AS I BIT INTO a flaky croissant filled with a Mallorcan chorizo spread, the smoky taste of paprika took over my senses. After this spicy start to my day, I wandered over to a pop-up serving Filipino barbecue, drawn by the sweet smell of pork skewers caramelizing in a soy glaze.
Later, I enjoyed a tangy bowl of ceviche and a frozen pisco sour, relishing the tart citrus. Extraordinary food experiences like these are now common in Asheville, a town of transplants with a thriving multicultural community. On a recent trip to the North Carolina mountains, I met four people who are defining the city's culinary footprint.
FAMILY-STYLE FILIPINO FOOD
The first thing Silver locovozzi learned to cook was rice. His mother always had a batch ready when he got home. "Rice has texture and warmth and steam and gumminess," locovozzi says. "It gives you the comfort of cooking."
Iocovozzi was nicknamed “Neng Junior” after his mother, who is known as "Neneng" to her friends. He was raised in North Carolina, but his mom's Filipino culture played a huge part in his upbringing. While the family enjoyed American classics like Campbell's soup and grilled cheese, Iocovozzi also cherished the days when his mother served fried eggs with tomatoes and onions beside a heaping pile of rice, topped with banana ketchup-a staple in Filipino pantries.
These food memories inspired locovozzi to open Neng Jr.'s, a 17-seat restaurant in West Asheville in summer 2022. (This year, it's a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant.) One standout dish is duck adobo, rich with fat and crispy skin, accompanied by a thick, coconut-forward sauce. Another is ice cream made with sharp cheddar and mimolette, a hard French cheese, that mimics the keso sorbetes sold as street food in the Philippines.
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Travel+Leisure US.
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Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Travel+Leisure US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Luxury of Silence - Grieving a dissolved marriage, Nora Walsh seeks peace and compassion at a meditation retreat in California.
My decade-long marriage to a man I deeply love had dissolved, and I had come to the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, in the secluded hills of Marin County, north of San Francisco, to steady myself. Led by the author and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer, the seven-day silent retreat focused on the four brahmavihāra, or Buddhist virtues: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.
Family Values - Gay father and blogger Jonathan Bailey shares his proudest moments of traveling with his partner and daughters.
My partner and I grew up in families that didn't travel a lot, so we've always had a sense of wanderlust. Before we had kids, we traveled together, and it was life-changing-travel opened our minds to different ways of life.In 2000, Triton and I decided to have kids. At the time, my mom had terminal cancer, and we were all about connecting with family. We wanted to adopt, because we felt like there were so many children in the world who needed love and a good home. In 2002, my mom passed away, and Sophia was born two weeks later. We welcomed our second daughter, Ava, in 2004.
Back to Sri Lanka - The past few years have not been easy on this alluring South Asian island. But on a return visit, Prasad Ramamurthy finds a place-and a people-on the upswing.
I was at the end of a five-day journey that had begun in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle Fort, in southwestern Sri Lanka, and taken me across the southern tip of the island to the leopard reserve of Yala National Park. In between I had taken in the dramatic coastline of Weligama and had stopped for some beach time in Hiriketiya. Sri Lanka is a country I'm particularly fond of, so when I was asked to revisit to report this story, I seized the opportunity. Yes, I was dying to go back, but I'd had another motive for coming: I wanted to see if the island nation was ready to welcome international visitors again.
Experiences: Hands On - Single-malt whiskies and triple-cream cheeses are the stuff New York's Hudson Valley is made of.
The Hudson Valley has long drawn New York City dwellers in search of clean air, spectacular hikes, and upstate culture. Now a budding community of artisans-young farmers, bakers, vintners, distillers-is turning the region into a modern breadbasket.It is a tightly woven ecosystem that also extends to restaurants and hotels. At Tenmile Distillery, in the town of Wassaic, for example, the grain used to make whiskey comes from a farm in Tivoli, 30 miles away, while the gin and vodka it produces are served at stylish addresses like the Troutbeck (doubles from $580), a hotel in Amenia, and the restaurant Stissing House (entrées $22-$155), in Pine Plains.
LAGOS RISING
Africa's biggest city is a powerhouse of art, culture, and fashion. Shirley Nwangwa reflects on her relationship to her family's home and to her Nigerian identity, while photographer Ike Edeani captures the creative scene.
DEEP DIVE
Go for a swim with sperm whales, and you may find yourself hooked. Maggie Shipstead journeys to the Caribbean island of Dominica, where these giants of the deep are making a big splash.
AMERICAN VINTAGE
After years of being in the shadows, Virginia winemakers are finally getting the attention they deserve. Wanda Mann takes a tasting tour.
Take a Hike
A beloved Malibu spa renowned for embracing the outdoors makes its way to the East Coast. Jess Feldman takes an inside look.
Just Dive In
The most nautical Four Seasons has to be this scuba-centric ship, which sails a rarely visited corner of the Pacific.
The Next Frontier
With deep pockets and mighty ambitions, Saudi Arabia is building a high-end resort area with serious green cred.
