Asheville, North Carolina
it feels good to travel
Asheville is my kinda vibe. Good food, beer, cocktails, hip, artsy, lively but not overcrowded. We hiked in Pisgah National Forest to some earthy waterfalls. We biked the Biltmore Estate grounds which were farm, lagoon, and rolling hill infused gorgeous. We went shopping, brewery crawling, had lots of deep talks, live music, danced, all the good girlfriend shit.
A back alley type hidden behind a labyrinth of doors, Neng Jr*s. is expressive with vibrant teal walls, red counter tops, swivel stools, and terrific Filipnix (essentially Filipino fusion) cuisine. Neng’s seats only 18 and scoring a reservation was well plotted in advance. Counter service is intimate.
So glad to lock in Asheville night one with a food parade, grated cheese topped ice cream, an Adobo Martini (vodka ~ dry vermouth ~ sherry ~ black pepper & bay leaf ~ garlic ~ soy), a Burnt Rice Martinez (burnt rice gin ~ sweet vermouth ~ junmai gingo sake ~ orange bitters), a funky pistachio cocktail at The Low Down and a Miller High Life nightcap at Jack of The Wood. The following morning, probably the best biscuit I’ve ever had, can be found inside the S&W Market Building at Flour. Crumbly crust and gentle flakes contain folds of fresh egg, luxe cheese, its pinch-hit saltiness matched by thick strips of bacon.
Hikes to Looking Glass and Moore Cove waterfalls were leisurely and scenic!
You cannot miss, I repeat CANNOT MISS Chai Pani. Winning all the James Beard Awards, this is not the Indian Cuisine of your chicken tikka masala flooded past. This is unprecedented in her class, creativity and flavor linking, enchanting is every strand of décor from mustard yellow garlands to pink-bled blossoms, ephemeral sips of a house-made syrup infused cocktail (think turmeric, cardamom, saffron, tamarind or hibiscus!). Chai Pani is going to transport you to a place you’ve never been.
Indian Street Food orders up (L to R): Spring Green Uttapam is the savory griddled pancake made from lentils and fermented rice - this version has local green garlic, rapini, spring onion and ginger. Matchstick Okra Fries are a signature, mind-bending, julienned version. The frothy coupe holds a Golden Hour Sour - a gin sour infusion of fennel, fenugreek, turmeric and aquafaba! Sabudana Vada are crispy tater and tapioca tots seasoned with curry, cumin and ginger.
Just — wow!
Bhel Puri is a puffed rice street food class act with crunch, tang and spice — cilantro, green chilis, red onion, tossed with tamarind and green chutney. Finally, I have never had a sirloin tip so tender as the chargrilled Beef Bihari Kabab marinated with red chili, green papaya, yogurt, poppyseed and masalas.
I arrive midway through a trip recap and think — do I leave you here — are we at max capacity systems overloaded or do we leave her runnin’? Where do you precisely draw the line? Maybe if we can pack all this (and more!) into three days I can surely pack more punches into a newsletter. Okay!
Go shopping at f r o c k boutique and Union, have afternoon cocktails at both Battery Park Champagne Book Bar and Asheville Club. Take a shower, shine your shoes, drink some water, the night is young.
The Capella on 9 Rooftop Bar circled by sky kissed fluff blue green mountains is worthy of your attention. I want you to drink the bartenders Watermelon Aperol Spritz (not listed on the menu) or the cocktail that combines a salted honey shrub (everything, truly) with tequila and a black salt honey powder rim. It’s called the Don’t Bee Salty!
Dinner at Cúrate is not just another tapas bar. Or maybe that’s exactly what it is, the finest expression of one — lively, atmospheric, and with polished service. Patatas bravas, tortilla espanola, goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers, pulpo a la gallega, lightly cured trout, honey fried eggplant, consumed over open emotions and bottles of Tempranillo because that is what night number two on a girls trip begs of you. Swim deep with me these are my waters.
I am a bathroom selfie person. Why am I? I like a bathroom aesthetic, how have they collaborated the walls art tile floors sink mirror, usually it’s a lil surprise treat and I’m not here for most of it, I’m here for all of it.
We rented bikes from the Biltmore Estate Bike Barn, which is adjacent to the Biltmore Estate Winery — the bike paths back up behind the estate and from there we explored the gardens on foot. The included wine tasting after the bike ride was better than any expectations we had!
White Hot Fish. Go. Get the hot fish sandwich, get it with a $3 can of Miller High Life, maybe don’t get it with the wedge fries not because they aren’t good but because all that hot needed a little cool — it wanted potato salad or collard greens.
What’s missing Asheville? Little thing called a brewery crawl! Right next door to White Hot Fish is Burial Beer Co. — absolutely go there, then flow up Asheville’s South Slope / Coxe Avenue hitting Wicked Weed Funkatoruim and Asheville Brewery. An overabundance of good beer in full stomachs on a crawl in your forties? Get one flight and share it four ways. Get half pours and share those too. This is a long distance relay not a solo sprint.
Hey you guysss…..
Last night in town! We’ve maybe showered, maybe not, I think my hair looks good but I also don’t care that much about my hair. At Leo’s House of Thirst we drink the crispy Txakoli pictured. At The Bull and Beggar, I take no food photos or bathroom selfies, but we have a solid time dining at this rustic-hip restaurant in the RAD. The River Arts District is the area recovering from those nasty floods.
Also located in the RAD is Crucible Bar, which Esquire just named one of the ‘Best Bars in America’. Can confirm this to be true, because you don’t fuck with Esquire’s list in your little newsletter. No but really, it is the best! Situated on a dark triangular street corner, the entrance dimly lit by a flickering gas lamp no signage. It gives Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar (NOLA, IYKYK) vibes minus the purple drink Bourbon Street situation. The Gather Your Flowers gives me toasted-pecan infused bourbon, house made chamomile liquor, cinnamon and a grapefruit twist. An $11 cocktail is as unpretentious as they come!
Live music and release your inhibitions dancing with your girls at Asheville Music Hall makes me feel like I’m 31 and not 41. How lucky am I?
Love Asheville! This looks like fun.
I am an Asheville enthusiast (we go 1-2 x a year) but have not yet had the pleasure of Chai Pani. Thank you for the rec!