Capella on 9

Rakim Gaines Wants to Be Asheville’s Next Standout Chef at Capella on 9 | Eater Carolinas

"A downtown Asheville tapas restaurant inside the AC Hotel where Gaines rose from sous chef to executive chef after persisting with corporate owners; he now has full control of a twice-yearly, seasonal menu that blends the restaurant's tapas roots with his own culinary history. On busy weekend nights his small crew serves roughly 250 covers, and his recent summer additions include scallop ceviche, mussels, grilled salmon with beet purée, a lobster roll, and scallops with romesco. He headlines the menu with dishes that reflect his background — for example, a braised short rib slow-cooked with smoked paprika, garlic, cumin and a broth spiked with chipotle in adobo and pepperoncini, inspired by his mother's Mississippi pot roast — and uses the role to spotlight his point of view and encourage greater diversity in the local kitchen scene." - Eric Barton