Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Below’s an excerpt from a Charleston magazine article, “Asheville by the forkful,” a “gastronomic trek through Western North Carolina’s new culinary star.”
Writer Sandy Lang hits The Lot, the Lowdown food truck (“a messy, delicious start”), Dobra Tea, Sky Bar, Curate, the Red Stag Grill, Rocky’s Hot Chicken, White Duck, the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, and the Admiral (“I’m almost dizzy with the meal’s flavors—in a good way—and we eat every forkful”).
That’s my Asheville. Scroll to the bottom of the article for Lang’s recommendations on where to eat, where to stay, and what to do in Asheville.
Continuing our motor tour, we cruise over to the River Arts District and stop at White Duck Taco Shop in the Hatchery Studios. Opened in spring 2011, the small café is painted in pastel colors and has patio tables offering views of the railroad tracks and the French Broad River. In line, I hear a woman mention her penchant for the Bangkok shrimp tacos listed on the tall chalkboard menu, and we order those, too. The tortillas filled with shrimp, cucumber, and chili aioli are fresh and tasty, and I bet they’re a fine match for the Son of a Peach beer featured at the White Duck. We drive around a bit more before returning to park and walk the downtown blocks of shops and restaurants near Pack Square.
At the French Broad Chocolate Lounge, a three-story brick building with a blue-and-brown-striped awning, people are lining up for the handmade chocolate confections, cakes, and caramels. Inside, among the upholstered couches and chairs set in cozy groups and nooks, I meet Jael Rattigan, a young chocolatier who opened the store in 2008 with her husband, Dan. She tells me they are expanding the business and will be opening a “bean-to-bar” chocolate factory this year on nearby Buxton Avenue. Though I’ve been scanning the neat rows of house-made truffles in the display case, I opt for Jael’s recommendation of the “Indian Kulfi” drinking chocolate made with rose petals, pistachio, and cardamom melted with cream. In the lounge, I hold the petite mug made by a local potter, and I can’t get enough of the rich, chocolate treat.
Read the full article here.
