Christina, I haven’t been to Asheville in decades, unfortunately. My sister lives in Black Mountain and my 93 year old mother recently re-located from Raleigh to a senior complex in Asheville while she waits to move closer to my sister.
So I have the same question for Asheville as I anticipate sending a mother’s day/birthday restaurant card to my mom for May. I can and will ask my sister, but she’s unfortunately likely to recommend a place preferred by her and her spouse, not for my mother, who can be somewhat adventurous but would need sister to get her to an Asheville restaurant.
I ordered some stuff from Curaté EDIT C`urate( post hurricane and so got on their email list. I got a message Monday about their 14th anniversary that announced they are re-opening for weekday lunch as of yesterday and are open for dinner every night except Monday. My mother visited me a couple of times decades ago when I was living in Spain, and I think she. might enjoy it.
I love the cookbook. Would you recommend for lunch?
My sister prefers to drive between Black Mountain and Asheville during daylight…other places you’d recommend for lunch?
Thanks…I love your posts here on cooking and send hope for a fuller recovery in your beautiful area of the planet.
What do you think?
2 Likes
ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
63
It’s been a long time since I went to Cúrate (it was good), and I see they are only open for lunch a few days/week:
Their small plates might be appealing if she has a smaller appetite. They should make a note to give her a table and not seat her at the bar if that would be uncomfortable.
You might check out Copper Crown in East Asheville – it’s small and books out, so she would have to reserve ahead. And it’s only open for dinner, but I think they open at 4:00/4:30 pm. We had a nice meal there with my mother-in-law – just good quality, well executed dishes. And I think there were small plates, too.
It’s hard to make a recommendation without knowing more about what your mom might like. Does she like Asian food? Maguro is relatively new to the scene and has excellent sushi and ramen. Unfortunately we just lost Cucina 24 and Rhubarb, two of our best restaurants that I would have otherwise recommended.
Thanks so much, Christina, for the suggestions. Copper Crown sounds great! She likes scallops, duck confit, and crab cake. And the table not bar is tip is essential. It’s about a 8 minute drive from where she lives in East Asheville, and 4:30 opening could work for my sister driving from Black Mountain,so a a good possibility.
I should have mentioned that she’s never eaten anywhere near authentic Asian, so that’s out. I’m so sorry you’ve lost so many restaurants in Asheville, in addition to so much else.
So Cúrate hasn’t changed their website to reflect the email I received from them on Monday, March 3. I’ll paste it in below in case it could benefit others visiting Asheville.
"
TUESDAY, MARCH 4TH
Starting next Tuesday, March 4th, Cúrate will reopen for lunch every day of service beginning at 11:00 AM. Whether you pop in for a quick bite, or settle in for a traditional Spanish tapas meal, we’re looking forward to welcoming you during our expanded daytime hours!
For those missing La Bodega by Cúrate’s dining options, we are happy to offer a selection of LaBo favorites, including our signature Bocadillos (only available until 3:00 PM) and Ensalada (yes, with the crispy shrimp!), in addition to our Cúrate classics.
In addition to these expanded hours, we will also be extending our weekday closing time, incrementally, to welcome the later sunsets of spring! Starting this Thursday, March 6th, we will be closing at 10:30 PM Thursday-Saturday every week!"
@ChristinaM Are there stairs up to the main dining area at Curate or am I remembering a different place?
@Madrid I don’t know how your mom is with stairs, but it was and is a consideration for my parents so it struck me.
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ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
66
I feel like the left entrance is street level and flush with the sidewalk (or one step up), but it’s not a place I frequent. Worth checking if it’s a consideration.
Saregama Thanks for pointing that out…she’s okay with one set of stairs since she started physical therapy, almost as good as I am, who is only 23 years younger than she is and who has three joint replacements!
What was your own experience with Cúrate, if you were there?
I loved it — my trip report is upthread (this is the thread I started before I visited, cant believe it was 6 years ago!)
I think it might have been Nightbell that had a short flight of stairs. It was once you got inside, not outside, so you wouldn’t see it from a street view.
3 Likes
ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
72
Beeswax and Butter makes the best macarons, Stroopwafels, and canelés in town. Find them at farmers markets.
Bonito for poke bowls, wings, crudo, small plates and other Hawai’ian/Asian fusion (plus some Moroccan dishes!). From the chef behind RosaBees, which was destroyed in the hurricane. It’s located inside The Hound cocktail lounge, which has extensive outdoor seating and good drinks.
Good Hot Fish is a chef-run fish fry by Top Chef alum Ashleigh Shanti that gets a lot of praise and critical acclaim. I haven’t been yet.
Chef J. Chong (a finalist on The Big Brunch) sells excellent homemade dumplings and condiments (chili oil, scallion-garlic sauce) at farmers markets. She occasionally has pop-ups with a more extensive menu (including an upcoming wine dinner at BeBop Wine Shop); check Instagram.
One of the best burgers in town is still at Baby Bull, which survived Helene despite being located in the River Arts District. Their fried fish fillet is what you wish McDonald’s was putting out. Good fries with aioli, too. Outdoor picnic tables with umbrellas.
The Grind and Ultra coffee bar in RAD are both still open despite the storm. Ultra definitely has outdoor seating.
If you’re tequila/mezcal fans, definitely stop by Anoche for cocktails al fresco (also in RAD).
Maguro is new to the sushi scene downtown and hands-down the best IMO. Their yellowtail is…insane. Ramen is good but I actually prefer it at the casual pan-Asian eatery Mizu. I do not think Maguro has outdoor seating but you could get carry out and enjoy it in the park on Pack Square.
Chai Pani offered a discounted buffet following the hurricane. They’re back to their regular menu now, which is consistently good. Focus on the street food over, say, butter chicken. Line up early. No outdoor seating but you can find some similar dishes from the same restaurateur at Botiwalla.
Smokin’ Onion - surprisingly delicious vegan pub fare (I’ve only had it from their food truck). I think they have outdoor seating but if not, catch them on one of their food truck days.
Flour - focaccia sandwiches and coffee, outdoor seating downtown
Other faves:
Luminosa (semi fine dining + wood-fired pizza, farm-to-table, Italian/new American menu); they have some outdoor seating. Really good homemade ice cream. Book ahead. This is a hotel restaurant but so good you should go anyway.
Mother - French cafe; excellent brunch and sourdough breads. They also serve dinner some nights, although we haven’t been.
Copper Crown is a small, chef-driven neighborhood restaurant. Good food and wine; popular. They have patio seating–definitely book in advance.
Pure and Proper in neighboring Black Mountain is another New American, chef-driven restaurant. They have a back patio (reserve ahead). Great brunch.
I still love OWL West for coffee and croissants. That location has outdoor seating.
Gan Shan West is a casual pan-Asian eatery with a new menu and some old favorites. Chef Roy Choi has been cooking well in Asheville for years. And you can eat outside.
I’ve now been informed that my sister will be moving my 93 year old mother from Asheville to my sister’s retirement community in Black Mountain quite soon. There will probably not be an opportunity for my mother and sister to enjoy a dinner out in Asheville before the move.
Black Mountain is not Asheville. If you have any suggestions for Black Mountain, I’d love them. However, there is possibly little reason for you to know about Black Mountain, so I understand that!
Thanks so much, and I think your suggestions will help others.
ChristinaM
(Hungry in Asheville, NC (still plenty to offer tourists post Hurricane))
77
Pure & Proper! It’s delicious with great service and a cool setting.
