and to register for sessions, visit avl.mx/e27.
Dominican street food in Sylva
Sweet and savory empanadas, yuca fries and fritters, tostones, chicken chimi and chimi burger arepa, cheese bollitos and bolas — deep-fried cornmeal balls filled with slow-cooked pork guisado — are among the scratch-made Dominican street food dishes on the menu at Fany’s Island Kitchen, which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Sylva on Aug. 7.
The bright blue food truck owned by Adam Ehlmann and Fany Garcia has taken up residence at 1791 U.S. 441 in Sylva. A Dominican flag and pink mailbox mark the roadside spot, which has several picnic tables for on-site al fresco dining.
Chef Mike Schwartz also cooks up specials like Caribbean-style curry chicken on jasmine rice and shrimp and sausage in a plantain basket.
Fany’s Island Kitchen is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. For updates, visit the business of Facebook at avl.mx/e1b.
Asheville Sandwich Co. makes a comeback
After 10 years of sandwich nirvana in West Asheville, Asheville Sandwich Co. owners Cheri and Kevin Mullins got the boot from their small Haywood Road shop and served the last sandwich from their window on Feb. 24.
But the wait for a prime rib cheesesteak, shrimp po’ boy, turkey avocado, vegan hot pepper Philly, Firestarter Cajun and those addictive matchstick fries is over with the Aug. 14 opening of a new location at 330 Rockwood Road in Arden. Indoor and outdoor seating plus plenty of parking are available at the new spot 11 a.m.-9 p.m.Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday.
For a full menu and ordering options, visit avl.mx/e28.
Making magic at Jargon
No disappearing act here. Jargon restaurant will host the fourth iteration of its popular Dinner & Magic Show on Saturday, Aug. 31, featuring a cocktail hour, three-course meal by executive chef Ryan Kline and a new performance by magician Doc Docherty.
The event will be staged in Jargon’s swanky Argot Room. Tickets are $105 per person, excluding alcohol, tax and gratuity.
The Argot Room is at 717 Haywood Road. For reservations, visit avl.mx/e1d.
The RailYard takes a break
The RailYard, a Black Mountain events venue and home of Smoke and Ember restaurant, announced on Aug. 20 that it has temporarily closed for an undetermined period. The statement attributed the closure to a “necessary restructuring process due to the challenging economic environment and the need for owner John Richardson to prioritize his health.” The statement goes on to say that the business hopes to reopen in the fall and will host a community celebration starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, at the space, featuring musical acts The Big Deal Band and Cuberow.
“We are carefully exploring all available options during this period and remain fully committed to finding the best path forward,” Richardson said in the statement.
The RailYard is at 141 Richardson Blvd., Black Mountain. For more information, visit avl.mx/e2e.
More awards for Noble Cider
Noble Cider keeps the streak alive, following up its two June wins at Cidercraft magazine’s seventh annual Cidercraft Awards with more recognition at the July N.C. Wine Competition, presented by the N.C. Department of Agriculture’s N.C. Wine and Grape Council to showcase North Carolina wine, cider and mead. In its first year of entering, Noble took the top prize — the N.C. Wine Cup — for its Village Tart cider, and its Spice Merchant won Best Cider. Noble’s Lewis Creek Orchard Reserve French Cidre, English Cider and American Heirloom all won silver awards.
Noble’s latest releases, Strawberry Mimosa and Bone Dry Standard, can be sampled at its New Leicester Highway taproom.
Noble Cider is at 356 New Leicester Highway, Asheville. For more information, visit avl.mx/e1c.
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.