Seasonal Food - Regional Focus
Cabo's Burritos opened about a month ago in the space formerly occupied by The Caribbean at 1971 Asheville Hwy, Hendersonville, NC. You can miss it if you don't know where to look. Cabo's is near The Ugly Mug, on the other side of Asheville Hwy, across from Ingles Market. Look for this sign: Here's a shot of the front: See the yellow sign on the right? It's pointing to more parking in a large rear lot. A good thing, because the three or four spots in front fill up … [Read more...]
Pop's Diner is iconic landmark, Carolina Diner reborn. Sitting at the convergence of five streets known to locals as "5 Points", Pop's is named in honor of owner Kim's father. Closed for only a short time, the diner underwent a pretty comprehensive remodel; new sign outside (see above), painted exterior topped with pink neon, new floor, new light fixtures, new tables & seating, new window treatments, new dishes, new menu and a jukebox! The picture above was taken just … [Read more...]
I was having one of those days. The kind where I'd agreed to meet a friend for lunch and then went to the wrong restaurant. After a quick call asking her where she was, I headed over to the right restaurant - on the other side of town. Ugh! Luckily it was a perfect day for al fresco dining so we chose a table out on Sol Y Luna's fabulous, tree-shaded, umbrella festooned deck. This is the same Laurel Park space most recently occupied by Ling's Bistro. Just after we sat down, bean dip … [Read more...]
Usually I save hot dog consumption for ball games, but a group of us decided to see if we could find (and agree on) the best hot dog in the Asheville/Hendersonville area. We're not talking about all-beef, bratwurst, or any kind of specialty dog - just your basic hot dog. The only criteria for contestants is that the restaurant have the word "Dog" in its name somewhere. These posts will be short and sweet: basic comments, who won and why. First up, Hot Dog World vs Dog … [Read more...]
There's no gambling involved - you can expect consistently good food and friendly staff every time you go to Thai Spice. Because it opened to very mixed reviews - it's authentic, it's not authentic, it's not spicy enough, it's just right - I've taken my time, making half a dozen visits before writing this review. In the interest of full disclosure, I'd like to say here and now that I'm in no way an expert on Thai cuisine and that this review is written from the perspective … [Read more...]
PIC and I had a blast at Vue Wine Bar and Restaurant's Wine Dinner last Wednesday, December 1st. I say we had a blast because it was an experience filled with very good food, very good wine and very good people. And by people, I mean other diners as well as Vue staff. Vue has changed. New owner, new Executive Chef, new staff, new menu, new pricing, new attitude. Before going farther, be warned that this review is "image heavy". Some may not be the best shots due to very low … [Read more...]
Pita Express surprised me. They're so much more than the basic sandwich, albeit on Pita Bread, shop I expected. Owned and operated by Lina and Mohamid Abuadas, Pita Express serves up breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday from 6:00AM (unusually early for the Hendersonville, NC area) to 2:00PM. … [Read more...]
So how do you pull off a four course wine dinner for $19.99 per person? In our area, the best priced wine dinners have been set at $45. Average is more like $65 to $90. Never Blue seems to have figured it out: serve tapas paired with wines that sell for $6 a bottle. I figured this could go one of two ways - teeny portions of "okay" food served with sips of okay wine, or a meal of surprises that would leave me feeling like I'd gotten a great deal for my … [Read more...]
Sinbad's deck always tops my list when lunching outdoors on a beautiful day. Serene and full of colorful and fragrant potted flowers, it's the perfect spot to take visitors, meet your friends or have a romantic lunch with your partner. Last week, we had one of those days: mid to high 70's, sunny, a little breezy. We headed over to Sinbad's for lunch. Co-owner Sylvie had the deck planted with roses, geraniums and more. Wisteria-covered lattice and arbor provided privacy and … [Read more...]
PIC and I took Teen Daughter and one of her friends to Never Blue tonight to celebrate her birthday. The girls both ordered Chocolate Kahlua Cake, PIC got Strawberry Shortcake and I went for "The Brownie". Most desserts at Never Blue are $7, The Brownie is $8 and takes 20 minutes to bake, so order at the same time you order your dinner. Their Strawberry Shortcake is what you'd expect - plus, plus. Citrus and other flavors mingle with strawberry, creating a wonderfully light, … [Read more...]
