ASHEVILLE (Part Three): Foraging & the Food Scene

Oh Asheville!

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm a full-fledged foodie. When I travel, I usually check both The World's 50 Best Restaurants list and the Michelin Guide to see if there are any must-visit restaurants wherever I'm going. I love to take cooking classes and ask local chefs for recommendations for where they would eat. Whether it's street food or fine dining, I'm there for the experience.

And Asheville exceeded every expectation!

"Love is Alive" mural in Asheville

DINING EXPERIENCE No. 1

The first reservation I made in Asheville was for The Market Place. How did I choose this restaurant? Well, honestly, it was because I found this cool foraging tour, and The Market Place was one of five partner restaurants where my husband and I could bring our foraged foods to have them turned into an appetizer.

Part A: Foraging with No Taste Like Home

A tour led by expert foragers, this experience was a Must Do for me. Walking outdoors, searching for wild edibles, and enjoying a snack prepared from what we found? Sign me up! 

Our group consisted of about 14 people, with ages ranging from around 8 to 68 years. Our guide, Dimitri, educated us on the process of foraging and provided guidance on how to find edible wild foods -- and how to distinguish them from their less edible (read: poisonous) cousins. 

Foraging with No Taste Like Home

At the end of the foraging experience, two cool things happened: First, Dimitri and his colleague conducted a trail-side cooking demonstration and offered a delicious snack of hedgehog mushrooms sautéed in ghee, served on a cracker with wood sorrel. Delicious! 

Trail-side Snacks with No Taste Like Home

Second, Dimitri reviewed all the items we collected, sorting the edible from the inedible, and dividing our edible finds into one bag per group for bringing home or to a local restaurant for professional preparation.

Part B: Fine Dining and "Find" Dining

At the time of our visit, No Taste Like Home was partnered with five award-winning restaurants that would take our foraged foods and turn them into a delicious wild dish. We chose The Market Place in downtown Asheville, making an advance reservation and receiving a drop-off time for our wild finds. 

That evening, after receiving our beverages, Chef Cayte presented an appetizer of chickweed, wood sorrel, and puffball mushrooms -- foods we'd collected earlier in the day. Then Chef Cayte described the techniques she used to create our amazing wild dish. Truly the chef's kiss on a perfect day!

"Find" Dining at The Market Place

NOTE: To participate in the restaurant partner program, you must also order one entree per person.

DINING EXPERIENCE No. 2

We decided to visit Biltmore Estate because ... Biltmore! ... but also because of the then-current King Tut exhibition. I've been obsessed with King Tut since I was a kid, and I'll never miss the chance to visit any conveniently available Tut exhibition. But also, Biltmore has several excellent restaurants, and we couldn't resist the chance to try one while we were onsite.

Outside Cedric's is a sculpture of Cedric and his favorite human.
Bottom row: Our delicious dinner!

We chose Cedric's Tavern -- named after the family dog -- as it's one of the Biltmore's more casual options for an evening meal, featuring pub fare, a selection of local craft beers, and a farm-to-table aesthetic. I enjoyed quite possibly the best pork chop I've ever eaten, and the included sides were simply spectacular. We expected a casual dinner, but the exceptional service -- along with the exceptional foods! -- thoroughly exceeded our expectations.

NOTE: To dine on the estate, you must either have a daytime ticket, be a Biltmore Annual Pass holder, or stay onsite at any of the wonderful lodging options on the Biltmore Estate.

DINING EXPERIENCE No. 3

Peri Social House. Ohhhhh Peri Social House! 

Located in Black Mountain, just east of Asheville, we selected this option as it is a casual dining spot that offers Abbiocco food-truck pizzas (straight from a wood-burning oven!) which can be eaten outdoors or in the bar. We arrived to a "sold out" sign on the pizza truck, but wisely asked ... are you really sold out?

Abbiacco Pizzeria, just outside Peri Social House

The answer was "yes, but" ... meaning yes, but we have only one dough left that's a little wonky ... meaning we're not sure we can actually stretch it for a proper pizza. But they were willing to try it if we were -- and we were! So we selected a Jack-O-Lantern pizza, featuring butternut squash puree, rosemary, radicchio, and roasted pork with mozzarella. But because they were unsure whether the dough would make or not, they refused to charge us unless and until they were satisfied with our pizza.

Suffice it to say, we paid. The pizza was DELICIOUS!

We enjoyed our Jack-O-Lantern pizza while listening to
Rod Sphere inside the Peri Social House bar.

And Peri Social House? We enjoyed our pizza with beers from the bar while listening to live music. Quite a lovely way to spend an evening!

DINING EXPERIENCE No. 4

One of our go-to restaurants for Sunday breakfast in Baton Rouge is Louie's Cafe. And when we found Louise's Cafe -- also in Black Mountain and on the way out of town -- we knew we had to try it!

Not Louie's ... it's Louise's!

We arrived to a line snaking out the front door. The line moves fast, though, because that's the place where you order and pay before being seated inside or on the lovely porch. And in nice weather, you should definitely consider sitting on the porch!

Perusing the menu, preparing to order.

The breakfast was hearty and absolutely scrumptious. I enjoyed a smoked pork quesadilla with house-made lemonade. My husband scarfed down his tasty and filling grit cakes, and he especially enjoyed the free-flowing coffee brought by the adorable servers throughout our meal. And now we're adding Louise's to Louie's in our top five favorite breakfast spots!

DINING EXPERIENCE No. 5

We knew that after touring the Bilmore House and before venturing into the gardens, we would likely feel a little peckish. We did not make reservations as we knew that there are several dining options near Biltmore House, and we decided to try The Stable Café. 

Super salads at The Stable Café

The Stable Café is known for its Appalachian comfort food, with things like Carolina BBQ, house-smoked meats, and other southern favorites. (Did I mention the corn bread?! Don't miss the corn bread!) Though reservations are recommended, especially on busier days, they were -- thankfully -- able to accommodate us. And there, we had two super salads: the Autumn Cobb for me, Roasted Pear and Gorgonzola for my husband. The perfect lunch for a day of beautiful Biltmore sightseeing!

DINING EXPERIENCE No. 6

Milkshakes and malts at an old-school soda fountain? Yes and please, thank you very much!

A real, authentic soda fountain!

In the heart of downtown Asheville is an old Woolworth's building turned art gallery. Alongside the art is an authentic soda fountain, featuring old fashioned ice cream treats and diner-style lunches. My husband is a sucker for a diner, so we couldn't resist popping in for an afternoon treat! We shared a cookies-and-cream malt and felt like teenagers again. 

Like teenagers again, sharing a cookies-and-cream malt!

Perfect for families, solo travelers, and middle-aged teenagers like us, a visit to Woolworth Walk's soda fountain is a fun and uniquely Asheville experience!

IS THAT ALL?

Not a chance. Asheville -- including the nearby communities -- is filled with amazing restaurants offering both traditional and creative cuisine. For me, eating local is the best way to experience a place. And I've already got a list of dining goals ready for my next trip to Asheville!

ASHEVILLE (Part One) is available here.

ASHEVILLE (Part Two) is available here.

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