Soul Infusion has great food, friendly atmosphere Asheville Citizen-Times Food & Dining By Gary Glancy, staff writer Wednesday December 22, 2004

A true community gathering place with exceptional food
and an extensive selection of beer, wine and tea.

SYLVA - When you head out on a cold, dreary December day and drive an hour just to go out to eat, it really is nice to walk inside a place where everybody - or at least the owners - knows your name.

So despite our long trek from Hendersonville, there were no regrets as my girlfriend and I nestled into Soul Infusion Bistro & Tea House on a recent Saturday.

We had our first taste of this distinctive little place in the Smokies last Valentine's Day, when we had one of the tastiest meals we'd ever had - a sentiment shared wholeheartedly by the couple seated next to us. Chef and co- owner Karin Kimenker whipped up three unforgettable specialties that evening, and this was the second time we returned to sample some of Kimenker's fresh-tasting, healthy delights from her regular menu.

First, like everyone else there it seems, we were greeted like family by co-owner Jason Kimenker.

For dinner I began with a hearty vegetarian chili, then sank my teeth into an amazing California wrap ($5.25) in which the spinach tortilla bulged from the generous amount of avocado, sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes and homemade hummus (substituting this for cream cheese was no problem). For an extra dollar they loaded in a hefty amount of sliced turkey. My girlfriend had the Bob's Big Burrito ($6.25), a sun-dried tomato tortilla stuffed with the veggie chili, melted cheddar cheese and homemade salsa served with a side of tortilla chips. Both of us noted the ample portion size and fresh quality of each dish.

Kimenker never attended a culinary school, but you'd never know it. Learning her craft at home in Illinois, Karin is immensely talented. She has catered numerous music festivals, including feeding all 50-plus bands at last summer's Smilefest in Union Grove. The music connection is no coincidence. Her husband has a background in radio broadcasting, and they both are passionate about music, as evidenced by the diverse live music acts at Soul Infusion.

The Kimenkers opened Soul Infusion in June 2001, after purchasing and renovating the original 1930s farmhouse on East Main Street. Thus, the homey feeling there is enhanced by the fact that you are indeed in an old house, and the small quarters help keep the Kimenkers, who met at Boston University in the early 1990s, in close proximity to their customers.

The dream of Jason and Karin was to create an intimate community gathering place where folks could come to sit on one of the two couches and read a book while sipping one of their 60-plus fine teas or 70-plus bottled beers (and, starting in January, seven taps). Soul Infusion has an eclectic mix of clientele where you're as likely to see a professor from nearby Western Carolina University as you are a student.

There's nothing fancy here. The decor is unique, with lots of local memorabilia, and you're not going to get a rehearsed line from your server. That is usually Jason, who likes to sit down and talk about life, food, beer or whatever else comes to mind with his customers. His eyes really gleam when he talks of supporting local goods and products. Indeed, the Kimenkers emphasize fresh, local produce in the cooking and their bread and other baked goods come from down the road at Annie's Naturally Bakery.

Karin, meanwhile, often comes out of the kitchen to personally double-check your order or chat about menu possibilities.

Yes, this place definitely feels like home.

Gary Glancy of Hendersonville is a freelance writer. Contact him at [Iron_gar (at) hotmail.com]