This North Carolina Restaurant Has Been Dubbed One Of The Best New Restaurants In The USA
By Carolyn Harmon|Published October 03, 2023
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Carolyn Harmon
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Under Brown Mountain Lights the Beast of Blandenboro wanders this magical land where lighthouses shine on kingdoms only accessible by ferries. A Lost Colony of legends and pirates revealed in historical sites and majestic mountains with views that make us weep. The home of handmade sculptures and scrumptious cuisine. North Carolina leaves this long-time writer and artist breathless with endless surprises, including the unlikely warmth a winter walk on the beach can bring.
A small new eatery in Asheville, North Carolina has somehow made its way out into the mainstream as one of the best best new restaurants in the United States. The New York Times just released “The Restaurant List 2023,” and guess what? Neng Jr.’s made it, recommended by 12 critics, reporters, and editors who evaluated hundreds of eateries across the U.S. “It’s safe to say there is nowhere else in America like Neng Jr.’s, a tiny, freewheeling restaurant where a bold new cuisine marrying Filipino recipes with Southern ingredients is cooked by Silver Iocovozzi and delivered with panache by [his] husband and co-owner, Cherry Iocovozzi,” the endorsement reads in part. The cozy, Filipinx establishment has astoundingly earned high marks from other national publications, including Esquire and Bon Appétit.
Even the entrance of Neng Jr.’s is artfully crafted in the back of a building - how can we miss this beautiful mural on Jarrett Street?
Follow it to a red door in the alley marked Neng Jr.'s and go upstairs to be met by one of the awesome staff members pictured here, including Chef/co-owner Silver Iocovozzi (center left) and his husband co-owner, Cherry Iocovozzi (center right.)
Neng Jr.’s is the first Filipinx restaurant of its kind in Asheville, NC, which officially opened on July 1, 2022.
While you're deciding, start off with the traditional Filipino Pork Lumpia filled with the freshness of local produce and savory meat, hand-rolled, crisply fried, and served with a side of house-made sauce.
Never short on flavor, the scallops are always excellent, sauteed with fresh herbs and spices, including Chinese pumpkin.
For more information about one of the best new restaurants in the United States, visit Neng Jr.’s website. And while you’re in Asheville, stay the night in a lovely hotel. Also, discover more reasons why this charming town is an awesome weekend getaway in North Carolina.
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