And just like that, it was open. The new brewpub, Bhramari Brewhouse, has had its sign up for months. But after a year’s wait, which included a name change, the spot is finally open to the public following a raucous soft launch on Thursday, Jan. 14.
The sprawling restaurant’s main dining room features tables handcrafted from repurposed packing pallets, each illuminated by custom-made beer-bottle lamps. Overhead, an ornate wooden chandelier serves as the centerpiece for a beautifully designed space above a large community table.
On the walls, slices of natural wood splay out into a pattern above the booths that line the edge of the room. Through a hallway, there are more tables and couches tucked into quiet corners setting a lounge vibe. At the end of the hall lies another, more quaint dining room.
Bhramari is the newest venture of Gary Sernack, Josh Bailey, and Josh Dillard, all veterans of the long-time Asheville staple, Zambra. Dillard’s menu at the soft opening featured creative riffs on classic bar food through an assortment of bar bites and small plates: a popcorn trio of caramel, blue cheese and a French curry; pickled eggs with chicken skin aioli; a pretzel made of spent brewers’ grain; smoked salmon nigiri with whiskey soy, pickled jalapeño and “oaked” mayonnaise.
There was also a burger with stout wort glaze, crispy onions, and hop-smoked black truffle American cheese with candied bacon. And the patatas machismo is a glamorized take on bar fries with a Spanish twist: The fries are drenched in spicy tomato sauce, carnitas, grilled onions, goat cheese and pickled veggies.
The bar features a full liquor selection, wine and a large array of draft beers, including a house-made lager served through the bar’s fancy new draught infuser, a machine that rapidly infuses each pour with spices.
Bhramari Brewhouse is at 101 S. Lexington Ave. and is open 5 p.m.-midnight daily. There are plans to expand hours soon to include lunch.
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