Rootin’ It Out
Has anyone heard of this new organic restaurant on Haywood St. downtown called “Roots?” I saw a menu in my doctor’s office this morning, and I was wondering what is up with Roots. I can’t find a website for this place, and the menu said they were open only for breakfast and lunch, from 7am-3pm.
Due to some awkward nudity, paper robe notwithstanding, I was unable to get a closer look at the menu to see if their offerings looked interesting, or if it was just another soup-and-sandwich snore. Actually, I would be out of my mind with joy if it was a soup only restaurant. But I have a hard time getting behind sandwiches. The other day, an errant busboy posed an interesting question to me: What food can Americans truly claim as their very own?
Are sandwiches American? I remember learning about the Earl of Sandwich in grade school, but I’m pretty sure he was British. Sandwiches are typically on my list of popular “American” foods that bore me to death, with some exceptions. Also on this list: Pancakes (Sweden), pizza (Italy), chocolate chip cookies (UK?), and biscuits (USA????)
I digress.
Your mission, should you accept it, is to eat at Roots. Then, report back to base.
Inquiring minds and all that.
Biscuits are just savory scones. Hamburgers are German. Pretty much all soul food is West African. We might have a case for barbecue. Tomatoes weren’t used in Europe until after the discovery of America. Corn. Potatoes are from the Andes.
a Google search shows that its on West Haywood St near the river, not “Haywood St downtown.” The address given is:
166 W Haywood St
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 232-2828
Thanks for the correction! Have you eaten there?
Not yet.
it’s in the river arts district. sort of hidden, sporadic, quite tasty. they also provide hummus and other goodies to earth fare and greenlife – look for their “roots”label
Dude, Roots rocks! Really strange locale at the behind a building at the corner of Haywood and Craven. Drive by tomorrow morning and order the breakfast biscuit laden with eggs scrambled with cheese and local sausage. Then go back for lunch and order the Ty Cobb salad with quinoa hush puppies. Yum!
I’m with you on the sandwiches. After making 5088+ sandwiches for kid lunches it’s hard to care much for them.
Thanks for the info, EM! I have a lunch date there next week, and I will definitely have to try the quinoa hush puppies. Sounds inspired!
catering our wedding. quinoa hushpuppies are sick awesome.
i’m pretty sure it’s the same people who briefly did a stint in the back of the haywood rd co-op. and they market their hummus locally at health food/grocery stores. i hear good things.