This Friday, while braving the cold and treacherous ice patches that still line many parts of the Corner, I decided to pop into Mangosteen Asian Street Food for Charlottesville’s Restaurant Week, hoping that a hearty meal would offer me some warm relief. With their fixed Restaurant Week menu offering a three-course meal for $25, both my budget and cold body were happy to walk into Mangosteen to try some Asian street food. And I have to admit, the trek was worth it.
Joining the iconic lineup of food spots on Elliewood Avenue — such as Crozet Pizza, Grit Coffee and Marco & Luca Dumplings — Mangosteen offers up a mixture of Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes. Named after the sweet Southeast Asian fruit, Mangosteen is the newest business venture from Kitty Ashi, a local restaurateur and former “Chopped” contestant. Ashi is the mind behind local spots such as Maple Pine Breakfast & Thai Kitchen, Camellias Coffee & Tea, Pineapples Thai Kitchen and Tangerines Kitchen. Mangosteen offers flavorful fusion dishes at affordable price points, making it a soon-to-be favorite for University students looking for a casual sit-down dining spot.
Housed in the building formerly home to Kuma Inc and neighboring Coupe DeVille’s, Mangosteen is open everyday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for their lunch service, then 5 p.m to 9 p.m. for dinner. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant’s phone number, listed on their website…