THE PODCAST
The podcast above was originally recorded on 06/03/2025 with my usual co-host Chef Tom LaFauci from Twisted Laurel Downtown Asheville…
00:00 - 06:06 INTRO: Downtown Is Abuzz & It Fells Good To Be Busy
06:07 - 23:21 FOOD NEWS: Hot Off The Ashvegas Hot Sheet featuring Zella’s Deli & Restaurant, All Day Darling, Crusco, Piccolina, Oriental Pavilion, Citi Grill, Jersey South Bagels, The RAD Farmer’s Market, Fitz & The Wolfe
23:21 - 29:46 WHERE’D YA EAT? Luminosa, Modesto, Blackbird, Chocolate Fetish & Times Bar Cafe
29:47 - 33:04 WEMO ADJASCENT NEWS: Whomp Whomp Whomp
33:05 - 36:03 WHAT A WORLD: We All Are Going To Die
36:04 - 36:45 MANNA SPOT: Please Donate to MANNA Foodbank
36:46 - 39:11 CONTROVERSY: Google Translate Vs La Fauci
39:12 - 50:06 FOODIE GAMES: What’s For Dinner?
50:07 - 52:36 BYE! Thanks To Deb & All The Listeners and WPVM 103.7fm!
THE NEWSLETTER
THE BASICS: I bought two chocolates from The Chocolate Fetish, a cashew rocher and a peanut butter cup, to have with my pre-Asheville Food Tours cappuccino ftom The Times Bar & Coffee Shop, but didn’t even make it half a block before I bit into one of them! 😂😂😂 Award winning couverture chocolate awesomeness. I frickin' love it, and I've been using it as a special treat to myself for the 20 years I've been living in Asheville.
The cappuccino was also excellent, as well as having a very beautiful design in the foam. I'm not sure if it's abstract or if it's supposed to be something, but I'm gonna say it's a phoenix! Yeah, that it's! A foamy phoenix, rising from the ashes of drowsiness through the power of caffeine!
COMIDA MOUNTAIN: Paddy, Sarah & I went on an Asheville Food Tours lunch junket to Mountain Madre Asheville recently and shared the chorizo-stuffed avocado as well as three creamy elote filled empanadas! Everything was exceedingly flavorful and very satisfying! The avocado was a beast, and if not for my own heroic efforts it would have been too much for the three of to crush, so keep in mind when ordering that it's huge, but almost impossible to stop eating! 😂
The empanadas were equally delicious and the conversation went something like this: "Mmm, these are good... yeah yeah these are real good... yeah, no, these are f*ckin' great."
Hot, flakey and crispy on the outside, warm, creamy, and pure comfort on the inside. Highly recommended!
We also got to briefly meet Chef Alejandra, a really nice person, who obviously knows how to make some very tasty stuff! I'm looking forward to our next visit!
BETTER THAN EUROPE: My mom and sister were in Northern Europe for a couple of weeks, and although my mom enjoyed the food over there, she said it didn't compare to Asheville, and she couldn't wait to get back home and go to her favorite places, first and foremost: Modesto Asheville! We went for lunch and she got one her standards, the calamari fritti, which come with crispy kale and two kinds of sauce, one spicy one mildly sweet, and she loved it!
She also order a big loaf of their tulipano bread with garlic Parmesan, and took most of that home for later. I got an enormous salad that included perfect grilled chicken, a lovely poached pear, greens and fresh sliced garden vegetables. It was excellent!!!
Modesto is one of the best restaurants in WNC, Y'all, and the fact that they're open for lunch means that folks like my mom and I, who are more likely to go out for lunch than dinner, can get a very spcial fancy bite at a local farm to table restaurant 6 days a week! (Closed on Sundays) Super high recommends. ❤️❤️❤️
GELATO: My mom and I both love Gelato, so we met up at Asheville Chocolate, where we each got a double scoop. She got mint stracciatella and coconut. I got cake batter and cookies & cream. I went back two days later and got a single scoop of peanut butter & jelly. Yum!
So... it kinda seems like I'm eating my way through this gelato menu. Stay tuned.
YOUR PRIVATE FOOD TOUR: I lead private food tours of downtown Asheville for as many people as you've got! An intimate tour for 2, or a corporate tour for 20, or more! I'm available. You can read more HERE or by clicking the button below.
You can find out more on my website, and send me an email when you’re ready to book your experience.
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