If you're like me and peruse copies
of Southern Living, Bon Appetit, Garden & Gun magazines and the like, no
doubt you've heard of Rhubarb, the hottest new
restaurant in Asheville (though they get one every week it seems). Chef John
Fleer has been praised for this new downtown staple, and during a recent trip West, I decided I couldn't leave town without stopping by. The open
kitchen and well-lit restaurant is inviting, not stuffy at all. Conversations
are lively as people are clearly enjoying themselves, and as expected, every
morsel I consumed was exquisite.
Lobster Corn Dogs! |
I ordered an Ilkley Siberia Rhubarb
Saison. When in Rome. I can't think of a better appetite whetter than the
Lobster Corn Dogs with Comeback Sauce. This spicy rendition of the classic sauce lives
up to its name. It's creamy, tomatoey and dangerous, especially when you
dunk hush puppy-shaped Lobster balls in it. They are fried, producing a crunchy
and slightly sweet exterior, like Corn Dog batter. It doesn't get much better than
this.
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Scallop Perfection. |
I was lucky to negotiate a trade
with one of my dining partners - a Lobster Corn Dog for a Meyer Lemon-Crusted Scallop.
I'm a SS1 (John Batchelor may be the only one to get this reference). The
Scallops are plump and delicate, perfectly cooked. Peas and Butter Beans add a
nice pop and color, Country Ham adds a necessary saltiness to cut through the creamy
Buttermilk sauce, and Dill adds a fresh earthiness. This is my kind of food.
I always love when a
vegetarian dish makes me forget that it lacks meat. The Goat Cheese Gnudi is
exceptional. It would make me get gnude. Five tender dumplings are bursting with flavor and literally oozing with cheese, but it's not runny, it's creamy. (There's a difference.) Oyster Mushrooms and Braised Cabbage guest star, and I believe I was subbed Butter Beans for what were supposed to be Pumpkin Seeds, but I
preferred the beans! Cheers! I cleaned my plate. I could rave about these dumplings all
day. Outstanding.
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I'd get gnude for this gnudi. |
The Malted Mudslide is a lovely
sweet note to end on. Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips are soft and
have a brownie texture. I love a soft cookie. A scoop of soft Vanilla Malt Ice
Cream sits atop and is so much sexier than plain ole vanilla. Cocoa Nib
Brittle is a slightly nutty crunch, and I could drink a gallon of the Sierra
Nevada Stout Caramel. This dessert has everything. Except a photo. Apologies.
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Mimosa Fried Chicken Biscuit! |
I have to throw an
honorable mention breakfast bone to Asheville's Biscuit Head. This place
is unbelievable. I would love to try and eat through their entire menu.
They have gravy flights (!) and several jams and sauces for you to sample. The
Mimosa-Fried Chicken Biscuit is a Sunday buffet in itself. The Biscuit
stands alone though - fluffy, buttery, the best I've had in a Southern restaurant in a while. The Mimosa-Fried Chicken tasted slightly sweet, but all the toppings made it difficult to detect a sweet or citrus flavor. Toppings included Sweet Potato Butter, Sriracha Saw and a Poached Egg on top. This was also before
I added a little Sriracha Honey, Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam and Coconut Vanilla
spread. I tell you, this place is a condiment lovers' dream (me and mine).
Incredibly long story short, I look forward to eating and drinking more of what A'town has to offer. I have a crush on this city and its culture.
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