Admired and respected Asheville restaurateurs Martha and Peter Pollay of Mandara Hospitality Group announce plans to open District 42™ in the forthcoming Hotel Arras in Spring 2019. Named for the original 42 lots running along Biltmore and Broadway Ave, District 42 is an ode to the past, present and future narratives of downtown Asheville. The independently-owned and operated restaurant and bar will focus on small plates and handcrafted cocktails in a warm and relaxed setting. The space will have a comfortable lounge feel and will be open all day for locals and hotel guests to enjoy.
“The reimagined BB&T building harkens back to a boom time for downtown Asheville, and we wanted to open a spot that celebrates that rich, vibrant community and era,” says Martha Pollay, co-owner. “District 42 will be a place for everyone to gather, where one hour will roll into the next, and where people will choose to convene over coffee, lunch, or hand-crafted cocktails for any occasion or just because.”
Additionally, Mandara™ has tapped Jordan Arace to helm the kitchens as Executive Chef of District 42™ and Bargello™ (see sample Bargello menu toward the end of this article), both slated to open on the ground floor of the new Arras Hotel in spring 2019. Arace has been in charge of the menu at Posana® restaurant, the Pollays’ first venture in Asheville, since 2016. Before joining Posana in 2010, Arace spent several years in Charleston working for chefs Bob Wagoner and Michelle Weaver and at Charleston Place Hotel as well as in New Orleans at The Grill Room at Windsor Court Hotel. Bargello will allow Arace to focus on his passion for handmade pastas, where the restaurant will serve both traditional and the gluten-free versions he has perfected at Posana.
“Jordan has elevated the menu at Posana and created so many dishes that have become favorites among locals and visitors. We are eager to see him pour his excitement for food and the Asheville community into Bargello and District 42,” says owner and restaurateur Peter Pollay.
Bargello, which will serve breakfast and dinner, will focus on Mediterranean cuisine, meant for sharing and creating a sense of community around the table – whole preparations, house-made pastas and handmade pizzas. The space will have two open kitchens, including a pizza oven with counter seating.
District 42 will serve as an easy gathering place with a mix of relaxed lounge and dining areas and ample outdoor seating. Guests are welcome any time of day to hang out, enjoy a morning coffee, have a working lunch, or gather for drinks and shared plates in the evening.
“I’m honored and excited to take on this new role within the Mandara family,” says Arace. “The menus will mirror the warmth of the spaces, bringing people together through shared food and drink. We’ll be bringing a few signature dishes and cocktail experiences that we have been working on to really wow the guest. We really want the table to shine here – shareable cocktail creations, roasted meats and seafood on the bone, local vegetables and salads to share, and we are working on a tortellini dish that will hopefully be on every table.”
Bargello and District 42 will have the same deep commitment that all Mandara Hospitality Group projects have to sourcing premium ingredients with an emphasis on local farms and purveyors. Their ingredients are locally sourced and harvested from homegrown farms in the area, with a deep commitment to Western North Carolina.
In the coming months, the team will be developing the pastry and beverage programs. Sample menus are available upon request. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook for more announcements on the openings.
McKibbon Hospitality also announced its leadership team for Hotel Arras: Asheville native David McCartney will serve as General Manager of the hotel and local Marie Dalis-Brown will be Market Director of Sales.
About Mandara Hospitality Group:
Mandara™ Hospitality Group is an Asheville, NC restaurant group co-founded by husband and wife team Peter and Martha Pollay with the purpose of crafting spaces that practice intentional hospitality. They currently own Posana restaurant, a contemporary American restaurant in downtown Asheville and will open two new restaurants, Bargello and District 42, in 2019. Mandara took root out of an insatiable joy to host, serve and cultivate communities. It is the embodiment of our mantra; local, seasonal and sustainable. To learn more about the Mandara, visit https://mandarahospitalitygroup.com/.
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