Business

'They're showing up and eating tacos' at new White Duck

Diners have been beating a path to the new White Duck Taco Shop at 500 Seventh Avenue East.

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 17, 2020

If he had any hesitancy about opening his White Duck Taco Shop in the middle of a pandemic, Aaron Adams has left those fears behind.

"Oh, man, Hendersonville's killing us," he said when asked how business has been in the two weeks since he and his wife, Ashley Clifford, opened the restaurant in the Historic Seventh Avenue District, a stone's throw from the historic depot. "They are showing up and eating tacos."

Diners filling widely spaced green picnic tables outside and many of the inside tables chowed down on the wide variety of snacks, tacos and other specialties.

The menu Wednesday included $3.95 snacks — house-made queso fresh chips and fresh salsa with chips — fish, Bangkok shrimp, crispy pork belly, mushroom and potato, jerk chicken, Thai peanut chicken, Korean beef bulgogi tacos, a lamb gyro and barbecue carnitas — all $3.95. The kids' menu featured chicken or cheese quesadilla, a crispy chicken BLT and the Jammin', with beef, lettuce and cheese. Dessert was Mexican chocolate pot de creme with pistachio crust and cinnamon whip ($5).

Open 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. every day but Monday, the White Duck has been busy every day since it opened — and that's before it starts pouring local craft beer and wine and mixing specialty cocktails. "The whole office that reviews that (ABC permit application) was shut down during our opening process," he said. He expects to have the beer, wine and liquor license soon, adding even more work to the stretched restaurant owners.

"I worked 90 hours last week," Adams said.

He's hired 16 people but needs more help in the kitchen and dining room. If you're interested call 828-595-9871.

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White Duck Taco Shop, at 500 Seventh Avenue East, is open 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. every day but Monday. The phone number if 828-595-9871.