The podcast above features me and my special co-host, Sarah Ray from the Let’s Talk Country Podcast, who is also one of my fellow food tour guides!
Podcast Contents
00:00 - 02:12 INTRO: Guest Host Sarah Ray!
02:13 - 09:19 A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAINS: How Does a Food Tour Work?
09:20 - 20:58 LTC: Let’s Talk Country Podcast with Sarah Ray & Mary Lynne
20:59 - 21:43 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank.
21:44 - 42:34 LTC… and F: Let’s Talk Country… and Food
42:35 - 50:05 SARAH’S JOURNEY: Sculptor > Baker > Tour Guide > More
50:06 - 52:30 OUTRO: Good Bye!
BEAR’S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ: I stopped into Bear's Smokehouse BBQ the other day and bought some of my favorite stuff! I also said, "damn the calories!" and ordered one of the most decadent things in all of Asheville: Bear Balls, which are battered, deep-fried balls of mac & cheese, pulled pork and cornbread that are then topped with cheese sauce and bacon. I kept my defibrillator right next to me while I was eating them! 😂😂😂 Gahd, they're so good, tho!
The other things I got were cornbread, baked beans, a chonk of their impossible meatloaf, and some of their "chopped," which is brisket and pork all chopped up together. I used the meatloaf and the chopped to make myself little street tacos at home for two days. Super delicious! The baked beans are some of the best in town, IMHO, and they have loads of meat in them. I really like the food at Bear's and I always enjoy seeing my friends who work there! Thanks, y'all!
HULI SUE’S HAWAIIAN BARBECUE: I treated myself to Huli Sue's BBQ and Grill the other day, where I got one of my all-time favorite things, as well as something from their menu that I had never tried before! The crispy fried baby back ribs are some of the best ribs in town in my opinion, and they were as good as ever! Piping hot, battered and deep-fried with a sweet lilikoi glaze. They. Are. Awesome!
Then I got out of my box and ordered a Hawaiian style house-smoked turkey club, with bacon, avocado, and LTO on a King's sweet Hawaiian roll. It came with fries. The sandwich was a beast and I ate half of it, the brought the rest home for later. The smoked turkey was really good and had a great texture. The fries were real good too. I sat outside on a cool misty day, which is my favorite kind of day, and I enjoyed my meal very much.
Service was great too. Prompt, friendly, and professional. Thanks, Huli's!
LUMINOSA: After my Wednesday food tour, I spontaneously stopped into the brand new Luminosa restaurant inside the Flat Iron Hotel right downtown, and I was pretty dang impressed. Especially because it was opening night, and for the first day of service, they were very dialed in! The place was bustling, lots of custies and lots of staff. My old friend and much beloved local favorite, Chef Graham House is the executive chef, and he took the time to pop out of the kitchen and say howdy to me. My server, David, was super-professional, but friendly. I ordered the camponelle pasta, with country ham, nettles, pickled shallots, and it was fan-friggin-tastic.
Very tender but toothy pasta, very punchy flavors, and... country ham. Yes please. I also ordered some very delicious roasted asparagus, that I enjoyed very much. The Kitchen sent out a dish of tiny roasted root vegetables with toasted hazelnuts, that was super good, and they also sent over two of their nonalcoholic drinks that I enjoyed very much.
I've included a photo of their menu, so that you can see their other offerings, and the prices. It is a place that I will try to get to as often as I can afford to, and I will also go there to share small plates with Dawn and our friends.
Thanks, Chef House, and the rest of the staff at Luminosa, I think you're going to do great in that location! Reservations are recommended.
CHAI PANI: Y'all... I went to the friends and family party at the new Chai Pani location on the South Slope, and... whoa. It's frickin' awesome inside!
Buxton Hall was my #1 favorite restaurant for a lotta years, so I'll always feel a little nostalgia for it when I go into that space, but ding-dang-daaaayummm! They sure did change the vibe, the decor, the seating, etc, and it's bright, cheerful, colorful AF, comin' atcha in 3 Dimensions, and 100% Chai Pani Group style, to like, the Nth degree. I loved it.
The food they served at the party was great of course, and I can't wait to go back. I think it's gonna be hella popular, ie really BUSY, especially in the beginning, so... uh... save me a seat! 😂
ASHEVILLE FOOD TOURS: Come take an Asheville Food Tour with me Sunday, Tuesday & Wednesday, or with our other awesome food tour guide Sarah Ray every other day of the week!
This was my second time taking The Food Fan Tour, guided by Stu Helm from Asheville Food Tours. His restaurant selection did not disappoint! We sampled a pork belly taco, NY style pizza, Reuben sandwich, Indian cuisine, Spanish food, steak and some of the biggest cookies (size and variety) I’ve ever seen. This was a great day spent with family and friends and wonderful weather for our walking tour. At the end, Stu asked all participants for their favorite taste of the day. That was a challenge and garnered mixed responses from members of our group. I chose the pork belly taco, but the Reuben was a close second. I highly recommend this tour - you get to sample food from several restaurants while learning about the Asheville Food scene! - Elena C.
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Episode 151: Let's Talk Country Music (& Food) w/ Sarah Ray!