Running around town, we are always looking for some quick, but good food. Twisted Laurel was our choice recently. Many good Greek/Italian dishes to choose from. If you have ever been to Bellagio Bistro or Apollo Flame; think of that, but to the next level. One of the great things about this spot is the upstairs which has a full bar, lounge area, and live music playing regularly. Several of our friends enjoy downtown Asheville nightlife here regularly and love it.
Asheville has many cultures and personalities. In other words, Biltmore Village folk do not act like River Arts District people. And folks from north Asheville do not act like folks from south Asheville. You can enter the suburb communities in any direction from downtown, and visit a different vibe and theme somewhat. On the eastside of west Asheville, another sub-community is getting established on their own. B&B Pharmacy welcomes as you enter. If you know the area, I-240 separates east west Asheville from west west Asheville. In addition to the walkability factor, this area has a lot to offer. I recently took a walk on this part of Haywood Rd with my daughter.
The West Asheville highway intersection.
The Mardis Building is home to King Daddy’s Chicken & Waffles, Second Gear, and Rhetorical Factory.
Love me some King Daddy’s!
You can walk to several great shops in the area. The Rhetorical Factory features recycled clothing, and Second Gear sells outdoor gear for hiking, rafting, running, sports and more. Then you have Asheville BookWorks inside the Universal Motors Building, along with more shopping spots.
We stopped by Whist and found some great items including this “I Love Asheville” cup, and a book on human anatomy that is a must for mankind.
The Circle offers glass, fashion and art. Flora is flower design studio and florist.
From custom glass and repair shops, to custom screenprinting at Image 420, and you can even get a tattoo at Hot Stuff! Of course there is the vintage Gas-Up store on this corner. Lots of development planned for this end of the community, which then connects to Asheville’s Sweet Slope featuring Short Street Cakes, Hole Doughnuts and The Hop Ice Creamery; before heading down to Clingman Ave and the River Arts District.
The Admiral serves delicious cuisine spot that everyone loves. Walk is also a great place to grab lunch and dinner. Battle Cat Coffeehouse is a funky and hipstery coffee shop on Haywood Rd. Tip: park your Benz a few blocks away and walk here.
Harvest Records on the eastside of west Asheville is music heaven!
Haywood Road is also bikable. And Carrier Park is right down the street!
Art, graffiti and creativity line the streets. When coming over to west Asheville, talk a walk on the eastside!
Off of first glance you wouldn’t think this spot would suffice your appetite but there’s more than meets the eye. The food preparation is authentic and the food itself tastes like my mother’s cooking. It made me miss her and her cooking way too much, but it’s a nice reminder.
My first time here and I got to enjoy some spring rolls, wontons and the ginger plate with beef. I love how the ginger in this plate tasted. It wasn’t over cooked, it was just right. I have to add another compliment to this dish about the beef. The seasoning and how she cooked it was perfect.
My friend with me had nothing to complain about with their plate, Thai Fried Rice with beef.
Although Lita, owner, is camera shy, she came out to talk to me and we both lost track of time speaking to each other in Laotian, my first language. She’s native to northern Thailand and previously owned Pad Thai, for five years, in Brevard… but sold it to a friend recently because of the commute and her family responsibilities. She decided to start a business in the Asheville area and got her building, a previous Anderson Family Homes model, foreclosed on. I haven’t seen the before pictures but I could imagine all of the hard work it took from her husband to get the place to how it looks today. As of right now she’s a one-woman-machine in the kitchen with a lot of dedication but is looking for good help.
Have a taste of Thai To-Go or go by for an application and/or interview!
Bee Chanseri – follow me on Twitter @GSocialBee
With so many restaurants and places to eat in the Asheville area; we usually head to a certain end of town to see what’s cookin’ there. We headed to south Asheville this time and we wanted to try something new. It is easy to get used to the norms, like the handful of wonderful eateries in Biltmore Village (Short South Asheville) such as Fig, Ruth’s Chris and the Cantina. Even Biltmore Park has a few great choices like Travinia, PF Changs and Roux. Of course there is Pomodoros South which is a tasty Italian Greek spot on Long Shoals Rd. Then there is Tupelo Honey Cafe, and that place is a sure win. But this time we wanted to experiment and test a new restaurant, that one where Wildflower used to be, and we are glad we did.
We remembered a new place named McAbees Restaurant had recently opened on Hendersonville Rd in south Asheville at the Forest Center. We turned the car around and headed back toward it. It was open, live Jazz music was playing, and we were promptly greeted.
We noticed that the menu featured the “Irish Dish of the Day” so that intrigued us. We asked and it happened to be Shepherd’s Pie. We did not order it, but Don the owner stopped by our table and described it, and how many ways they make it there; so we decided we were surely coming back for the Shepherd’s Pie soon. What we did order: the Vegetarian Scampi, and also the Cedar Planked Salmon. So good! We found out that they have live Jazz Music every Thursday and Friday, and also a private room for special events. They have a bar and lounge area with a piano in the corner. The restaurant itself is a little hidden, with the entrance on the back side of the building. But we found it! Our search was over, we were filled with great food, and we will be back again.
On a rainy evening in Asheville, we ended up on the westside, and finally stopped at King Daddy’s Chicken & Waffles. This restaurant is owned by the John and Julie, the same folks that have Early Girl Eatery in downtown Asheville.
The had a great menu with lots of chicken, salads, sides and desserts. And of course… the booze menu!
After getting settled in, we took at look at the decor, atmosphere and lighting. All of the windows also gave us an outside view, part of it looking out onto the patio area.
I ordered the Heirloom Chicken since it was the one that took the most amount of time to prepare (30 minutes), and the most expensive option at less than $9. We added a side of bacon and also some Asian slaw.
And for dessert, the Fried Apple Pie was just delicious!