black tablecloth

we have a hickory nut gap pork belly bánh mì on the late nite menu… its been a huge success.  i wanted to give our dinner diners a chance to taste the flavors  but didnt really want a sandwich on the menu. this is what we came up with… a spreadable make your own bánh mì version. vietnamese flavored local chicken & foie gras rillettes, served with sriracha mayonaise, toast,  and traditional garnishes. well try to keep some version of this dish around for a little while.

its been a while… lost my camera battery charger for a few months and just found it. so lots of stuff coming now that summers just getting started, cant wait for summer produce. also thanks soo much to our loyal customers for coming out and suporting us at the wnc chefs challenge. learned alot and were definitely gonna step it up for the next one…  mark your calendars for july 6th.

 launched our new late nite menu today, lots of new things. monday thru friday… starts once dinner gets wrapped up and until 1:30.

of my road road trip anyway. great vacation, got some much needed rest, ate some really good food,  and im excited to get back in the kitchen. after a few late nites out on the town (something that i dont get to do that much in asheville) i realized that our late nite bar menu could use some revamping. cant wait to get that going. some other highlights… vinergary pulled pork at fresh air bbq in jackson, georgia. look it up if youre ever traveling in between atlanta and macon, total back road joint in the middle of no where. really glad i was hungry when i passed it.

korean bbq over coal with a huge spread of banchan (or side dishes) way to many to list and bibimbap at hanil kwan. soooo good.

beef tibs, lentils, collards, chickpeas, cabbage, potatoes, salad and lots of injera at queen of sheba. ethiopeian is hands down my favorite ethnic cuisine. this food has alot of soul. i only had it for the first time five years ago, but for myself and some strange reason its comfort food. im almost glad that theres none to be found anywhere close by. ethiopeian food is such a treat… so heavily spiced, so filling and so delicious. to anyone wanting to open a restaurant in asheville and happen to know a really good ethiopeian cook… it would kill it.

im on a road trip for some rest, relaxation, and hopefully some really good inspiring food. im staying the next two days or so on buford hwy… on the outskirts of atlanta. im here for the ethnic food and the ethnic food only. day one wasnt disapointing.

bánh mì from lee’s bakery. for those who dont know about bánh mì… its vietnamese version of a hoagie or sandwich. crusty baguette, some sort of protein, vietnamese mayo, cucmber, cilantro, jalepeno, pickled diakon & carrot… and depending on the restaurant various other condiments. i first had them living in philadelphia and fell in love with them. no where to be found in wnc. i got three, one grilled pork, one head cheese, and one that ive never seen before… fried egg (im saving that one for breakfast). better than any i had in philly, hands down.

cold pork belly with spicy garlic sauce & shanghai juicy steamed pork buns from chef liu. both very good, especially the buns. they were filled with a pork broth that burst in your mouth.  im stuffed and in a pork coma.

conclusion… weve done a version of bánh mì at the admiral before and if i can find the right bread, i definitely want to have one on the late nite menu. its such a unique, simple, and amazing sandwich. steamed buns probably wont ever be on the menu, but i really like the idea of the hidded  juicy suprise you get from eating these. gonna play around with this idea.

we did a chefs tasting menu for valentines day… we were booked and had alot of fun. it was a great change of pace and times like this is when i wish we had more seats.  it was the first time we did a tasting menu and was an inspiration for us to do more special events.

kushi oyster, dashi mignonette, cucumber, shiso

lobster, gnocchi, miatake mushroom, sugar snaps, orange emulsion, lobster nage

diver scallop, ox tail, smoked potato puree, melted & crispy leek, pink pepper corn demi galce, chive

lamb loin, roasted beet, beet-chevre puree & ”paper”, whipped sweet potato, kale, ras el hanout

             new york strip, anson mills farro, carbonated grapes, manipulated concord grape-pedro ximenez vinegar, foie gras powder, foie gras-black garlic emulsion

chocolate mousse, chocolate sponge cake, raspberry three ways, creme fraiche

manipulated wagyu skirt steak, anson mills blue corn grits, broccoli three ways, mole, corn nuts, cocoa nibs

hickory nut gap pork belly, apple wood bacon, beluga lentils, root beer, pureed glazed carrot, carrot “paper”, pistachio

a few dishes that have made an appearance on the menu this past week…

south carolina quail, “pickled deviled egg”, pickled 64 degree egg, pickled beets, beet powder, hazelnut, arugula, meyer lemon

sonoma duck breast, freeze dried orange,  orange-elder flower gel, satsuma segments,  orange vinaigrette, fennel fronds,  pureed charred fennel, pickled fennel, grand marnier braised pistachio, chevre, sensory surprise

angus tenderloin tartare, poached yolk, quail egg, toast, cahill’s porter cheese, cornichon, grain mustard, shallot, smoked paprika, capers, kewpie mayonnaise