West Asheville Izzy's is now the BattleCat Coffee Bar. From an announcement by the owners, Catie Conroy and Amber Arthur: "Fear not, our loyal customers, everything that you have grown accustomed to and love about our neighborhood coffee house will remain." Conroy explains the name change thusly: "Amber had sold downtown Izzy's to Ross and […]
Tag: Straight Dish
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Arcade Asheville nixing the food and going full-time bar
Arcade Asheville is phasing out the food and becoming a private nightclub, says owner Joshua Aaron. Daytime hours, at least during weekdays, are over. Weekend hours — and half-price drink menu on Sundays — will remain the same. The new hours are 5 p.m. until 2:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, noon until 2:30 a.m. on […]
Feral pigs, beaver and watermelon
Standing in front of a crowd of people awaiting a dinner of obscure meats, Elliott Moss admits, almost sheepishly, "This is our first time cooking all this stuff, so I hope it's good.” Drew Maykuth appends, matter-of-factly, "I'm surprised by how normal this stuff actually tastes,” as if to comfort the crowd. Moss and Maykuth, […]
Can’t take the heat?
They say that when you can't take the heat, you should get out of the kitchen. We call that suggestion a little bit over the top. With the August weather upon us, if you're sick of sweating it out but short on funds, don't go hungry — just shut the stove off. We’ve provided four […]
Moroccan cherry-chicken salad
Ashley English is a local blogger (http://www.small-measure.blogspot.com) and author of the “Homemade Living” series from Lark Books (available through Malaprops on Haywood Street or through her blog). English shares her recipe for chicken salad using already-cooked rotisserie chicken for when it’s just too dang hot to cook: “One of our favorite ‘it's-far-too-ungodly-hot-to-even-look-at-the-stove’ go-to eats during […]
Champagne gazpacho with butternut puree
Like your soup a little boozy? The Magnetic Field in the River Arts District has a recipe for you. From the gin-spiked gazpacho the restaurant recently served as a brunch offering, to this Champagne-infused version, chef Liam Luttrell-Rowland makes daytime dishes that would make a teetotaler blush. The addition of the butternut puree in the […]
Tupelo Honey coleslaw
Sometimes you just want a cooling slaw, whether it’s served next to a tomato sandwich or by itself in a big bowl, served with a glass of sweet tea. Tupelo Honey’s version is an even mix of creamy and vinegary, and requires shredding and mixing skills — but absolutely no cooking. The addition of red […]
Tuna poke
Poke (pronounced “poh-kay”) is a Hawaiian comfort-food dish that traditionally involves raw tuna. It's a simple appetizer that requires a reputable seafood source and little more than good knife skills. Don't feel like handling raw fish? Heiwa regularly serves their own version of the classic cold dish on their menu, which they serve as part […]
A taste of “foodtopia”
Do you consider yourself a devout fan of the Asheville food scene? WNC Magazine’s Asheville Wine and Food Festival may have the ticket for you. The Grand Tasting will be held on Aug. 13 at the Expo Center near the Asheville Regional Airport
What’s cookin’
What Sweet: Friday, Aug. 12, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. Tickets cost $35 Grand Tasting: Saturday, Aug. 13, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the WNC Expo Center (near the Asheville Regional Airport). Tickets cost $40. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit ashevillewineandfood.com or call WNC […]
Go fish
The menu at your favorite local sushi restaurant might as well offer the "endangered species roll." Not the best marketing, but here’s the truth: Certain fish species commonly found on restaurant menus and in sushi coolers have been fished nearly to the brink of extinction. While you wouldn't dream of eating panda bear (would you?), […]
Do it right or go home
Troy and Sons, a legit, licensed and local moonshine distillery, is “all heart,” says Troy Ball, mother of three and white whiskey (aka moonshine) maker. With her all-American-girl looks and soft smile, there’s nothing about this former Texan that hints at liquor distiller, let alone moonshine maker.
Food truck debate still rolling
Should the city allow food trucks in Asheville’s central business district? The question has turned into a fiery debate, with fierce opinions on both sides. After nearly a year of intense discussion, food-truck vendors are still at odds with many downtown stakeholders — though it’s beginning to look like food trucks will happen downtown, it’s […]
Food truck quotables
"My passion for food plays a huge part in my life. To look at people, see the contentment in their eyes and their bellies — I want that. And this is the only way that I can give it right now. I'm not looking for wealth, I'm looking for sustainability and supporting my community and […]
Recipe: How to make chimichurri marinade
Jason Sellers advises the home cook not to think too much about this marinade. As long as the flavors are balanced, there’s no need to get out the measuring cups, he says. Don’t add too much oil, keeping the chimi rather dry. This reduces grill flare-ups, which often impart strange and undesirable flavors to your […]
Ready, set … grill!
Ready for a smoke-and-fire-filled Fourth? There's nothing quite like revving up the grill for what feels like the semi-official start of the high-summer season. There's something primal and utterly satisfying about cooking over open flame. Food cooked outdoors, however, does not need to be limited to burgers and dogs. Stumped about how to make a […]
Where there’s smoke…
Mark Rosenstein is the founder of The Market Place restaurant in downtown Asheville and a major proponent of cooking with fire — he’s even built a stone wood-fired oven in his backyard. Rosenstein will lead a cooking series, “Fire and Ice,” on Sunday, July 17. Students will learn about wood grilling, how to make wood-oven […]
Recipe: Leg-o-lamb
"It's a little messy, but it's the most fantastic lamb I've ever had," says Rosenstein. "You start out with a leg of lamb — bone in or bone out. Get gobs of rosemary — three or four dozen long sprigs. Wrap the lamb in rosemary, then tie that all together with butcher's twine. Roast it […]
Fire, hold the meat
Jason Sellers, a vegan chef, is opening his new restaurant, Plant, later this summer. What does a vegan cook have to do with a grill? Everything, says Sellers. Smoke imparts a certain amount of umami to vegetables and vegetarian proteins, he says. “Many people don’t think about it this way,” he says, “but grill is […]
Keeping it juicy
Cooking something that you want to keep juicy on an open grill doesn't always work to your benefit, says Meherwan Irani, the owner and executive chef of Chai Pani. "You lose so many of the juices back into the grill," he says. "So what I've got at home is a piece of sheet metal that's […]
Recipe: Chai Pani cumin-lime dressing
2 cloves garlic 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/4 lime juice 1 1/2 cup light olive oil 3/4 tsp salt 3/4 tsp fresh ground pepper 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion or shallot 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1 1/2 tsp of ground cumin Put all ingredients, except for olive oil, in a food processor and […]