I have written before about my high regard for Panahar on Buford Highway. I decided on a rainy evening to try their takeout. Both the shippability of dishes and the timeliness of delivery can make the delivery experience differ from the in-restaurant fare. I can report that delivery was prompt---something like 30 minutes---and the food arrived in very good condition. I ordered chana begoon: chicipeas mixed with pureed eggplant and tomatoes. Indian restaurants serve what is at least a similar dish; this version empahsized the tomato more than the cream, which I very much liked. The brightness of the tomato sauce gave the dish a nice zing. The peas pulao was an add-on and very enjoyable.
Luella's is a nouvelle BBQ outfit on the north side of Asheville. It is nestled among the trees in a lovely neighborhood. The restaurant has lots of windows for inside seating and plenty of outside seating. Service was courteous and amazingly fast. This is a combination plate with pork and brisket. Both were very moist and tender. For the pork, I tried both the mild and hot vinegar sauces. To my surprise, I preferred the milder one because it didn't assert itself too much. I enjoyed the spicy tomato sauce for my brisket. The hushpuppies were very good. The fried okra was fresh out of the fryer and excellent. The slaw was of the vinegary variety, which I usually enjoy, but this version is heavy on the white stuff and didn't have quite enough variety in tastes for me.

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