Big bite: Catching up on Asheville food news, from Rhubarb to King James

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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BlueWaterCatching up on all the recent food news. It’s so much sometimes that I feel I can’t keep up.

Chef Mo’s is closing: The last day is Aug. 3. Get there before then if you can. It is delicious, and Chef Mo is just a really great guy. Other restaurants that have closed this year in Asheville: Burgermeister’s, Boca, Tolliver’s , Frank’s N.Y. Deli, Bistro 1896, Tomato Cucina Latina, Taqueria Gonzalez, Aqua Cafe, Urban Burrito East, The Asheville Public

Rhubarb: That’s the name of John Fleer’s new restaurant coming together in the former Bistro 1896 space on Pack Square. The Asheville Scene’s Mackensy Lunsford:

John Fleer’s new restaurant, opening on Pack Square later this year, will be called Rhubarb. The James Beard award-winning former chef of Blackberry Farm and current chef of Canyon Kitchen will open his restaurant in the former Bistro 1896 space.

Rhubarb is a leafy plant with a distinctive pink stem, tart flavor and inedible greens. Though rhubarb is technically a vegetable, it was mandated a fruit in the 1940s for regulatory purposes.

It’s rhubarb’s shifting personality, its lack of willingness to be defined, that appeals to the chef.

Barleycorn: That’s the name of the new restaurant going in on Haywood Road in the former Burgermeister’s space. The Asheville Scene’s Mackensy Lunsford again:

The Barleycorn, a venture by brothers Greg and Jon Campbell, will open in the former Burgermeister’s space this fall. The menu will focus on pub traditions, like fish and chips, bangers and mash and pork pie, and the restaurant will have 16 beers on tap, half of them local.

King James Public House: That’s the name of the new restaurant going in at the former Blue Water Seafood on Charlotte Street. It was going to be Shambles, but that’s not happening. From Lunsford:

Make way for King James Public House.

Shambles, the bar planned by the owner of The Chop Shop, Josh Wright, is no longer opening at 94 Charlotte Street. In its place, Peter Slamp, an owner of Zambra, will open a pub-style restaurant with Steven Goff, sous chef at Zambra.

The planned name of the restaurant is the King James Public House, after the building in which it’s being constructed (the King James building).

The restaurant, which Slamp said will have a speakeasy feel, will be full-service and offer a menu of both comfort fare and some more upscale eats. “It’s going to be hearty bar food,” Slamp said.

 

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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1 Comment

  1. PBnJ July 31, 2013

    Glad the old Blue Water spot is showing some activity again

    Reply

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