Category Archives: Restaurant Reviews

The Barn

06 Friday Jan 2023

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I don’t know how long I have been following Kristin and The Barn in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Certainly a few years. This dreamy barn, up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, where they have cooking classes, and fancy dinners, and culinary experiences. It has been on my “restaurants to try” list for a long time.

Our supper club has slowly been checking these restaurants off the list and when I mentioned The Barn, Laura, my friend (and now boss at The Runner Box), casually said “Oh, that’s my cousin.”

Her grandparents owned the barn, she spent many of her summers there, and even lived there for a while. Now her cousin has renovated it into a gorgeous cooking school where you can bring a group and enjoy amazing food, a beautiful atmosphere, and learn some cooking skills.

The hour and twenty minute drive takes you through the most winding roads, up and down mountains, and back and forth on steep switchbacks. The slow travel allows you to soak in the beautiful scenery and enjoy the tranquil journey through the mountains. Kristin is as charming as she seems online, and upon our arrival presented us with a winter sour (a play on a whiskey sour) and ushered us into the large kitchen to begin preparations for our meal!

Trying to encapsulate the southern cooking of Appalachia, we made homemade graham crackers and fluffy marshmallow cream for chocolate covered moon pies, jammy pickled eggs with trout caviar & creme fraiche, pickled shrimp topping a bright citrus salad, the flakiest buttermilk biscuits, and chicken & ricotta dumplings w winter veggies and shaved Parmesan cheese. Snacks were passed around while we cooked; salty boiled peanuts, creamy pimento cheese, crunchy pickled okra. Everything is as locally sourced as possible. Eggs from a farm up the mountain, trout caviar from a trout farm down the road, local things from the farmers markets in the area.

Not only was it a delicious and gorgeous farm to table meal, we learned a lot, tried new things, and got to be involved in the preparation. I loved the experience of helping to prepare the food I think its always so cool to cook with people. Preparing nourishing food for yourself and for others is an experience that brings you closer together and fills your

I soaked up the entire experience, and loved every minute of it. The beautiful atmosphere, breathtaking views, and quiet mountain vista, and the amazing company. I always fill out these things in my day planner and it asks “what makes you come alive” and I never know how to answer that question, but I am slowly learning about myself, things around food, and people you love, and the table. Those are things that make me come alive. It was truly a ‘fill me up’ experience, one I won’t soon forget.

Shauna Niequest from her book, Bread & Wine:

“What’s becoming clearer and clearer to me is that the most sacred moments, the ones in which I feel God’s presence most profoundly, when I feel the goodness of the world most arrestingly, take place at the table. The particular alchemy of celebration and food, of connecting people and serving what I’ve made with my own hands, comes together as more than the sum of their parts… My best moments have been spent in the kitchen, and many of the most deeply spiritual moments …have taken place at the table.”

*For more information about The Barn https://www.thebarnnc.com

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167 Raw | Charleston

19 Wednesday Oct 2022

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It is very rare that a restaurant checks all of our boxes. Even more rare for us to frequent the same place two times in one trip. 167 Raw is definitely an exception. We had been wanting to try their new Bar 167 and had never had time to wait for 167 Raw (they do not take reservations) So we put in our name at Raw and walked over to Bar 167 to grab drinks while we waited for our table to be ready. Bar 167 is stunning. So well designed with a Mediterranean flair. We sat up on the rooftop, enjoyed our beautiful drinks and relaxed until receiving the text to come back to Raw.

We were sat at a high top table at the window. Perfect people watching spot and enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant while having enough privacy to enjoy our conversation. Our server was a delight. He had great recommendations and we ordered every. single. one.

Starting the night with a dozen oysters is always the right choice. Being a little bit of purists, we prefer our oysters with just a drop of lemon juice and usually forgo the accompanying sauces. However, the dipping sauce that came with the oysters, some magical mix of vinegar and dill and lemon, was so delicious that we dipped our spoons in and ate it just plain and vowed to try it on our oysters the next time we came. Following the oysters was the Crudo of the day. This raw fish topped with a chili crunch and pistachios is the most amazing thing I have ever tasted. Liz and I each took a bite and then just stared at each other. What. The. Actual. Heck. Amazing. Next came the Tuna Tataki. A large piece of fresh tuna, breaded and flash fried to quickly cook and crisp up the outside but leave the inside raw. It was delicious. So tender. Perfect amount of crunch. Perfect balance of flavor. We finished the night with the Lobster Tostada. The lobster itself was perfection, but it really was competing with the other flavors of the toppings and while all delicious, we probably won’t be ordering it again in the future.

Overall we LOVED this spot. Our server was fabulous and every item he recommended was absolute perfection. The atmosphere of the restaurant is upbeat and energizing. I’d say it gets a 8.5 or 9 out of 10. We loved it so much and wanted to try all the things on the menu but didn’t want to overdo it so… we went back two nights later.

Two Nights Later:

We did almost the same thing. Started at Bar 167 for drinks, went back to 167 Raw when our table was ready. This time we tried some drinks at Raw. The 167 dirty martini: a tequila martini, so smooth, topped with oyster brine and an oyster on the side. The appeal of this drink was that it came with an oyster, but let me tell you it was SO smooth. And a martini with tequila, very interesting. The saltiness of the oyster brine with the sweet earthiness of the tequila… magical. The other drink we ordered was a special that evening and definitely is now one of our favorite cocktails of all time. The Army/Navy cocktail: gin, amaro, lemon juice, bitters. The way the almond flavor came through and blended perfectly with the herbal gin… perfection.

We ordered TWO dozen oysters this second night and topped half of them with the delicious dill magic sauce. Oysters were followed again with the crudo and the tuna tataki. To throw in something new we added the King Crab Mafaldine. Perfectly cooked pasta. With a creamy sauce from heaven and large lumps of king crab. I’m sure everyone thought we were crazy as we sat there in silence, savoring every single bite of that pasta dish, eyes wide with disbelief at the flavors that were catapulting us into food euphoria.

Our server the second night was equally as fabulous. The atmosphere just as electrifying. We LOVE 167 Raw. I will be back in Charleston in 3 weeks and we already have plans to visit AGAIN and try their other restaurant 167 Sushi.

167 Raw… Thank you

Bistronomy by NICO | Charleston

17 Monday Oct 2022

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I love bringing foodie people together. And that’s exactly what this dinner was about. I have two friends living in Charleston who had never met each other and both love food, so I planned a meal for us to all enjoy together and then hopefully when I am back in Asheville they can continue to meet up and enjoy the many food options Charleston has to offer.

The first thing I want to acknowledge is that our server was perfection. She was from Paris, very friendly and took care of us so well. She was so fun, we wanted her to sit down and join us for the meal. We absolutely LOVED her and would go back to the restaurant simply because of her.

We started with delicious mixed drinks. Brown Butter-Washed Old Fashioned, Tequila Salad, Get Sauced Give Thanks, Plum Perfect, and a Chocolate Mezcal Martini. Favorites were definitely the Get Sauced and the Chocolate Martini.

For starters we ordered Beef Carpaccio, Goat Cheese Spring Rolls, and a special of the day, the most delicious Cheese Board. While I will say there was an imbalance of flavors in most of our dishes, the cheese board was amazing. The bleu cheese was outstanding and the crusty baguette, pickled veggies and accompanying honey, delicious. The Beef Carpaccio was slightly overwhelmed by the berry hoisin gastrique and dijon creme. What you want to taste in a dish like this is the amazing and full flavor of the beef. Not have it masked by other strong flavors.

For mains we had Scallops with coconut rice, Coq au vin, and curry shrimp soup. The coconut rice was amazing, and the accompanying green curry beurre blanc complimented it perfectly. We enjoyed the Coq au vin and the soup. Both flavorful, and cozy dishes. Everything else was good but not mind blowing.

We finished the night with cappuccinos, chocolate mousse with brandied cherries, and creme brûlée. Again nothing stands out in my mind as supremely excellent.

It was a gorgeous evening and we sat outside in the courtyard enjoying a cool breeze, good food and even better company and conversation. I will highlight our server once again as she was by far the best part of the evening. If you do want to try out Bistronomy by Nico, you will not be disappointed by the amazing service. We would give our experience a 6.5/7 out of 10. While we wouldn’t say no to visiting Bistronomy again, we will choose to visit the many other amazing restaurants in Charleston before returning.

Chai Pani | Asheville

04 Tuesday Oct 2022

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After being awarded the Outstanding Restaurant James Beard Award 2022, Chai Pani has been filled to bursting. They don’t take reservations so the line is down the sidewalk every evening. I haven’t been in months because… tourists. Its great food, but we have so many other great food options in Asheville that waiting two hours for dinner seems silly. HOWEVER. I had friends from NY visiting this weekend and we decided Chai Pani was the place for us.

They start taking phone numbers at 5pm. So you get in a “virtual line” once you register your party. This is very convenient because you then can walk around downtown and they will text you when you are next in line. We put in our name, went to DSSLVR for some beer, walked a bit around downtown Asheville and then our table was ready!

The atmosphere at Chai Pani is lively and colorful. The energy reflects the eclectic menu of mindblasting Indian street foods. Chef Meherwan Irani artfully combines spices that tease your taste buds and warm your soul. I immediately ordered Kale Pecoras and Bhel Puri for the table. The crispy kale, lightly battered and fried has long been one of my favorite dishes from Chai Pani. The dipping sauces that accompany the dish, a green chutney and sweet yogurt, are creamy and fresh, perfectly complementing the salty, crunchy kale. The Bhel Puri is like a dish of savory rice krispies. Puffed rice and crispy chick pea noodles spicy chutneys… its delicious. Every bite is a burst of crunchy, fresh, and bright flavors in your mouth.

For the main dish I ordered the Butter Chicken Thali. This dish is so satisfying. A warm tomato cream sauce smothers the perfectly cooked and tender chicken accompanied by basmati rice, garlic naan, masala slaw, and a sweet yogurt sauce to oppose the spice of the tomato cream sauce on the chicken. It truly is a feast for all your senses.

The James Beard Award is well deserved. In it’s 17 years, Chai Pani has proven to be one of the best restaurants Asheville has, and now it is recognized as one of the best in the United States. If you ever get to visit our little mountain town, be sure to put Chai Pani on your list!

The Admiral | Asheville

28 Tuesday Jun 2022

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Chef Chuck Baudendistle

The Admiral is located in a small unassuming building in West Asheville. The indoors brings thoughts of being on an old ship. The dark wood, huge moldings, and dark aquatic decor. The dimly lit space is cozy and intimate and while it is still partitioned for covid and slightly cramped, it has been designed well. The outdoor patios are well lit and spacious, but we chose indoors for this special birthday dinner because it has been so hot, and rain was in the forecast.

I’ve begun asking for the server’s favorites before ordering because I like to hear how they speak about the food and drinks. Our server was pleasant and had great recommendations for both. Our water glasses were never empty and the kitchen even sent out a sweet little amuse bouche of cucumber slices topped with a dollop of homemade ranch, and at the end of our meal, a little dessert of sugar coated jelly bites, which were both welcome surprises for our evening. The service overall was excellent.

Our evening began with drinks. Some sour beers with the most delightful cans, and two mixed drinks, one mixing Elderflower Infused Gin, Cointreau, Lemon, & Daylily, and the other a blend of Rum, Lime, Mint, Cucumber, Coconut Cream. I’m realizing now I should have asked to taste my friend’s drink, but mine was the mint/cucumber one and while smooth and refreshing, was not excessively flavorful. I would have enjoyed it more if the lime, mint and coconut had been a little more potent.

For my main course I had the spaghetti which was homemade, perfectly cooked to an al dente chewiness and in a creamy lemon and zucchini sauce with lumps of crab. The textures were good. Everything tasted very fresh and the flavors complimented each other well. My mind travels back to the Agnolotti at Laura in Summerville and I wonder if I have been ruined for pasta forever. I’m not sure anything will ever compare. And while this pasta at The Admiral was delicious, it wasn’t the type of dish you dream about and must come back for.

Overall, our experience was enjoyable. We lingered for a long time, soaking in the atmosphere of a bustling open kitchen, the company of good friends, and the pleasantries of being in a full restaurant. I wouldn’t write off The Admiral, however, my ever growing list of Asheville restaurants makes it hard to go back to places a second time. What are some of your must-try restaurants in Asheville? I’d love to hear YOUR recommendations!