Q: Harvey's at The Henderson Inn

Hendersonville – Guest post by Martha Smith. Two friends and I went to Harvey’s at The Henderson Inn for an early supper before going to Flat Rock Playhouse. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5 – 9pm, Harvey’s has a small plate menu that is also meant to be shared with friends. Having been to Brunch on Sunday we thought it would be fun to do dinner. The special for the evening was an Asparagus Soup which two of us ordered. It was delicious. Asparagus Soup Other items ordered were Harvey’s Salad wrapped in cucumber with a fried banana leaf to finish it off ($6). Harvey’s Salad wrapped in cucumber with a fried banana leaf Next was Ahi Tuna Tataki ($8), Ahi Tuna Tataki and Wild Mushroom and Truffle Empanadas with cauliflower sauce ($10). Wild Mushroom and Truffle Empanadas with cauliflower sauce Two of us couldn’t wait to order the Creme Brulee for dessert. Yum!! All were delicious. It would be fun to have a group and each person order different things. Plates are brought out as they are prepared and not all at one time. Going at 5pm allowed us plenty of time to get to the playhouse on time. Harvey’s at The Henderson Inn (https://thehendersonnc.com/harveys/) 201 3rd Ave W Hendersonville, NC 28739 Phone: (828) 696-2001

Q: Rustic Grape Wine Bar: respite from the madness

Asheville – Visiting or working in Asheville, when you need a break there’s a sweet little spot tucked away on a corner in the heart of downtown. You’ll find it one block off Biltmore Ave. at the intersection of S Lexington Ave and Aston St, behind the Aloft Hotel. It’s Rustic Grape Wine Bar (https://www.rusticgrapeavl.com/). It’s trendy, leans toward industrial, with a sprinkling of soft touch to cozy it up. Nicely arranged fresh flowers are always part of the decor. There’s high and low seating, including a little nook area set back between the wall of wine and the wall of windows. It’s a great place for groups to gather for conversation. Or on Mondays for the weekly board game night and $2 off all glasses of wine. There are specials on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, also. A charming patio is out front, facing Aston St. There’s not much of a view, but there’s some people watching and not much traffic. At night, light spilling onto the patio and sidewalk gives the corner a glowing, warm look. I was walking down Aston St when the thought of a nice cool glass of wine felt decidedly appropriate. It was warm outside, but not too warm for patio sitting. Note to singles – men or women – you will not feel uncomfortable in the least enjoying a drink by yourself, whether you’re waiting for friends or flying solo. Rustic Grape (https://www.rusticgrapeavl.com/) 14 Aston St Asheville, NC 28801 Phone: (828) 424-7707

Question 1

Boojum Brewing Company - the Boojum is Real!

Accepted Answer

Where to meet a friend for lunch (or any meal) in Waynesville? How &#8217;bout a spot that&#8217;s as much restaurant as it is brewery, sporting a killer deck out back? That would be Boojum Brewing Company Taproom (https://www.boojumbrewing.com/). And if you&#8217;re looking for entertainment, don&#8217;t miss The Gem, the downstairs bar the folks at Boojum describe as &#8220;an affable downtown bar featuring 16 beers on tap, a full bar, TVs, a pool table & a limited but appetizing menu! Over age 21 only.&#8221; The Gem also hosts lots of live music. You can see what&#8217;s happening at The Gem on their Facebook Page.
Before getting talking about the brews and bites, I thought I&#8217;d look in to the &#8220;Boojum&#8221; name and what it might mean. Looks like I need to bone up on NC lore! You can read more about the Boojum on the beer menu.

&#8220;One might say the Boojum is similar to the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayans or the Wampas Cat in the swamps of Eastern North Carolina. But Boojum is a unique creature of his own and Haywood County is his home.&#8221; ~ visitncsmokies.com

Boojum&#8217;s main floor is semi-divided: bar to one side, dining room to the other. I was headed to the dining room, but took a minute to watch the bar lighting cycle through multiple colors. Fun, but would it drive me crazy sitting at the bar? Not sure. I&#8217;ll have to give it a try some time.

On first taste, I knew there was something special going on here. Every single dish we ordered was surprisingly good. Not just good for a brewery, but good for a restaurant.
Love tomatoes? You must try the Tomato Bisque Soup (Cup $4, Bowl $6) made with roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, Boojum beer, and garlic fried croutons. Robust in texture, but not too thick, each bite is full of rich tomato flavor.

Salmon on a bed of seasoned chopped kale, drizzled with balsamic (don&#8217;t remember the price) was absolutely fantastic! My friend ordered this and gave me a taste. You can bet I&#8217;ll get it (if available) the next time I&#8217;m at Boojum. The salmon was cooked to perfection with a deliciously seasoned sear. Not a kale fan? Try it anyway. You may just be surprised at the burst of flavor and friendly texture with each bite.

Wait. What about the beer? This is a brewery after all. Just for fun, I tried a half pint of one of their &#8220;specialty&#8221; brews, a strawberry small batch release. It was light, fresh, and tasty with just enough hint of strawberry to make it interesting. When you go, ask to hear about their current small batch brews.

Take a good look at The Cataloochee ($12) burger below. This mess &#8216;o deliciousness comes with fries (not pictured). Substitutions are available at an additional cost.
Take a Brioche Bun, put some apple-fennel slaw on it, add a cooked-to-order burger, top that with house-made farmer&#8217;s cheese (scrumptious) and tomato jam (also scrumptious). After announcing I&#8217;d be taking half home with me, I ate the entire thing! Comfort food that should satisfy the hungriest of appetites, along with a Boojum brew of course.

Here&#8217;s a shot of the back deck and service bar. This was early on a quiet day, so it wasn&#8217;t set up yet.

The Gem downstairs bar and live music venue:
Image: Bojum Brewing Company Facebook Page
Epicurean Notes:

Boojum&#8217;s easy to find, right on Waynesville&#8217;s Main Street.
Service was good. Table and surrounds were clean.
As always, check days and hours of operation before going (I usually call).
Remember that online menus are not always up to date, but can be used as a reference for types of dishes and pricing.

Boojum Brewing Company Taproom
50 N Main St
Waynesville, NC 28786
Phone: (828) 246-0350

Question 2

Discover Asheville's Luscious Urban Oasis: Liberty House Coffee and Cafe

Accepted Answer

Normally I have a good idea what to expect before checking out a new (to me) spot, but not this time. Liberty House Coffee & Cafe (https://www.libertyhousecafe.com/) was close to a blank slate in my mind before heading over for lunch last week with my pal Barrie.
There was one article, probably old news written shortly after Liberty House opened three years ago, that talked about a lack of enough seating at the popular eatery. That was the main reason I nixed Liberty House for a last minute lunch with my two sisters, figuring none of us wanted to eat lunch sitting on stairs, the curb, or in our car.
We pulled up to the side entrance and patio, parking on Liberty Street. First impression: someone did a fantastic job transforming this cottage just outside downtown Asheville in to an adorable coffee shop/cafe!

Those red umbrellas really pop, adding so much to the overall exterior look.
As soon as we headed in the side door from the patio/terrace (not noticing the front entrance) we were impressed with the quality and creativity of decor and finishes. Even functional pieces like the water dispenser (bottom right in the image below) was special enough to be noticed, while not crossing the line in to kitschy territory.

Check out the ceiling boards, fixed transom window, dentil trim molding above, and casing around the door. Sit in the room where you order and you&#8217;ll be pulling yourself up to a live-edge counter on a wooden bar stool held together with with bright red metal fittings.

And here&#8217;s the extent of the kitchen, tucked in behind the counter where you place your order. The first person who told me about Liberty House was a chef. When I said I hadn&#8217;t been, he was insistent that I go, saying &#8220;they&#8217;re doing things with food that they shouldn&#8217;t be able to do in that space. You&#8217;ve got to give &#8217;em a try!&#8221;
See the espresso machine on the counter? A full suite of espresso/coffee drinks are available. I was happy to see they were selling beans from Hendersonville roaster Independent Bean Roasters. Didn&#8217;t do my normal latte test this time. Too full. See their coffee menu and prices here.

Barrie and I both ordered a B.L.A.T. ($9). In between the toast you&#8217;ll find an heirloom tomato, avocado, heritage farms bacon, organic gem lettuces, dijonnaise, and a little pepper, served with a side salad or chips. I don&#8217;t remember being asked what kind of bread I&#8217;d like, so you may not have a choice? It was good, though.
We both thought this sandwich was great. Not that it was some amazing new creation, but that the ingredients were so fresh and tasty. The only issue was it got a little slippery with those pieces of avocado trying to escape from all sides. The side salad was also very fresh.

Y&#8217;all know my M.O. If there&#8217;s a non-mass-produced, delicious looking scone in my line of sight, I&#8217;m going to give it a try. This apricot ginger scone did not disappoint! I was going to take it home with me, but it didn&#8217;t last that long.
See their menu HERE. See their Blog and/or Facebook Page for specials and menu updates.

So, here&#8217;s the kinda&#8217; funny part. Remember &#8220;Luscious Urban Oasis&#8221; in the title of this post? Coming in to Liberty House from the terrace, I had the impression (and had been told) that it was a small spot without a lot of space or seating.
Well, we walked out the front door and what did we see but an extensive organic garden, including fruit trees. And as far as not enough seating. Well, no problem there. Picnic tables run along the back side length of the garden along with a few other seats.

And again, attention to special touches like what looks like copper pipe railing all along a ramp up to a side entrance and logo metal cutout.
It&#8217;s tiny in the picture below, but see the small box between two posts in front of the brick building? That&#8217;s an active bee hive.

Their garden and local farms supply as much of the menu as possible.
Along the street side of the garden are more cut metal panels between brick pillars, each a different engaging design.

Cute mural on the side of what looks like some time of support/backup building, too.

Here&#8217;s the story, morning glory. Read owner Dylan&#8217;s story about growing up on Liberty Street at his parents bed and breakfast and converting the house his dad lived in for a few years into the now coffee shop & cafe.
Epicurean Notes:

Monday &#8211; Friday: 7am &#8211; 4pm, Saturday & Sunday Brunch: 9am &#8211; 2pm (It&#8217;s a good idea to call any eatery and verify hours if it&#8217;s important that they are open when you get there)
Wi-Fi is available
Take some time looking around inside and out at Liberty House, noticing all the attention to detail, big and small.

Liberty House Coffee & Cafe
https://www.libertyhousecafe.com/
221 S. Liberty Street
Asheville, NC 28801
828-412-3225

Question 3

Finding happy in Harvey's new small plates

Accepted Answer

Two of us were lucky enough be invited to sample some fun, new Small Plates at  Harvey&#8217;s at The Henderson-Restaurant, Lounge & Bar this past Saturday.
Chef/Owner Michael Gilligan explained that he and his wife, Jeanne, have spent the better part of the last year and a half since purchasing the property redoing, refreshing, and repairing the Inn, including replacing broken kitchen equipment &#8211; hood, fridge/freezer, stove, oven &#8211; everything.
And now that they&#8217;re fully staffed and the Inn&#8217;s humming along, Chef Michael&#8217;s able to focus more of his attention on the restaurant: menu development, ingredient sourcing, events, etc.
Presentation of these Buffalo Deviled Eggs will definitely make you happy. Watch as a glass dome is lifted and smoke used to flavor the eggs billows out.
Buffalo Deviled Eggs with Smoke, Sriracha, and Blue Cheese Powder
The new menu is designed to be fun and a little adventurous.

&#8220;To dine with us is to eat by whim, free from rules or schedules. It is meant for those who wish to enjoy life to the fullest and pass time with family & friends.&#8221;

Prices range from a low of $8 to a high of $18, with an average around $12.
Chef&#8217;s She Crab Soup let&#8217;s you know it&#8217;s there with bold seasoning and plenty of crab.
She Crab Soup made with Paprika, Cream, and Sherry
We especially liked the flavor of the Kokanee Salmon &#8216;Sashimi&#8217;, brought to the dish by Scorched Sesame Oil and Yuzu Dressing.
Kokanee Salmon &#8216;Sashimi&#8217;, Scorched Sesame Oil, Yuzu Dressing, and Apple Salad
We found a little magic along with the happy in this Hudson Valley Foie Gras presentation. Just look at that crystal-like Ice Wine Gelée! Chef Michael explained that this was his way of honoring the traditional pairing of white wine with a dish like this.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Japaneese BBQ Eel, Ice Wine &#8216;Gelee&#8217;, and a Soy-Truffle Glaze
For me, the Duck Confit was the evening&#8217;s star. Not only was the duck cooked perfectly, a bite including all three ingredients added a mild flavor & crunch from the grit cake and sweet from the berry sauce.
Duck Confit on a Stone Ground Grit Cake in Local Wild Berry Sauce
We finished the evening&#8217;s tasting with a lovely Raspberry Crème Brûlée. If you love Crème Brûlée like I do and have enjoyed it at lots of different restaurants, you&#8217;ve probably experienced various custard textures and have a preference. This one surprised me at first, as a little loose, but then I got a scoop of the berries on the bottom along with the custard, and found my happy.
Raspberry Creme Brulee
Chef Michael hasn&#8217;t forgotten those with dietary restrictions. His new menu is clearly market with Vegetarian, Gluten Free, and Non-Lactose options. See the full Small Plate Menu HERE.
Watch for more fun and happy at Harvey&#8217;s with more menu development and reasonably priced &#8220;Dinner and a Movie&#8221; events, Wine Dinners, and special events like their recent Derby Watch Party.
Harvey&#8217;s at The Henderson
201 3rd Ave W
Hendersonville, NC 28739
Phone: (828) 696-2001

Question 4

Wine Dinner at a burrito joint?

Accepted Answer

A ticket to any one of eleven 15th Annual Beaufort Wine & Food Festival (https://beaufortwineandfood.org/) wine dinners was mine for the asking. So why, then, did I ask for a ticket to the Dank Burrito Wine Dinner?
Because honestly, wouldn&#8217;t you want to know what a wine dinner at a burrito joint would be like?
Setting the stage:
Host Chef and Dank Burrito Owner: Clarke Merrell
Chef de Cuisine: Josh Macklin, Circa 81
Guest Chef: Drew Smith, bu.ku, Cary (opening soon)
Guest Winery: Van Duzer Vineyards, Williamette Valley, with Ryan Woolfolk, Marketing Manager
Courses: Eight, each with a paired wine. Whoa!
FIRST COURSE 
(Chef Clarke Merrell, Dank Burrito & Chef de Cuisine Josh Macklin, Circa 81)
Sequatchie Cove Creamery Dancing Fern, served with Accidental Baker flatbread and Garner Farms strawberry compote.
Van Duzer, Pinot Noir Rosé Estate (2018)
This was my official introduction to Van Duzer Vineyards and it was a happy one. Van Duzer&#8217;s Rosé lent a fruity, but not too sweet, counterpoint to this earthy raw milk cheese. And it didn&#8217;t cross over to cloyingly sweet when sipped with a bite that included the strawberry compote.

SECOND COURSE 
(Chef Drew Smith, bu.ku)
N.C. flounder ceviche, aji amarillo, leche de tigre, choclo, sweet potato, and plantain.
Van Duzer, Pino Gris Estate (2017)
Loved this fresh, crisp Pino Gris by itself and with this beautiful ceviche! When this dish was set before me, I just sat there looking at it and sipping wine for a few minutes before taking pictures and exploring the dish. So pretty. So tasty.
I was especially intrigued by the choclo, a large-kernal variety of corn from the Andes, sometimes known as Peruvian Corn. Might have to see if I can get a hold of some of that for home cooking.

THIRD COURSE 
(Chef Clarke Merrell, Dank Burrito & Chef de Cuisine Josh Macklin, Circa 81)
Anson Mills farro verde salad, pepitas, dried Braeburn apple, Marcona almond, and mint.
Van Duzer, Pinot Gris Estate (2017)
Put a bowl of cooked, warm grains, nuts, seeds, and mint in front of me and I&#8217;m happy. You might think this dish would be bland, but It was wonderfully subtle with a slightly smoky, earthy taste.
Kind of the polar opposite of the crevice in flavor, but still paired well with the Pino Gris.

FOURTH COURSE 
(Chef Drew Smith, bu.ku)
Cheshire pork belly, charred broccolini, N.C. mustard, (savory) bread pudding, and sage.
Van Duzer, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (2016)
I mean, really. Look at that perfectly cooked pork belly. And that bread pudding was just savory enough and had a great texture that, if slightly depressed, would bounce back.

FIFTH COURSE 
(Chef Drew Smith, bu.ku)
Seared duck breast, smoked potatoes, maitake mushroom, Brussels sprouts, and duck jus.
Van Duzer, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (2016)
Funny story about this course. The woman sitting at the table next to mine apparently wouldn&#8217;t normally eat duck. Her husband got the attention of the two women sharing their table, as well as me, and pointed to his wife&#8217;s cleaned spotless plate. She just smiled.
There wasn&#8217;t too much left on my plate, either. That duck basically melted in my mouth. Pinot Noir report &#8211; it went as well with duck as it did with the pork belly. This is a wine I&#8217;d like to serve to dinner guests or even have with &#8220;just-us&#8221; dinners at home.

&#8220;Fruity scents of cherry and wild strawberry, herbal notes of basil, ground pepper and eucalyptus, along with sensual, barrel-driven aromas of bourbon, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon.&#8221; ~ Winemaker Notes

SIXTH COURSE 
(Chef Clarke Merrell, Dank Burrito & Chef de Cuisine Josh Macklin, Circa 81)
Black cherry braised Cheshire pork cheek, herbed goat cheese polenta, Lusty Monk mustard, and crispy serrano ham.
Van Duzer, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Dijon Blocks (2015)
Pork Cheek and Cherries. Can&#8217;t go wrong with that, right? Especially when those cheeks are tender as tender can be. Add a piece of cherry to your bite of meat for a juicy, sweet-tart, pop. The crisp bit of serrano ham was a nice touch.
The same wine was served with this course and the next. Read on.

SEVENTH COURSE 
(Chef Clarke Merrell, Dank Burrito & Chef de Cuisine Josh Macklin, Circa 81)
Five spice elk, tomato chutney, gouda, heirloom carrot, and hibiscus flower.
Van Duzer, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Dijon Blocks (2015)
Look at the color of that rich, deep Pinot Noir. It&#8217;s a beautiful wine, smooth and creamy with tasting notes I can verify: &#8220;On the nose, scents of dark cherry, juicy strawberry plum and subtle cranberry notes buzz with floral undertones of lilac and violet. Earthy sage, licorice and star anise combine with barrel-driven vanilla, licorice and cedar aromas.&#8221;
Loved the slight licorice/anise flavor that came through as I exhaled after each sip of this Pinot Noir with both course six and this one.
This was a nice dish with eye-catching composition. The photo doesn&#8217;t do it justice, though. Lovely seasoning on the elk, but it could have been a little more tender.

EIGHTH COURSE 
(Chef Drew Smith, bu.ku)
Strawberry tart, rhubarb, poppy seed shortbread, pickled berries, and basil ice cream.
Van Duzer, Willamette Valley Riesling (2017)
And finally, this dessert was one of the evening&#8217;s stars. The basil ice cream was fantastic! Imagine an ice cream bordering on savory. I did wonder if the &#8220;pickled berries&#8221; would be tart, but they weren&#8217;t
I thought it was interesting to finish with a Riesling, but &#8220;made intentionally off-dry to showcase the balance and acidity&#8221;, it was lovely.

As each course was served, Ryan Woolfolk, Van Duzer Vineyards Marketing Manager, described the paired wine and why it was chosen. He was nice enough to come over to sit with us every now and then throughout the evening to talk about the wines and ask for our feedback.
After dinner, the chefs, including the Pastry Chef responsible for that wonderful dessert, and the vineyard representative came out to talk about the meal after a good long round of applause. Thank you chefs, for a wonderful evening. I appreciate the work that goes in to a dinner like this.
So the answer is, a good wine dinner is a good wine dinner no matter where it takes place, even in a burrito joint.
Dank Burrito (https://www.thedankburrito.com/)
Morehead City, Beaufort, and Raleigh, NC
Circa 81
Morehead City, NC
bu.ku
Cary, NC (opening soon)
Van Duzer Vineyards
Dallas, OR

Question 5

Rezaz-underrated, but IMO one of Asheville's best restaurants

Accepted Answer

We wanted to treat our son to a delicious birthday dinner earlier this week. Considerations included great food, of course, a good wine & beer selection, and cocktails, but price was important, too. So that&#8217;s why we went to Rezaz (https://rezaz.com).
Bread For the Table is optional, but at $4 for nice variety of tasty house-made breads, it&#8217;s pretty much a given that you should go for it like we did. Breads this evening were House Focaccia, Oatmeal Blueberry, and Caramelized Onion & Parmesan. The bread is served with herbed dipping oil and whipped butter.

Birthday Boy opted for the Chef&#8217;s 3 Course Dinner: $36 per Person, gratuity & drinks not inclusive. Choose from quite a few items in each of three categories: Snack, Appetizer, and Entree.
From the Snack section, he chose the Israeli Lamb & Beef Bourekas with Muhamarra and Sheep Feta. Ordered a la carte, this yummy dish goes for $10.

For his appetizer, Charred Romaine Salad with Caesar Dressing, White Anchovy, French Onions, Golden Beet, Fried Capers, and Parmesan. A la carte cost is $11.
We were all surprised at the composition of this dish. It was kinda fun to pick and choose what to include in each bite.

And for his Entree, Bistro Beef Filet with Roasted Cauliflower Gratin, Oyster Mushrooms, Lemon Arugula, Veal Demi-Glace. A la carte $24. The filet was cooked perfectly to order and that cauliflower gratin &#8211; wow.
Silly me, I was so focused on the cauliflower gratin (which I tasted and loved), I pretty much missed the filet in the picture below.

And for The Hubs, one of his favorites, Spanish Paella ($22) with Scallop, Red Shrimp, House Chorizo, Chicken, Bomba Rice, Tapenade, Aioli, Soffrito, and Pea. He loved Chef Brian Smith&#8217;s take on this classic.

I&#8217;m a sucker for Chef&#8217;s Moroccan Tagine ($21) creations. Choose a protein to add &#8211; Local Chicken, Tofu, or Red Shrimp &#8211; to a luscious mixture of Fregola (pasta) Ginger, Apricot, Cashew, and Olive. The chicken was cooked beautifully and still very moist.

Throw in a couple beers for the boy, a glass of malbec for my husband, and a G&T for me, and you can understand why we were all pretty full by the end of this meal. But you have to have some kind of sweet end for a birthday dinner, right?
The only thing that fit the bill was a Chocolate Pot de Creme that came with a couple cookies. Our server knew we were celebrating a birthday and nice enough to bring out the Pot de Creme with a lit candle. I really was too full, so the guys shared this one.

THEN, our server brought these three house-made Chocolate Truffles to the table saying that Chef Brian heard we were celebrating a birthday. I&#8217;m guessing that Co-Owner/Pastry Chef Laura Smith made these. As it turned out, I was able to force myself (wink) to let one of these truffles melt in my mouth. It was delicious.

Rezaz is on the edge of Biltmore Village, just south of downtown Asheville. They have a small parking lot that seems to do the trick on most days.
Your server will probably tell you about a couple specials in addition to the regular menu. Whatever you decide to order, I&#8217;m guessing you&#8217;re going to be happy.
Rezaz Pan Mediterranean
28 Hendersonville Rd
Asheville, NC 28803
Phone: (828) 277-1510

Question 6

Summiting the RAD

Accepted Answer

Something&#8217;s happening in Asheville&#8217;s RAD (River Arts District). If you haven&#8217;t been in a while, it feels like a shift is in process. Artists and others are moving to an area closer to the river. Summit Coffee is one of them.
They did an exceptional job repurposing the interior of this building.
Image: Brady S, TripAdvisor
Live plants act as a counterpoint to brick and steel, softening the feel just enough. It made me happy to see real instead of silk.

Indoor plants improve concentration and productivity (by up to 15 percent!), reduce stress levels and boost your mood — making them perfect for not just your home but your work space, too. ~ Sophie Lee, nbcnews.com

Off to one side is a broad set of stairs that takes you up to a cozy loft with communal table. It&#8217;s intimate enough that a quick conversation with the woman pictured was easy. Be aware that laws of nature apply here &#8211; warm air rises.

This is one of five Summit Coffee locations, including their Roastery and original location in Davidson, NC.
After all, it&#8217;s about the coffee. Take a look at the information under &#8220;ESPRESSO&#8221; on the menu below. See &#8220;& Water&#8221; and &#8220;& Milk&#8221;? With water = Americano. With milk = Latte, Cappuccino, etc. If you want a milk drink, choose your size in ounces and add the dollar amount listed to $2.50 for the espresso.
Under the hood: grind, tamp, pull. If you love coffee, sit at the counter and inhale.

There&#8217;s a small kitchen/prep area in one corner where they put together limited, but creative menu items. Pictured below is a toasted Everything Bagel topped with a generous spread of mashed avocado, drizzled oil, and dried pepper flakes. It wouldn&#8217;t be a stretch for me to call this lunch.

Places like this are what make Asheville Asheville. Different, quality, hip, honest.
Plan to spend a day in RAD exploring artist&#8217;s studios, galleries, and eateries.
Summit Coffee
https://www.summitcoffee.com/asheville/
4 Foundy Street suite 20
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (704) 895-9090

Question 7

Haywood Common: Uncommonly Cool in West Asheville

Accepted Answer

Quick one this time to let you know about a sweet spot in West Asheville. Haywood Common has been around for a while, but I hadn&#8217;t had the chance to go until today when I met a friend for lunch.

Such a cool spot! And their menu is a grab bag of interesting. Follow the link and take a look.
We got there on the early side, hence the empty seats. These booths soon filled up.

And a large party wandered in, taking their places at a table that had been set up for them in advance.

Even though I&#8217;m an omnivore with no particular dietary restrictions (Vegetarian, GF, Dairy, Etc.), I thought it was nice that our server Crawford described the Soup of the Day (Broccolli and Cheese) by first saying adjustments could be made for Vegetarians and Vegans.
Even though that soup tasted like homemade with love, it wasn&#8217;t especially photogenic. Probably because it wasn&#8217;t colored or flavored up, or thickened with corn syrup.
I had their House Burger (not pictured). It&#8217;s made with grass-fed beef, topped with white cheddar, caramelized onions, arugula, smoked garlic mayo & pickles, and served on potato bun. It was just as good as the soup.
My friend had the Pork Belly Banh Mi: crispy pork belly, herbs, nuoc cham, apple kimchi slaw, charred leek mayo, baguette. I thought this was an interesting way to serve pork belly, and I didn&#8217;t ask, but I think it was pretty tasty.

Here&#8217;s the real surprise. Crawford &#8211; remember, he was our server &#8211; and his wife Jess, have a sweet business of their own called Beeswax & Butter. They make lovely desserts like these macarons. Here&#8217;s their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/beeswaxandbutter/
Left: Rose Shell with Fig Puree Buttercream Right: Pine Nut with Pine Cone Bud Syrup and Gin Buttercream
The Rose Macaron Shell is made with ground petals from food grade standard roses, &#8220;creating a bright floral characteristic, with a little bitterness and green apple flavor&#8221;. Both were totally delicious!
Epicurean Note: No street parking? Park in the big parking lot that&#8217;s to the left as you face the building.
Haywood Common
https://haywoodcommon.com/
507 Haywood Rd
Asheville, NC 28806
Phone: (828) 575-2542

Question 8

Harvey's at The Henderson Inn

Accepted Answer

Hendersonville &#8211; Guest post by Martha Smith. Two friends and I went to Harvey&#8217;s at The Henderson Inn for an early supper before going to Flat Rock Playhouse. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5 &#8211; 9pm, Harvey&#8217;s has a small plate menu that is also meant to be shared with friends. Having been to Brunch on Sunday we thought it would be fun to do dinner.
The special for the evening was an Asparagus Soup which two of us ordered. It was delicious.
Asparagus Soup
Other items ordered were Harvey&#8217;s Salad wrapped in cucumber with a fried banana leaf to finish it off ($6).
Harvey&#8217;s Salad wrapped in cucumber with a fried banana leaf
Next was Ahi Tuna Tataki ($8),
Ahi Tuna Tataki
and Wild Mushroom and Truffle Empanadas with cauliflower sauce ($10).
Wild Mushroom and Truffle Empanadas with cauliflower sauce
Two of us couldn&#8217;t wait to order the Creme Brulee for dessert. Yum!! All were delicious.
It would be fun to have a group and each person order different things. Plates are brought out as they are prepared and not all at one time.
Going at 5pm allowed us plenty of time to get to the playhouse on time.
Harvey&#8217;s at The Henderson Inn (https://thehendersonnc.com/harveys/)
201 3rd Ave W
Hendersonville, NC 28739
Phone: (828) 696-2001

Question 9

Photolog: Is the Cambria Hotel and restaurant, Hemingway's Cuba, for you?

Accepted Answer

Asheville &#8211; Antonio O. “Tony” Fraga, Sr., President and founder of FIRC Group, along with his son, Alexander W. Fraga FIRC Group Vice President, and extended family hosted the Grand Opening event for their newest property in Asheville, the Cambria Hotel Asheville (http://www.cambriadowntownasheville.com/) two weeks ago.
A note about Tony Fraga; I was impressed with his sincerity when he spoke to all gathered for the Grand Opening, he stressed legacy and the importance, for him personally, of &#8220;leaving the world better than you found it&#8221;. He also talked about heritage and leaving something for future generations.
The FIRC team put together a lively, Cuban-influenced, oh-so-Asheville celebration I found to be completely refreshing! Three well known buskers were on hand, entertaining folks in the lobby, Silver Drummer Girl, Abby the Spoon Lady & Chris Rodrigues, as well as, The Buskits (amazingly talented 9 & 11 year old brothers), in the 4th floor restaurant and rooftop bar, Hemingway&#8217;s Cuba.
THE GRAND OPENING

I was fortunate enough to spend the night as the Fraga&#8217;s guest. This meant I could give the room and amenities the once over with a critical eye.
Conclusion? The Cambria features architectural design that impacts perception and emotion in a most positive way. For instance, the hotel rooms feel open and welcoming, even though they&#8217;re not especially large, due to angled walls, frosted bathroom glass doors and walls, and special touches like a table-top welcome tableau of local chocolate and complimentary bottled water.
Special touches abound. On check-in, you are offered a glass of champagne. On check-out, you are presented with a gift jar of local honey. Asheville is &#8220;Bee City&#8221; after all. Bedside lights are well placed and switches are easily reached. There are more than enough outlets and USB charge locations in the rooms and the mirror in the bathroom features Bluetooth speakers. Just touch the red button on the mirror and pair your device to listen to your favorite playlists!
In addition to standard rooms, there are 1 and 2 bedroom view suites with sitting/living areas and balconies furnished with very nice seating. The one we gathered in before the ribbon cutting had a great view of the 4th floor rooftop bar as well as long range views of the city and surrounding mountains.
THE ROOM & VIEW

Hemingway&#8217;s Cuba, overseen by Chef Duane Fernandas, has overcome initial concerns of locals regarding menu items and pricing nicely. Definitely go for a meal and/or drinks. A small group of us had &#8220;dinner&#8221; &#8211; really, we shared a variety of dishes delivered to our table and described in detail by Chef Duane. Look through the gallery below for descriptions of each dish.
I really can&#8217;t say enough about the rooftop bar. You MUST not miss it. There are fire rings with cozy, comfortable seating, umbrellas for especially warm days, and fabulous lighting at night. It&#8217;s modern, sleek, and welcoming without &#8220;attitude&#8221;. A comfortable place to hang out with friends over drinks and appetizers.
Epicurean Notes:

Not in the Hemingway&#8217;s Cuba gallery, but Tres Leches Cake, a delicious dessert I&#8217;d highly recommend!
Cambria is a higher end property of Choice Hotels
This Cambria has many custom features and details. It&#8217;s not a typical Cambria Hotel.

THE FOOD AT HEMINGWAY&#8217;S CUBA

Cambria Hotel (http://www.cambriadowntownasheville.com/en-us)&#8217;s
Hemingway&#8217;s Cuba (http://www.hemingwayscubaasheville.com/)
15 Page Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (623) 432-0198

Question 10

Rustic Grape Wine Bar: respite from the madness

Accepted Answer

Asheville &#8211; Visiting or working in Asheville, when you need a break there&#8217;s a sweet little spot tucked away on a corner in the heart of downtown. You&#8217;ll find it one block off Biltmore Ave. at the intersection of S Lexington Ave and Aston St, behind the Aloft Hotel.

It&#8217;s Rustic Grape Wine Bar (https://www.rusticgrapeavl.com/). It&#8217;s trendy, leans toward industrial, with a sprinkling of soft touch to cozy it up.

Nicely arranged fresh flowers are always part of the decor.

There&#8217;s high and low seating, including a little nook area set back between the wall of wine and the wall of windows. It&#8217;s a great place for groups to gather for conversation. Or on Mondays for the weekly board game night and $2 off all glasses of wine. There are specials on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, also.

A charming patio is out front, facing Aston St. There&#8217;s not much of a view, but there&#8217;s some people watching and not much traffic.

At night, light spilling onto the patio and sidewalk gives the corner a glowing, warm look.

I was walking down Aston St when the thought of a nice cool glass of wine felt decidedly appropriate. It was warm outside, but not too warm for patio sitting.

Note to singles &#8211; men or women &#8211; you will not feel uncomfortable in the least enjoying a drink by yourself, whether you&#8217;re waiting for friends or flying solo.
Rustic Grape (https://www.rusticgrapeavl.com/)
14 Aston St
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 424-7707

Question 11

Casual Dinner at Bone and Broth

Accepted Answer

(North) Asheville &#8211; Bone & Broth (http://boneandbrothasheville.com/) is the kind of place you&#8217;d expect to find in an out of the way Boston neighborhood. A place the locals go for a drink or easy meal. Easy, but good.
The place was about two thirds full when we got there at 7pm this past Saturday. They were still busy when we left at 8:15pm or so.
Dark wood-paneled and warm, the bar is pretty prominent. We each chose a wine we thought we&#8217;d like, not based on any particular pairing. He &#8211; a 2016 Freelander Cabernet Sauvignon (Freelander District &#8211; Central CA Valley) ($8) and Me &#8211; a 2015 Peirano Zinfandel (Lodi) ($9). I am now going to search out that Peirano Zin. Just loved it!
While we waited for our entrees, we shared an order of Bourbon Caramelized Onion Dip ($8) with fresh house-made potato chips. The chips were fresh and crispy and that dip was definitely addictive. So good!

Didn&#8217;t get a picture of the Hubs&#8217; 6oz Dry-Aged Bavette ($19). On the menu as &#8220;a cut where flank meets sirloin&#8221;, it&#8217;s served with two sides and choice of sauce: Demi, Tallow Butter, Au Poivre, or B&B Steak Sauce. Ordered medium-rare, it&#8217;s tender. We agreed cooked longer than that and you might end up with a slightly tough steak.
For me, the B&B Cheeseburger ($11). It was disappointing that they only offered American Cheese. I&#8217;d have preferred Cheddar. It&#8217;s topped with Dijonaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Dill pickles in addition to the cheese. I paid $1 extra to sub asparagus as my one side instead of fries. Especially since we&#8217;d already had some chips.

I was very happy with this burger, even with the American on top. It arrived on a bun firm enough to hold it all together in my hands and cooked as ordered. The asparagus was flavorful and still al dente, the way I like it.
Bone & Broth should be sticking around for a while if they continue the excellent service and good menu choices. They offer steaks, chops, a few burgers, a few pasta dishes, and specialties that include quail, roast and fried chicken, shrimp, and salmon. See their menu here.
Pricing, in my opinion, is that most of the menu is approachable, but one or two of their items are high (8oz Dry-Aged &#8211; an expensive process, but still &#8211; Filet Mignon $45).
Definitely go for a meal, or just pop in for drinks if you want to check it out first.
Bone & Broth (http://boneandbrothasheville.com/)
94 Charlotte St
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 505-2849

Question 12

"Vivian" - Say it out loud. Feel it. Go. Savor.

Accepted Answer

Asheville &#8211; Looking for adventures in European, Nordic, and Southern cuisine explored with both classic (historic/vintage) and contemporary approaches. Look no further than Vivian (https://vivianavl.com/)!
We were four for Brunch last Sunday. Hubs and I were the newbies, wanting to go after hearing friends in the know rave about Vivian, newly opened in Asheville&#8217;s River Arts District (RAD).
When you&#8217;re in Paris the first time, you have to go to the Eiffel Tower, right? Develop a baseline and go from there, branching out to the smaller neighborhoods and beyond the city. That&#8217;s what I do when it comes to food. New ice cream place? I always order Vanilla first. If they get that right, I explore other flavors. Cocktails? Try a basic first, then explore the more creative.
That&#8217;s why I ordered a Mimosa ($6). It was right on, and not only did the champagne tickle my taste buds, the flute tickled my love of serveware design. At some point I&#8217;m going to ask co-owners Josiah and Shannon McGaughey if these were purchased as is, or if they painted them.

Here&#8217;s where it gets really interesting. Leah ordered Nordic Deviled Eggs ($8). Why is that interesting? Because it&#8217;s the first time I&#8217;ve seen &#8220;Nordic&#8221; on an Asheville menu. There might be others out there, but I haven&#8217;t seen them.
I&#8217;ve been following the New Nordic Food movement since it&#8217;s early days. It was initiated in 2004 by Danish chefs René Redzepi and Claus Meyer soon after they opened noma (combo of two Danish words &#8220;nordisk&#8221; (Nordic) and &#8220;mad&#8221; (food)), the #1 ranked restaurant in the world multiple years. Read this detailed article in Eater about the closing of the original noma and their re-opening in February, 2018. Side note &#8211; Asheville Chef Katie Button did a stage (unpaid internship) at noma for 3 weeks in 2012.
The movement has been growing steadily since its inception: a New Nordic Food Manifesto  was conceived in 2004, the Nordic Council of Ministers (food ministers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and dependent territories) got on board in 2005, the Nordic Food Lab was founded in 2008, and the annual MAD Symposium was founded in 2011 by Chef René Redzepi. Shameless self promotion &#8211; I was invited to the first MAD Symposium, but wasn&#8217;t able to go. Talk about disappointed!
Back to the Nordic Deviled Eggs. They were stuffed with a mixture of smoked mackerel, potatoes, cornichon, and topped with caviar. Different for WNC.

Leah rounded out her Brunch with Lobster Salad ($15). First let&#8217;s talk about the thick slice of toasted Sally Lunn Bread under the lobster salad. There are a few versions of this bread&#8217;s history, but the one I&#8217;m going with is that this sweet, brioche-like bread was invented by 18th-century baker Sally Lunn in England, then brought over to the Southern colonies.
This dish is one example of Chef&#8217;s &#8220;clean, with limited elements to a plate, but with each one promising big, robust flavors&#8221; approach to food. Creme Fraiche, radishes, & spring peas and their tendrils top the Sally Lunn Bread. None of us had seen greens presented this way, so there was tendril tasting and discussion going on.

Tim and Leah had been to Vivian for Brunch previously. Telling us about that meal, Tim said the salmon on the Salmon Tournedos dish was some of the best he&#8217;d had. This time he opted for the Irish Country Salmon Toast ($12). Soft scrambled eggs, capers and cured salmon were topped with caper cream, and plated with toasted Soda Bread.
We didn&#8217;t ask about the green garnish, but it did strike me as a succulent. My taste yielded a moist, neutral flavor. Not something I&#8217;d pursue.

I&#8217;m going to admit to owning six different egg coddlers that haven&#8217;t seen much use. When pressed, I refer to them as displayed &#8220;works of art&#8221;. Know that I&#8217;m on a new mission to use the coddlers more often after having Vivian&#8217;s Coddled Egg ($9) made with cream, sherry, sautéed mushrooms, Gruyere cheese, and served with toast.
Mild and delicious, early bites taken with my spoon required dipping through the Gruyere on top and then releasing it from from cheesy strands unwilling to let go. Mmm. Mmm. Dipping the toast worked, too. Last, but not least, Corned Beef Hash ($13) for the Hubs. It&#8217;s one of his favorites and this version did not disappoint! The potato, onion, carrot, cabbage, and corned beef were topped with two fried eggs and a mustard creme sauce. He pointed out the large cubes of corned beef pretty quickly, saying they were delicious. He suggested I take a taste, and boy am I glad I did. That was some excellent corned beef.

Oddly enough, I didn&#8217;t taste either Leah&#8217;s or Tim&#8217;s dishes (we normally taste all around) so can&#8217;t give an opinion, but there were no complaints. In fact, we were all decidedly happy with our meals. I&#8217;m predicting it won&#8217;t be long before I&#8217;m back at Vivian for another meal.
Epicurean Notes:

Service was excellent.
Make a reservation. Vivian is &#8220;trending&#8221;.
Seats at the bar cannot be reserved. They are first come, first served.
Want to be on the cutting edge, knowing about food trends before your friends? Learn about the rise of Nordic Cuisine in the US and beyond in these 2018 OpenTable and the Opinionator articles.
New Nordic Food is about eating seasonally, local, foraging, pickling, and fermenting, so in a way, Asheville is totally on board. Think Alan Muskat and No Taste Like Home, Chef Steve Goff (fermenting king) Aux Bar and BrineHaus Meat & Provisions Food Truck, and many more.
Sound dampening panels have been added to the ceiling, but it&#8217;s still very loud when busy. Hopefully, they&#8217;ll figure out how to dampen it down a little more.

Vivian (https://vivianavl.com/)
348 Depot St Ste 190
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 225-3497

Question 13

Dinner at Chimney Rock Gem, The Esmeralda Inn & Restaurant

Accepted Answer

Chimney Rock &#8211; 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&#8217;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&#8217;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&#8217;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&#8217;t be beat!
View of Chimney Rock from The Esmeralda Inn&#8217;s deck!
My Caesar Salad ($7), topped with a Parmesan Crisp, was as good as any I&#8217;ve had.
But the most photogenic salad award goes to Cecilia&#8217;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&#8217;m a sucker for a good Filet Mignon. It&#8217;s my go to, especially when I have confidence in the kitchen. This 7oz beauty (Angus Filet Mignon $32) was cooked just as requested &#8211; medium rare &#8211; 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&#8217;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&#8217;re a crab lover like me, you&#8217;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&#8217;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&#8217;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&#8217;s good, vanilla is very good!

I&#8217;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

Question 14

Asheville's Waterbird: Coffee, Cocktails, Community

Accepted Answer

Asheville &#8211; Hey guys! Quick one here about a new Asheville find you&#8217;ll want to know about: The Waterbird (https://www.thewaterbirdasheville.com/), located at 197 Charlotte Street, sharing a building with Ultimate Ice Cream.

Coffee Shop by day, Cocktail/Wine Bar by night, it&#8217;s a place for community to gather, work, and/or relax.
It&#8217;s light, airy, and beautiful inside! Just look at this bar set up. Note the fresh fruit stacked under the left-hand hanging shelves. Those are used for zesting and juicing.

&#8220;We thoughtfully create all syrups, tonics, sodas, teas, & mixers in house. All juices are squeezed & pressed in house. Taste the love.&#8221;

And don&#8217;t even get me started on the loungy seating area. The only problem is that there aren&#8217;t more seats. Blue can be considered &#8220;cool&#8221; or &#8220;warm&#8221;, depending on the hue. This back corner seating area definitely feels warm and welcoming.

Small-scale, but with enough variety Breakfast, Lunch, and Late Night menus are available. See all menus here.
My friend Marilyn and I met up at Waterbird for lunch last week. We&#8217;re both suckers for deviled eggs, so couldn&#8217;t pass up sharing this Deviled Egg Flight ($5) of Traditional, Pickled Beet, Wasabi, and Smoked Trout. And of course, I had to do my latte test. Passed!

Our favorites were the Traditional, Pickled Beet, Wasabi, and Smoked Trout. Never mind.

Marilyn had the Cheese Board ($14). SO understated on the menu: &#8220;Rotating Cheeses, Roots & Branches Crackers, Accouterments. Really people. Look at that spread! By the way, that&#8217;s house-made, beautifully reduced fruit jam front left.

What better to have with that Cheese Board than a Vodka Highball ($10) made with Vodka, Yellow Chartreuse, and Rosemary Thyme Shrub. Not sure how I feel about describing a cocktail as having a shrub in it, but it was pretty tasty.

My Roast Beef Sandwich ($10.50) was delicious. I paid attention to the meat, in particular. The flavor and doneness were perfect, but was it hard to bite through easily? Was there any gristle? No to both. Without opening the sandwich up to actually check, the meat seemed semi-chipped.
Beyond the Roast Beef, spreading the Multigrain toast with Whipped Horseradish Goat Cheese was inspired. Especially when you consider the layers of pickle slices and lettuce. I chose their flavorful (with a slight kick) Mac & Cheese for my side.

I already told you about the Cheese Board, so focus on the Pear, Ginger, Cardamom Soda ($6). It&#8217;s non-alcoholic and listed under &#8220;Elixers&#8221; on the menu. Really good! Pace yourself. It was all I could do to not down this baby in one go.

There&#8217;s a fairly good-sized parking lot which had plenty of space when we were there, but might get crowed once word really gets out about Waterbird.
The Waterbird is definitely Epicurean recommended. Get yourself there as soon as you can!
P.S. Their Grand Opening is Saturday, May 26th. They&#8217;re offering &#8220;drink & food specials in addition to some fun activities.&#8221;
The Waterbird (https://www.thewaterbirdasheville.com/)
197 Charlotte St
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 552-3662

Question 15

Could a Michelin Star be coming to Charlotte?

Accepted Answer

Charlotte &#8211; Chef Matthew Shepard answered my question about his goals and where he saw himself in the future without hesitation. &#8220;Michelin is in the States. There&#8217;s no reason they shouldn&#8217;t come to Charlotte. And I&#8217;d like to be the one that brings them here.&#8221;
Shepard is currently Executive Chef at the iconic McNinch House Restaurant (http://mcninchhouserestaurant.com/). Located in Charlotte&#8217;s historic Fourth Ward, the Queen Anne/Shingle style house has historical significance that&#8217;s relevant to Charlotte, North Carolina, and even the nation. Presidents, Vanderbilts, and other well known individuals have been guests of the McNinch family at their home. See more about the home&#8217;s history here.
After major renovations when she purchased the home in 1978, owner Ellen Davis opened the doors to the public, continuing the home&#8217;s reputation for hospitality in the form of McNinch House Restaurant. She and her staff have welcoming guests to their unique fine dining restaurant for 40 years!
Browse through the gallery below to see what an island of beauty, tranquility, and romance this place is. Notice the romantic feel throughout the house, including the tables and seating.

Joining a small group of media folks experiencing the McNinch House was a complete treat! We enjoyed a glass of champagne as we were led through the house by the inimitable Anthony &#8220;Wes&#8221; Wesley, McNinch House Wine Steward.
He pointed out architectural and historical details as we passed through first floor rooms. Upstairs is a private residence, so a no-go zone. The original dark woodwork, paneling, and ceiling beams are luscious. Most, if not all, of the gorgeous chandeliers and light fixtures are original. You can see reservoirs that originally held a ready supply of gas in many of them, but they&#8217;re now fitted with wiring. The place just oozes comfort and warmth.
After touring inside with Wes, Chef Shepard led us on an outside tour of the vegetable and flower gardens (see gallery) that he tends. The kitchen and dining rooms are both supplied by the gardens. I couldn&#8217;t help but smile at his enthusiasm. He talked about his garden at home and comparing different growing environments to produce the best results.
Sometimes at tastings, smaller portions of each course are served, while one full-sized portion is brought out for photographing. This approach is appreciated by most food writers as it&#8217;s overeating-friendly.
We were also lucky enough to have Wes, an incredibly knowledgeable Wine Steward describing the wines he paired with each course. All of the wines were excellent, but there were two I fell in love with. Here&#8217;s a list of the wines. See if you can guess which course each was paired with.

Coal Miner, Robinson Run Sweet Red 2013
Daou, Pessimist Red Blend
Cantine San Giorgio, Tiranno Malvasia Nera 2014
Chateau Julien, Royalty Red 2015
Michel Picard, Vouvray 2016
Carlos Serres, Rioja Tempranillo 2012
Cantine Paolini, Pino Grigio
Cap Royal, Bordeaux Sauvignon 2015

That said, this first course picture is the only image of a smaller tasting version I&#8217;m using in this article. Every image after this is of full-sized portions. It was a beautiful Spring Bounty Salad made with mixed greens, sliced Purple Asparagus, shaved White Asparagus, sliced Cucumber, and roasted Candy Stripe Beets topped with a Citrus-Herb Vinaigrette.

The English Pea Soup that followed was superb! Great texture and a slightly smokey/earthy flavor. I really couldn&#8217;t get over the flavor. Just fantastic. Chef made the soup with Potato Gaufrette, Buttermilk Crème Fraiche, and topped it with fresh greens and a Crab Mango Salad.

ONE ravioli as entrée? Yes. Order it! It&#8217;s actually a Raviolo &#8211; singular. A Duck Confit Raviolo made with house-made pasta, Parmesan and Leeks, Pickled Red Cabbage, and Carrots, surrounded by Truffle Cream. Chef purees ground mustard green stems and adds them to the pasta for a little flavor boost. Delicious!

Rosemary Dijon Crusted Rack of New Zealand Lamb has been on the McNinch House menu from the beginning. Same recipe. And there are no plans to change any of that for fear of an uprising. It&#8217;s definitely a favorite, served with Sweet Corn Risotto topped with Collard Greens. Don&#8217;t forget to include some of the Mint Chimichurri to each bite.

Not only was this Lemon Meringue Pie delicious, I loved that the flowers were made with Swiss Meringue rather than buttercream. Such a beautiful and light way to top the Lemon Custard in a Sable Crust.

Our final course (dessert 2  🙂 ) was a Chocolate Cream Pie. The crust was buttery, but oh, that Chocolate Custard! And topping it all off with Chantilly cream was a given. I&#8217;m not usually a fan of chocolate cream pie because so many of them taste like chocolate pudding poured in to a crust. The texture and taste of Chef&#8217;s version were exceptional. It&#8217;s hard to put my finger on it, but there was something wonderful about that chocolate cream. It could be the espresso powder Chef adds to help bring out the chocolate flavor.

So, could a Michelin star be coming to the Charlotte? I believe it could, eventually, and Chef Matthew Shepard may just be the one that&#8217;ll bring it home. Based on this meal, and Chef&#8217;s drive to explore, create food that meets Michelin standards, and work toward becoming one of the best in the industry, I&#8217;d say it&#8217;s a real possibility.
Epicurean Notes:

There is one seating for dinner each evening. Three different menu types are offered in addition to dinner at the Chef&#8217;s table. See all options here.
Ellen Davis has collected quite a few dishes and other service pieces over the years. See the picture of Ellen in front of just two of the many cabinets of dishes in the gallery. No two tables are set identically. Each staff member decides what dishes, napkins, napkin rings, etc. to use on each table they set.
You can book private events at McNinch House, using from one room up to the entire restaurant. Marriage proposals have been known to happen here.
Watch for special events like wine dinners.
Take advantage of nice weather by getting to the McNinch House early and purchasing a bottle of wine to enjoy on the porch before dinner.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays are Wine or Cocktails in the Garden days. Spend some time enjoying the garden at special seating arranged on the front lawn and garden. Call and ask for details.

McNinch House Restaurant (http://mcninchhouserestaurant.com/)
511 N Church St
Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (704) 332-6159

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