Nestled in the heart of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville has the kind of appeal that draws year-round tourists, well-heeled retirees, and artists of every stripe. In recent years it has earned a reputation as a city of great restaurants, an outcome of its lure to visitors with money to spend. Late last year, the travel website TripAdvisor named Asheville one of the top 10 food and wine destinations in the nation.

You might be astounded to discover so much culinary quality and diversity in a city of fewer than 100,000 people. Despite its modest proportions, Asheville has attracted more than a few world-class chefs and restaurateurs. Whether you’re looking for a casual lunch or candlelit dining, you can enjoy delicious fare made with local ingredients at dozens of conveniently located eateries. The variety is impressive, too, offering a choice of Indian, Spanish, French, Thai, Italian, Caribbean, vegan cuisine, and more, most within walking distance of one another.

Ever since I relocated to Asheville almost two years ago, I’ve learned to appreciate the city’s love of good food and savored more than my share of unforgettable meals. My dining companion has lived here much longer, and she’s become quite familiar with Asheville’s foodie culture. This article began as a conversation about which restaurants we considered the best based on the excellence of the dining experience: food, service, atmosphere, everything. As you could imagine, with so many choices, narrowing the list down to no more than ten proved rather difficult.

After taking time to survey the landscape, we chose mostly fine dining establishments. In laid-back Asheville, though, that usually means upscale casual. Because all the restaurants were aware we were there to review them, each wanted to put its best foot forward and, I’m happy to say, they succeeded admirably.

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West Asheville
The Admiral
Beyond Expectations

When you visit the Admiral, try to catch the fresh mahi-mahi with avocado crème and black beans. Just be sure to make reservations well in advance.

“Unassuming” is the word that best describes the Admiral. From the outside, you’d never guess it offers the finest dining experience in West Asheville. Located in a nondescript cinderblock building with an entirely inadequate parking lot, the Admiral is not what you’d expect from an upscale restaurant.

Unless you caught a glimpse of the food being served, you wouldn’t guess once you were inside, either. Let’s just say you probably wouldn’t eat here for the atmosphere, but for Ashevillians and out-of-town foodies in the know, the Admiral’s reputation is practically legendary. For dinner on most nights, you should make reservations well in advance, and for weekends or busy tourist seasons, call several days or even weeks ahead.

We secured parking on the street about a block away and entered the restaurant, a large room with a low ceiling and subdued lighting. A look around the place revealed an eclectic clientele, an open kitchen next to the bar, and a décor accented by old Admiral TVs and radios scattered about. The place was packed, as always, and although we were right on time, we had to wait at the bar for our table. Once we were seated, service was snappy and professional. The menu (which changes every night) offered about a dozen small plates and half as many large plates, as well as a choice of three cheese plates.

My dining companion and I settled on three small plates. The first was a split romaine salad—sounds simple enough, but it couldn’t have been better. Accompanied by beets, sour cherries, pistachio, and tasty morsels of duck confit, two lettuce halves were perfectly complemented by a goat cheese and peppercorn dressing that was out of this world. Next was a bowl of Prince Edward Island mussels, and though they were a bit smaller than on our last visit, they were exquisite. About 40 mussels were served in a rich, delectable broth with grilled bread for soaking it up. Our third selection was mahi-mahi from the Carolina coast, topped with delicate sprouts and served with avocado crème fraiche and sofrito black beans. It was a perfect balance of flavors, and we would happily order it again.

We chose two of the three desserts on the After menu. The pineapple upside-down cake with cherry syrup and coconut ice cream was pretty good, but the white chocolate and ginger crème brûlée, garnished with tiny orange slices and just the right touch of sea salt, was nothing short of incredible.

Though I’ve never been there after dinner hours, the Admiral is quite popular as a late-night hangout, too. Available after 10:00, the late-night menu looks as extraordinary as the dinner menu. No matter when you visit, the Admiral is a dining experience you wouldn’t want to miss.

The Admiral
400 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806
reservations (before 5 P.M.) 828-252-2541
all other calls 828-252-2542
http://www.theadmiralnc.com

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North Lexington/Downtown
Boca
Neighborhood Favorite

When they’re on the menu, the chicken croquettes at Boca are the perfect balance of crunchy and creamy.

In the past year, the restaurant we visited more than any other is Boca. The atmosphere is sophisticated but casual, and the food and service are consistently impeccable. One glance at the menu will make it obvious that Boca is not your typical Latin eatery. The selections are decidedly upscale, but the prices are refreshingly reasonable. When you go, pay particular attention to the specials prominently displayed on chalkboards.

During one autumn visit, we learned that the menu was about to change for the season, as it does three times a year. A few items from the warm-weather menu were to remain. My dining partner and I share the arugula salad with candied walnuts and Maytag blue cheese almost every time we go. The cheddar churros, unlike the sugarcoated county-fair variety, tasted like cheesy French fries served with sweet and spicy chipotle whipped cream. Another popular appetizer is farm-fresh goat cheese rolled in crushed pistachios accompanied by flavorful whipped golden beets and brie, a fig braised in Spanish wine, and perfectly toasted ciabatta slices. But the best appetizer of all was the nightly special: out-of-this world lobster pot pie in scallop cream sauce. Really, need I say more?

Our entrées were equally outstanding. If you like pork, you’d probably love the Mexican casserole—grilled pork tenderloin, a chunk of pork belly, and locally made chorizo sausage in slightly spicy charro beans with a flaky puff pastry. Less filling but quite superb was the halibut, dusted with flour, sautéed, and served with a purée of cauliflower and celeriac, perfectly grilled asparagus, and saffron beurre blanc. With barely enough room for dessert, we had tres leches cake (the best in Asheville) and warm, flourless chocolate torte sprinkled with cayenne pepper.

The man most responsible for Boca’s success is Stewart Lyon, the executive chef whom the restaurant’s owners tempted away from the late lamented Curras Dom. If you’re seated indoors, you can watch him work in the open kitchen that’s partially adjacent to the small bar, though most patrons prefer to sit on the restaurant’s lovely patio (which I recommend) whenever weather permits. When the restaurant first opened, the owners installed a large window that lifts like a garage door to bring the outside in.

Boca is open for business during brunch on weekends and for lunch and dinner every day except Monday. (If you’re there for lunch, I recommend the tuna tacos when they’re available.) Parking is anywhere you can find it on or around Lexington Avenue, a colorful street that’s always worth a visit if you’re from out of town.

Boca
68 North Lexington Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
828-285-8828
http://www.bocaasheville.com

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Biltmore Village
The Corner Kitchen
Farm to Table, Local Style

You’ll find plenty of splendid choices at the Corner Kitchen, like this seared duck breast with duck-apple hash.

Located in Biltmore Village, the Corner Kitchen is your best choice for home-style cooking with an urbane twist. It’s located in a refurbished Queen Anne Victorian home that is well over 100 years old and has been a restaurant for much of that time. When you enter, the first thing you’ll notice is its comfy, down-home atmosphere. It didn’t hurt the Corner Kitchen’s already sterling reputation that the last time President and Mrs. Obama visited Asheville, it was one of the places they dined.

You won’t find ethnic fusion dishes here, but you will find plenty of straightforward variations on comfort food, many with roots firmly planted in the South. Unlike in many other fine Asheville restaurants, you’re unlikely to point to an ingredient on the menu and ask, “What is that?” The Corner Kitchen’s chefs generally adhere to a farm-to-table philosophy, but they don’t make a big deal of it. Two of the three owner/chefs live on local farms and grow fresh herbs and vegetables for their culinary creations. Likewise, all the meat is grass-fed and locally raised.

On our appointed visit, my dining partner and I had a spectacular dinner that included fried oysters and smoked salmon as appetizers, followed by fresh snapper and seared duck as entrées. Fragrant Chesapeake Bay oysters were fried in a light cornmeal batter and placed atop mustard sauce drizzled with molasses and arranged alongside mesclun and grape tomato. Shredded, smoky salmon served with crispy shredded potatoes and crunchy cucumber slices made for a sensational combination, too. Succulent, cashew-crusted snapper was topped with a julienne snow-pea salad that was wonderful all by itself, sitting on a scoop of lime and basil rice resting in a carrot-ginger purée—highly recommended. Lean duck breast, accompanied by apple slices, green beans, and diced duck-apple hash in a red-wine reduction, was the perfect cold-weather dish. And don’t forget dessert. We had hot raspberry soufflé with small cups of warm chocolate sauce and crème fraiche. Such a treat!

The Corner Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week, as well as brunch on Sunday, and the dinner menu changes daily. It’s a popular spot, always brimming with activity at dinnertime, so reservations are imperative. Expect average-size portions and outstanding service. Ample parking is on the street and in nearby lots.

The Corner Kitchen
3 Boston Way
Asheville, NC 28803
828-274-2439
http://www.thecornerkitchen.com

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Wall Street/Downtown
Cucina24
Northern Italian

You simply can’t go wrong with one of Cucina24’s wood-fired pizzas.

With an emphasis on pedestrian friendliness, Asheville’s narrow, 1000-foot-long Wall Street in no way resembles its namesake in New York. Lined with shops and restaurants, it boasts an urban climbing wall, a public pottery studio, and the unique, inconspicuous Jubilee Community Church.

Halfway down the block, Cucina24 offers up the city’s most creative Italian cuisine. If you’re thinking heavy pasta dishes swimming in tomato sauce, you couldn’t be more wrong. Instead, you’ll find some of the finest dining in Asheville. And because the menu changes daily, you never know what your choices may be.

Any of the fresh and crispy wood-fired pizzas, paired with an appetizer or two, make a light and tasty meal. I especially like the earthy wild mushroom and cipollini onion pizza and the subtle tastes of the prosciutto, arugula, and tomato pizza. The generous wine selection is heavy on Italian varieties, of course, and the wait staff is happy to help with pairings.

During one visit in August, my dining partner and I had a red and green heirloom tomato caprese with the best house-made buffalo mozzarella I’ve ever had, accompanied by an intense tomato sorbet bursting with flavor. Roasted beets with fennel, orange slices, and almond butter were astonishing good, as were the sliced, cold smoked scallops with cucumber foam and smoky trout caviar.

Speaking of trout, Cucina24 is absolutely the best place in Asheville for fresh, local mountain trout. On this particular evening, we each had a perfect piece of trout served on Sicilian eggplant-and-caper salad with pine nuts, currants, and mint. The fish was cooked so perfectly that every bite practically popped out of the skin and onto my fork. For dessert, we shared a wonderful blueberry crisp with sea-salt gelato, white chocolate, buttermilk pie, and blueberry sorbet. Typical American-Italian? I think not.

Cucina24 is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and for dinner every night except Monday. We’ve been there many times, and the service has always been excellent. The atmosphere is contemporary but rustic, with subtle lighting and earthy colors. If you’re dining alone, sit at the brick-oven pizza bar facing the open kitchen. Unless you luck into a space on the street near the Grove Arcade, your best bet for parking is in the city-owned Wall Street parking garage.

Cucina24
24 Wall Street
Asheville, NC 28801
828-254-6170
http://cucina24restaurant.com

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Biltmore Avenue/Downtown
Cúrate
Authentic Tapas

North Carolina is lucky to have a tapas bar as good as Cúrate. Whenever I return, I never fail to order a plate of berenjenas la taberna.

My previous experience with tapas bars has always left me wondering why they’re so wildly popular, but eating at Cúrate has opened my eyes. Since it opened for business in March of 2011, the restaurant has built a reputation as one of Asheville’s most fashionable hot spots and undoubtedly the most authentic Spanish tapas bar in the Carolinas, if not the entire Southeast.

Cúrate revolves around Katie Button, executive chef, and Felix Meana, the front-of-house service and beverage director. Katie and Felix boast impressive credentials and co-own the business with Katie’s parents. Both were trained at elBulli, Ferran Adria’s famed gastronomic wonderland on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. (The U.K. magazine Restaurant named elBulli Best Restaurant in the World five years in a row, and it consistently appeared at or near the top of most everyone else’s list before it closed last July.) Prior to settling in Asheville, the couple also worked for famed chef José Andrés at his restaurants in D.C. and Beverly Hills. Katie and Felix buy many of their ingredients from local farmers they’ve met at Asheville’s popular tailgate markets.

On one particular Thursday evening, my dining partner and I sat down for dinner at Cúrate’s bar at 5:30. The crowds that pack the place every night were just beginning to arrive. Our meal began with the tabla de jamón fermin—three types of thinly sliced, lean, cured hams accompanied by crisp grilled bread and juicy tomato spread. Succulent meat cut from black-footed Ibérico pigs fed nothing but acorns was easily the finest ham I’d ever tasted. Next was brandada de bacalao, a warm, creamy cod and potato purée served with thinly sliced, grilled baguette for dipping or spreading—a welcome dish on a chilly night. But the one plate we never fail to order whenever we return is the espárragos blancos—white asparagus imported from Navarra, Spain, with whipped mayonnaise foam that melts if you don’t eat it quickly.

Another standout is the marvelous berenjenas la taberna—peeled eggplant slices delicately fried and drizzled with honey. The summer salad of watermelon cubes, tomatoes, and la Serena cheese is almost as amazing, as are the lamb skewer and salty sautéed mushrooms. Just thinking about it makes me want to eat there tonight. Katie and Felix were undoubtedly trying to impress us, and they certainly did.

Like many Asheville restaurants, Cúrate’s atmosphere is classy but casual. The room is long and deep, with earthy red adobe walls and a well-organized open kitchen that allows patrons to watch the cooking staff do its magic behind the long, polished marble bar. A single row of small tables line the wall opposite the bar, opening up to a room scattered with tables in the back.

Cúrate is located on downtown Asheville’s main drag. Parking is either on the street or in one of several nearby lots, including the Biltmore Avenue Parking Deck right across the street, where parking is $5 after 5 P.M. and on weekends. Cúrate is very popular and often crowded, so if you’re planning a visit near mealtime, I strongly suggest that you make reservations well in advance.

Cúrate
11 Biltmore Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
828-239-2946
http://www.curatetapasbar.com/

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Grove Park Inn
Horizons
North Asheville’s Finest

Horizons at the Grove Park Inn offers a casual yet elegant dining experience with great food, wonderful service, and gorgeous mountain scenery.

Located in the south wing of the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Horizons delivers some of the finest dining that Asheville has to offer. It’s been acclaimed as one of the top-tier hotel restaurants in the nation and has been awarded AAA’s Four Diamond rating for almost 20 consecutive years. In addition, it has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year for the past decade.

Horizons specializes in classic French cuisine and sweeping views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. The Grove Park Inn is situated in one of the area’s most spectacular locations for taking in the mountain scenery. A table next to one of the restaurant’s windows could be the best seat in the house, especially at sunset, when the view of the horizon is simply magnificent.

Horizons is first class all the way, from the romantic, candlelit atmosphere and the fresh-picked rose on your table to the remarkably attentive service and extensive wine list. The ambience is decidedly refined, but there’s no need for a jacket and tie; most customers are dressed nicely but casually.

In addition to making selections from the regular menu in the dining room, you can choose to dine at the chef’s table in the kitchen—a nine-course extravaganza for up to six people. For larger groups, you can arrange for a customized “wine dinner” in the dining room. Horizons serves seasonally fresh food and changes the menu five or six times a year. My dining partner and I ordered off the menu and got a meal fit for royalty. We savored every bit and took nearly three hours to finish.

To begin, I ordered the creamy, classic lobster bisque, which couldn’t have been better. She had scrumptious fried green tomato and blue crab with watermelon cubes and spiced almonds. Next came Espelette stewed chickpeas and duck fois gras served four ways: grilled, confit, barbecued, and rather surprisingly, in a crème brûlée with a sweet thyme-and-black-pepper cookie and apricot-and-honey jam. We relished them all.

For the main course, she had melt-in-your-mouth poached king salmon with asparagus and salmon caviar, and I had sautéed black grouper with spätzle, spinach, and wild mushrooms in black garlic sauce. Although the variety of wild-caught fish in this entrée may vary—and grouper is the most frequent choice—the best word to describe it is “Wow!”

Dessert at Horizons is an event in itself. It was impossible to choose between the lemon custard with blueberry sorbet, chocolate espresso mousse with flourless cinnamon cake and ice cream, and almonds and cream with maple semifreddo and financière cake. I suggest you avoid any regrets and order all three; we did.

Valet parking is available at the front entrance, and the hotel has free parking lots nearby. You can also leave your car in either of two parking garages, but be prepared to pay $5 for the first three hours. If you’re entering the Grove Park Inn through the front entrance, take a left as you’re entering the lobby and just keep walking until you reach Horizons.

Horizons Dining Room
Grove Park Inn
290 Macon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
828-252-2711
http://www.groveparkinn.com/dining/asheville-nc-fine-dining.aspx

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South Asheville
The Inn on Biltmore Estate Dining Room
Steeped in Elegance

If you’re looking for romantic atmosphere and a memorable dining experience, you won’t do better than the Biltmore Estate’s most luxurious restaurant. Whether you’re an out-of-town visitor touring the Biltmore House and Gardens or an annual passholder traveling to the Estate just to indulge in a special meal, this is one Asheville restaurant that’s well worth investigating.

After you enter at the gatehouse, your drive to the Biltmore Estate’s only hotel affords an opportunity to take in some of the Asheville area’s most lovely scenery. When you arrive at the Inn, choose valet parking for $8 or drive to the nearby lot and walk up the steps to the hotel. Once inside, the Dining Room is downstairs. The restaurant’s two rooms, one round and one rectangular, reflect the elegance of the main house’s interior, with huge windows and elaborate chandeliers. Low light and light classical music encourage quiet conversation. Despite the restaurant’s nearly ostentatious opulence—meals are served on duplicates of the Vanderbilt family’s fine china—casual dress is the norm.

Menus change six times a year to reflect the season. The assortment of entrées and appetizers is very impressive and offers more than enough variety. The night we were there, meat choices on the main menu included rabbit, bison, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, fish, and a nice selection of shellfish. Many of them were from North Carolina, while others came from as far away as Colorado. Much of the produce was grown in the Estate’s garden and other local farms. A Farm to Table Tasting Menu lets you select three courses for $50 or five for $75 and provides sustainable choices from local farms.

The Dining Room’s wine selection is outstanding, with just over half the wines from the Biltmore Estate and the rest from around the world. You can also choose from a nice assortment of cocktails, including wedding punch and house-made sangria.

Our dinner was from a five-course menu that the restaurant staff selected for our visit. Among the highlights was a surprisingly tasty “64° C” farm egg appetizer, poached and served with bacon vinaigrette, tomato purée, and polenta that tasted just like fresh corn. Hazelnuts and rye bourbon honey were the secret ingredients in the compressed watermelon salad. We also loved the rabbit pappardelle—pork-like braised rabbit in a sauce with prosciutto, tomato, charred green onions, and fettuccine—as well as Charleston lamb chops in a rich cherry reduction. Our desserts were delectable, too: raspberry and champagne sorbet, 7-layer chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, and coffee pot de crème.

One important point is that unless you happen to be an annual passholder or you’re a guest staying at the Inn, you’ll need to pay for admission to the Estate before you can get through the gate. Unfortunately, that leaves a lot of potential diners out of the loop. If you’re visiting Asheville and you want to dine in high style, don’t miss the Inn on Biltmore Estate Dining Room.

The Inn on Biltmore Estate
1 Antler Hill Road
Asheville, NC 28803
866-242-8984
http://www.biltmore.com/visit/food_wine/dining/dining_room/default.asp

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Off Biltmore Avenue/Downtown
Limones
A Taste of Old Mexico

You can count on Limones for classic Mexican dishes with a French accent. They also serve a mighty fine rack of lamb.

Half a block away from Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville, Limones has a devoted following among locals and visitors alike. This fine dining establishment is an excellent choice for Sunday brunch or dinner seven nights a week, and it’s a popular spot to celebrate special occasions.

Although owner and chef Hugo Ramirez is originally from Mexico City, he honed his craft in some of San Francisco’s finest restaurants. His focus is on traditional dishes of old Mexico with a French twist and more than a dash of California fusion. The menu changes weekly. The lighting is subdued, and the restaurant’s atmosphere is quite conducive to relaxed conversation—so relaxed, in fact, that conversation from other tables can grow quite loud.

On one recent evening, my dining partner and I joined another couple at Limones for dinner. They arrived early and had already ordered their drinks and an appetizer: tasty lobster nachos with guacamole, spicy fresh salsa, and a Mexican variation on crème fraiche. While perusing the menu, we picked two of the dozen margaritas offered—one made with fresh-squeezed blood orange and the other with pomegranate juice. The margaritas at Limones are dependably outstanding, and these were every bit as good as we’d expected. The bartender shakes up an intriguing selection of cocktails and offers dozens of tequilas, as well as an impressive choice of beers and other beverages.

As it often does at Limones, our meal began with ceviche. The ceviche is different every night, and we got a generous portion of shrimp and scallops with first-rate guacamole and very crisp chips. We agreed it was some of the best we’d ever had, and that’s saying a lot considering Asheville is so far from the coast. Choosing from 16 entrees, my main course was a large portion of shrimp and crab risotto with grilled tomato and asparagus, and it was quite good.

My friend had a rack of lamb he happily devoured along with mushroom risotto and spinach. The women both ordered seared sea scallops in a spicy harissa sauce with sweet potato and bacon hash, braised Brussels sprouts, and a pico de gallo made from pineapple and green onions. They both praised the scallops so highly that I quietly wished I’d ordered the same thing.

Other menu choices that night included bouillabaisse, buffalo ragout chile relleno, jerk chicken quesadilla, and duck breast with truffle macaroni and cheese. With just enough room left for dessert, my dining partner and I shared the creamy tres leches cake—one of our favorites—and we were not disappointed. Every meal is topped off with a complimentary ball of dark chocolate dipped in coffee, cinnamon, and cayenne.

Limones is very popular, so you should call to make reservations before you go. Parking is either on the street or in one of several nearly parking lots, including the Biltmore Avenue Parking Deck right around the corner. For excellent service and a memorable meal in Asheville, I highly recommend Limones.

Limones
13 Eagle Street
Asheville, NC 28801
828-252-2327
http://limonesrestaurant.com/

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South Lexington/Downtown
Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro
Food, Service & Ambience

At Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro, the PEI mussels in broth with chorizo make a delicious combination.

It’s obvious that a lot of thought went into creating just the right atmosphere at Storm. With burlap curtains and lampshades, a heavy wood fireplace mantle dripping with candle wax, and retro bare-bulb lighting, its décor seems somehow inspired by tropical British colonialism. I think Indiana Jones would be perfectly at home there.

Although Storm looks like the den of an adventurous world traveler, it retains the comfortable feel of a neighborhood bar and restaurant that delivers exceptional eats and sensational spirits. Conveniently located on South Lexington just around the corner from Asheville’s popular music venue the Orange Peel, the restaurant serves up creative fare using the freshest ingredients. Executive chef Owen McGlynn, who studied at Johnson & Wales and honed his craft at High Cotton in Greenville, helms the kitchen.

Some of Storm’s menu leans toward Latin/Caribbean fusion, but most of the focus is on more traditional American dishes, often influenced by Cajun cooking. We began our dinner with three ceviches, all very fresh and delightful, followed by the soup of the day—an earthy, creamy gumbo. We sampled four entrées: smoky sea scallops with baby lentils and asparagus, PEI mussels in a spicy broth with chorizo, beef short ribs with polenta, and yummy shrimp tacos. After so much good food, we just had to try all four desserts on the menu that night, each more exquisite than the last: pistachio pudding, rummed peach cheesecake, lemon shortbread, and a warm and crispy brownie with vanilla ice cream.

If you prefer more causal fare, Storm’s burgers look fantastic. You should also try the salmon BLT and the bacon-and-jalapeno macaroni and cheese sometime. For two or three hours before 1 A.M., you can order sandwiches, tacos, and the like from the late-night menu—perfect for post-concert munchies. You can sit at a table or at the bar, and a lovely outdoor patio invites outdoor seating as well. Storm offers up a superior selection of rums and cocktails, of course, and their Perfect Storm mojito is the best in town. Whether you go for dinner, drinks, or a late-night snack, Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro is well worth a visit.

Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro
125 South Lexington Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801
828-505-8560
http://www.stormrhumbar.com/

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College Street/Downtown
Table
Seasonal New American

A trip downtown is all the excuse anyone needs to enjoy a meal at Table, where I savored this delicious brodetto.

Table is a bistro specializing in creative and eclectic cuisine, embracing a style that New York-trained chef/owner (and 2010 James Beard Award semifinalist) Jacob Sessoms calls “seasonal new American.” Like many Asheville establishments, Table focuses on ingredients that are fresh, local, and in season.

Surrounded by everything that downtown Asheville has to offer, the restaurant has an open kitchen and seating for fewer than 50 patrons. Its atmosphere is comfortable and contemporary, with maple tabletops, old oak floors, somewhat industrial lighting, and lots of large windows and glass blocks in the walls. The ceiling’s acoustic tiles help to marginally attenuate loud conversation from the surrounding tables, interspersed with a multifaceted mix of piped-in ’60s rock, traditional jazz, and even African tribal music.

Table’s menu belies Sessoms’ farm-to-table philosophy, and the selection changes every day. Many dishes have a distinctive, offbeat Southern accent, but Table takes additional cues from French cuisine and numerous other influences. Choices range from a burger and fries to the chef’s five-course tasting menu. You can also pick from a nice selection of unique cocktails and regional beers and a respectable wine list. (I especially like the edgy attitude and fresh tomato taste of Table’s Bloody Mary.)

On our last visit we tried five appetizers, an entrée, and dessert. First up was the Bright Red Big Eye—a slice of raw tuna garnished with green grape tomatoes and crème fraiche. Next came grilled octopus, fingerling potatoes, and apple in a spicy buttermilk dressing—a surprisingly good combination. On our waiter’s recommendation, we enjoyed an excellent salad of watercress, figs, melon cubes, almonds, and Maytag blue cheese with harissa chili sauce. Every bite was different—alternately spicy, salty, and fruity. Even better was mozzarella marinated in Japanese citrus, topped with fried avocado and nori and served with burnt molasses vinaigrette.

After devouring richly flavored oyster mushrooms on toast in pistou sauce and melted fontina, we finally dug into our sensational main course: brodetto (Italian seafood stew) with fresh shrimp, lump crab, black sea bass, and garlic. We polished it all off with a luscious blueberry and apple crumble made with Ovaltine and corn flakes and topped with cinnamon ice cream—yum!

Writing about such a phenomenal meal reminds me of just how much my dining partner and I enjoyed every bite. I can hardly wait to return. When you visit Table, you’ll find ample parking in the area. Your best bet is at the city garage on Rankin Street, where the first hour is free and then 75¢ per hour afterward.

Table
48 College Street
Asheville, NC 28801
828-254-8980
http://tableasheville.com/