Ramen & Tapas Supper Club — 12 Seats, West Asheville

Twelve seats. One long table. Ramen and Japanese tapas on Haywood Road.

This is the first Third Place AVL supper club, and the whole idea is simple: a table small enough that you actually talk to everyone at it. No name tags, no icebreaker games, no working the room. Just twelve people ordering too many small plates and passing them around.

Itto does ramen plus a long list of Japanese tapas — dynamite shrimp, takoyaki, spring rolls, gyoza. We'll order a spread for the middle of the table and everyone grabs their own bowl. Passing food around is the easiest conversation starter there is, which is exactly why this format works when you're arriving alone.

The Plan:

• 6:45 PM — I'll be there early to get us a table. Look for me near the front.

• 7:00 PM — We sit, order tapas for the table, and everyone picks their own ramen.

• 8:30 PM — Plates cleared, conversation keeps going.

• 9:00 PM — Officially done. Kitchen's open till 11 if anyone wants to stay.

What to Know:

• Twelve seats, hard cap. If you RSVP and your plans change, please free the spot up — someone else wants it.

• Everyone pays their own tab. Expect roughly $20–30 depending on how many plates you go in on.

• Full bar, plus tea and soft drinks. Drinking is completely optional here — nobody will notice or care what's in your glass.

• Street parking along Haywood Road and in the side lots. Give yourself an extra five minutes on a Friday.

• Vegetarian and vegan options are on the menu.

Why This One:

Big events are easy to attend and hard to remember — at forty people you never get a second conversation with anyone. Twelve is small enough that you'll leave actually knowing a few names. That's the point of this group.

Come solo — most of us do.