Chimney Rock – Carpe diem! Dinner at The Esmeralda Inn (https://theesmeralda.com/) with fellow food writer and friend, Cecilia Moreno (Food Diary of a City Girl)? A no-brainer if ever there was one.
Since my re-introduction to The Esmeralda during Hendersonville Restaurant Week this past March, I’ve been wanting to go for a meal. Their dining room is cozy. It could even be called romantic. But I was hoping the weather would be nice enough for dining al fresco on their wonderful deck.
What better way to peruse the menu than over cocktails! In honor of one of my sisters, a complete lemon freak, I ordered a Lavender Lemon Drop (left). You can choose vodka or gin (I went with vodka), with lavender syrup and fresh squeezed lemon juice. I do lean toward sweeter cocktails, as opposed to tart, and this one was right up my alley.
Cecilia decided this was as good a time as any to try her very first Classic Old Fashioned. It’s described on the menu as made with Jim Beam, Angostura Bitters, Regans#6 (orange bitters), Simple Syrup, Orange, and Lemon Peel.
I was a little concerned about having to shoo insect annoyers away. No need. It might not be this way all the time, but we were essentially insect-free throughout our meal.
There’s a beautifully subtle waterfall with a stream effect on one side of the deck and the view from pretty much every table just can’t be beat!
My Caesar Salad ($7), topped with a Parmesan Crisp, was as good as any I’ve had.
But the most photogenic salad award goes to Cecilia’s Chimney Rock Iceberg ($8) salad. Not only beautiful, the flavor and texture combinations of crisp baby iceberg lettuce, heirloom grape tomatoes, red onion confit, Applewood smoked bacon, house-made buttermilk blue cheese dressing, and croutons were lovely.
Talk about seriously good entrées. Really. Regular readers know I’m a sucker for a good Filet Mignon. It’s my go to, especially when I have confidence in the kitchen. This 7oz beauty (Angus Filet Mignon $32) was cooked just as requested – medium rare – with a perfect sear. Crispy horseradish potato rosti and perfectly grilled asparagus framed the steak that was resting on a scrumptious Dijon-shallot cream sauce and had been topped with bacon-onion jam.
One of this evening’s specials was a Surf and Turf ($40) that added a luscious crab cake made with NC-sourced crab to the Filet entrée. If you’re a crab lover like me, you’ll be happy that this cake has very little filler.
Dessert? Why yes we will. We ordered both desserts offered this evening with sharing in mind: a Chocolate and Pecan Torte and . . .
. . . a classic Crème Brûlée. I can’t think of one negative thing to say about either. Both were portioned nicely. Not too little. Not too much. Especially after a big meal. The Torte structure happily surprised us both with the crunchy layer of pecans and caramel. It was nice to have the whipped creme quenelle on top to cut some of the very rich chocolate every few bites.
As for the Crème Brûlée, do not hesitate. Order it. It’s the perfect way to end a meal. We both thought the flavor was exceptional. Cecilia followed up with Chef Keith Chinn, asking what ingredients were used. And what do you know? When it’s good, vanilla is very good!
I’d like to give a shout out to our server, Chris. He was exceptional, anticipating our needs, attentive without hovering. Kudos to you, Chris!
Epicurean Notes:
- None of the tables we observed were rushed through their meal. This is a relaxed dining experience to savor as you enjoy your dinner companions and the view.
- As I write this review, The Esmeralda Inn is under mandatory evacuation due to road closures and outages. A large tree came down, along with a mud slide just beyond their driveway during recent WNC heavy rains and flooding. My heart goes out to everyone in our area affected by terrible weather and flooding.
- Although I fully expected to pay for my meal, the folks at The Esmeralda generously covered it. Thank you very much!
The Esmeralda Inn & Restaurant (https://theesmeralda.com/)
910 Main Street
Chimney Rock, NC 28720
Phone: (828) 625-2999
Toll-Free: (888) 897-2999
Loved your article! Your pictures are beautiful. What a fantastic evening & it was wonderful to share the experience with you. That Classic Old Fashioned was fantastic! That cocktail makes my preferred list of libations 😂.
Agreed! Totally enjoyed your company, the wonderful meal, and of course, the view. Looking forward to seeing you again soon!!