Editor’s Note: Fork & Dagger is 828newsNOW’s anonymous restaurant review series, written by our independent Grub Scout—no freebies, no press perks, no agenda. Grub Scout pays full price, visits unannounced, and takes notes on food, service, atmosphere, and value. Each review reflects a recent, honest experience rated on our 1‑to‑5 fork scale. We aim to help you discover standout dining spots—from casual diners to white‑tablecloth affairs—one bite at a time.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — There’s a spot over on Patton Avenue in West Asheville I’ve been wanting to try for a while. Near the Malvern Hills neighborhood is The Malvern. The nondescript block building has been a restaurant for many years, but has recently taken on new ownership once again.
The aesthetic has always been “nice dive bar” and hasn’t really changed. It’s a local’s haunt with your standard fare bar food.
I was excited to try the ribeye cheese steak. The shaved ribeye was mixed with onions and smothered with cheese on a toasted sesame seed hoagie. Though simple and not much to look at, it was delicious. This beast of a sandwich came with the best fries I’ve had in a long time. They were thick diner fries with that corn starched crispiness on the exterior. Just perfect.
The hot honey wings were run-of-the-mill, but the sauce was really good. The side with that was mac and cheese. It was homestyle: real cheddar with bread crumbs and a hint of hot pepper. Outstanding and comforting.
Overall, nothing special here, but a good bar and generous portions at a reasonable price. I wish I had more to say about it, but these type places are all over town these days. It’s becoming hard to distinguish one from another. I suppose it’s a good problem to have, though.
Rating: 🍴🍴🍴
