The Culinary Scene Heats Up Asheville, NC

If you are considering a move to the mountains of Western North Carolina, or if you are lucky enough to already own a North Carolina mountain home, the culinary arena is widely varied. Whether seeking a romantic evening of gourmet proportions, an exotic night on the town, or a down-home cooking experience, Asheville, NC and its surrounding area has something special to offer for everyone.

The Upper Crust

Exquisite cuisine and Victorian elegance can be found inside the 1889 mansion of the Richmond Hill Inn -- an AAA Four Diamond Award for the 14th consecutive year. This Asheville restaurant, Gabrielle’s, presents an extraordinary dining experience inside its historic mansion. The mansion’s original parlor and dining room, with its rich cherry paneling and three-tiered chandelier, has the stately Victorian ambience of the 1890s and is truly a dazzling piece of Asheville North Carolina real estate. The cuisine is equally dazzling.

Gabrielle’s Executive Chef uses only the finest ingredients to create a sumptuous tasting menu. A lighter, ala carte menu is also available. Both menus have spectacular wine pairings available. Some tasting menu items include: Wild Copper River Salmon with pea shoot gnocchi, wild mushrooms and rhubarb confit preserved with Meyer Lemon; Chilled Blue Crab Salad served with roasted baby beets, fennel "pickles," celery hearts, and a clover honey-beet reduction; and a slow-grilled rack of lamb with herbed spaetzle, baby spring vegetables and house-made fennel pollen yogurt. Dessert tempts with a petite pistachio and chocolate gateau.

The Chef’s Table at Horizons Restaurant located in the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, is an exemplary parcel of NC mountain real estate. As the resort’s flagship restaurant, Horizons serves a menu of classic cuisine, complemented by a wine list of over 700 entries. Seating options include semi-private tables, a private room or a behind-the-scenes view from the "Chef’s Table" located in the heart of the action — the kitchen.

Experience an Exotic Asheville, NC

In the downtown Asheville area, if you are craving something a little more exotic, Mela Indian Restaurant on Lexington Avenue offers authentic north and south Indian cuisines.

The dining room at Zambra’s is also a favorite and dishes up Spanish and Mediterranean tapas. They use local ingredients whenever possible and the decor is sultry and plush.

Sugo is the place to head to for fine Italian-inspired fare. The chef cures a selection of specialty meats and they prefer to serve fish and meat that is raised and harvested with sustainable and humane methods. The "Hottie Roll" at Kubo is also a great bet. It’s a sushi roll filled with spicy tuna, crunchy, sliced jalapenos and sriracha sauce. Kubo is a Japanese sushi and hibachi steak house.

Log Cabin Cooking Classes

For those seeking more of a hands-on culinary experience that is synonymous with the mountains of Western North Carolina take a step back in time for a few hours and experience the art of old-time, retro cooking in a 1940s East Asheville log cabin – a classic piece of NC mountain real estate. Vintage feed-sack aprons are provided to guests as they bake pies, breads, cookies and more using only retro kitchen gadgets, mixers, and bowls. Old 45s and vinyl records are available to play on the 1960s polka-dot, sleepover record player as pot pies bake and green beans simmer.

Guests are invited to fire up the 1928 Home Comfort wood stove and may even be asked to chop some wood, or pick vegetables from the local garden.

"What I really try to emphasize in my classes is a return to a simpler time where families cooked, sat down and ate at the table together," Barbara Swell said.

Recipes are heirloom, and ingredients are seasonal, local, and organic when possible. All classes are hands-on and include recipes and take-home food. Guests are welcome to bring wine and beer and are encouraged to enjoy the homey and warm atmosphere, sit by the fire, slow down and talk with each other, and imagine they are in a different time and place.

A Taste of Europe in the Mountains of Western North Carolina

After dinner, finish the evening off with some music and a cocktail at Vincenzo’s Ristorante and Bistro – a premier Northern Italian restaurant. They have live music nightly in their bistro. Or, sit outside at Old Europe, a classic-looking European bistro. This is a great spot for people watching while sipping on a chocolate martini or mocha latte.