Chicken & Waffles for West Asheville + Recipe

Early Girl's owners turn focus to soul food

John & Julie Stehling, owners of Early Girl Eatery and the soon-to-open King Daddy's Chicken & Waffle

Is it breakfast? Is it dinner? Is it sweet? Is it savory? Maybe it's the contradictory questions surrounding a plate of chicken and waffles that make this classic soul dish such a treat.

Either way, fans of the crispy, crunchy combo will soon be drooling over their dishes at a new restaurant in West Asheville. King Daddy's Chicken & Waffle is set to open up at the end of this month, according to owners John & Julie Stehling.

The Stehlings have operated the ever-popular Early Girl Eatery in downtown Asheville since 2001, serving up fresh takes on Southern food, created with ingredients sourced as nearby as possible.

The new spot will be joining a string of great places in West Asheville, which was recently hailed in the New York Times as "a blue-collar hybrid with yoga studios and bistros joining longtime establishments along the main drag." King Daddy's will be located right on that main drag, at 444 Haywood Road.

RECIPE: King Daddy's Beet Burger
We couldn't get our hands on the secret recipes for the restaurant's signature dishes, but this beet burger combines a slew of fresh ingredients into one comforting (and healthy!) meal. The Stehlings recommend serving the beet burger open-faced on a waffle with roasted tomato, avocado and more Lusty Monk mustard. Dig in!

• 12 oz. beets, cooked and peeled
• 15 oz. black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
• ? c. brown rice, cooked
• 1 c. diced red onions
• 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. Lusty Monk mustard, or other whole grain mustard
• 1½ c. fine ground rolled oats (pulse in food processor until fine)
• ½ tsp salt
• Oil, for sauteing and frying