ZAMBRA-One Asheville, NC Restaurant You Do Not Want to Miss!

Zambra, a tapas restaurant located in downtown Asheville, North Carolina's cultural hub, is one of those special spots you'll return to again and again. You'll savor it for a special occasion, yet you'll welcome it as a place to drop in when you're in the neighborhood. I can promise you that you'll leave knowing it has set the bar that much higher. Its decor, service, wine list and general ambiance only enhance the original, varied and delicious assortment of both tapas and paella. Though I searched for flaws as part of my efforts to present an unbiased review, I can honestly say I've hit on a restaurant that just can't get any better!

Owner Peter Slamp and his partner, Executive Chef Adam Bannasch, did their homework. They traveled throughout Southern Spain and Northern Africa searching for what would be the keys to their success. They captured the exoticism of the textiles and tapestries, the muted lighting emanating from cut glass Moroccan hanging lamps, the subtle tear-down look of the walls, and the general feel of being in a place that seems ancient and subterranean. All of these aspects have been creating a seductive environment for Zambra patrons for the past three years.

The main ingredient of a tapas restaurant will be, well, the food, of course. Blending their findings from their travels with their own creativity, they were able to formulate a tapas menu unlike any I've seen or sampled elsewhere. Tapas, a style of eating based on many, small appetizer-sized portions, offers diners a variety of palate-teasers rather than presenting one large entree. And teasers they are!