Food Friday Asheville Edition: Sunny Point Cafe

I'm finally finishing up reviewing all the good food we had in Asheville! On our last morning we wanted to go out for a solid brunch. After searching the internet and yelp, we found Sunny Point Cafe. Not only was it highly rated, it was only 3 minutes from where we were staying! We arrived at about 10 and had a half hour wait. Once again, Asheville restaurants have the best service. We put our name on a list and got a buzzer and then went over to the outdoor coffee station to fill our cups. I love brunch joints that have good coffee for those that are waiting.

While we were waiting we had a chance to walk around their garden. The back of the property is a giant vegetable garden where they grow food for the restaurant. You can't get any more farm-to-table than that! The garden setup was so nicely done that it lit a fire under my ass to take much better care of my garden next year. (I kind of slacked during the summer heat and massive mosquito influx).

Sunny Point was right on time and our buzzer went off within 5 minutes of our estimated wait. The inside of the restaurant was small, cozy and filled with lots of warm yellow hues. Their breakfast menu is filled with tons of really good options. I didn't know what I wanted at all- it was good option overload. Also, if you are vegetarian this place is very accommodating. They even offer a tofu chorizo option.

Steve and I surprisingly decided to get the same thing for breakfast. (This never happens!) We both ordered the huevos rancheros. And just to tell you why, just read Sunny Point's description of the dish: Savory black bean cakes served with Snow Creek chorizo sausage, feta cheese, roasted tomatillo salsa, and herb tossed red skin spuds topped with two free range eggs any style, cilantro crema, and crisp tortilla strips. Gosh that sounded so amazing! How could we not order it? This might have been my favorite version of huevos rancheros I've ever had. All of the flavors just mixed so well together and the nontraditional addition of the feta added a nice salty taste. The chorizo could have been spicier by my standards, but the tomatillo salsa added a good amount of heat. I don't think Steve and I talked much once the food was delivered. We could not stop shoveling this into our mouths. 

The best part about Sunny Point is that you can order breakfast anytime! I could see myself coming back here for a light dinner and just ordering the huevos rancheros again. I think when I find something that is this good it's very hard for me to try something new off the menu. But I hope to be back in Asheville sometime soon and I will definitely be coming back to Sunny Point!

Asheville: Lodging via Airbnb

When Steve and I first decided that we would be going to Asheville during our Thanksgiving vacation we went to Airbnb to find a place to stay. We have used Airbnb a few times in the past and our experience was always wonderful. We had great hosts, great houses and great locations. Because of all that good stuff and the affordable prices, we didn't even think about staying in a normal hotel. We found this lovely house with an open floor plan and bright colors. Everything about it was eclectic and beautiful. The house even came with a lovely long-nosed cat named Nicholas, as well as 4 chickens. Our host was kind and helpful and even provided us with a list of her favorite things to do in the city. Check out some lovely photos that Steve took!

 I love the color of the house!

 I can't get enough of Nicholas. He is so sweet. And such a handsome cat.

 Chickens are really hard to catch. We never got one :(

 Nicholas is the best nap buddy!

Food Friday Asheville Edition: Tupelo Honey Cafe

When I put out a call for Asheville food suggestions, everyone and their mother recommended Tupelo Honey Cafe. When the people are right, they are right. Located in downtown Asheville, this establishment was packed the night we were there. This location doesn't take reservations, but what they do offer is "call ahead seating." You call the restaurant about an hour before you want to eat and they put you on the list just like you were there in person. I love this idea! Steve and I called up for dinner at 6:15 and were told it would be an hour. When we arrived at 7 we were able to cut the huge line and go the next available table. I was terribly sick with a cold at this point and I really appreciated the staff for accommodating me and moving me to a warm table in the back away from the constantly opening door.

Tupelo Honey is a popular place. How popular you ask? SO POPULAR THAT SANTA EATS THERE. You can tell by his face that Santa was very unhappy that I recognized him and captured him on film.

Tupelo Honey's menu is made up of a variety of traditional southern offerings. The feel and the food reminded me a lot of Nashville's own (and famous) Loveless Cafe. Tupelo Honey is just a tad bit more upscale and dare I say it, healthier, than the Loveless.

And just like the Loveless Cafe all meals at Tupelo Honey come with a biscuit and jam. This might be the largest single biscuit I have ever seen. I wish I had put a penny next to it so you can see the scale. The biscuit was delicious, light and fluffy. I couldn't even finish it.

Even though it isn't springtime I had to get the fried green tomatoes. They were served over goat cheese grits with a pinch of fresh basil. What I really enjoyed about this dish was how light the tomatoes were. They didn't look like or taste like they had been fried. The crust was crisp, light and not dripping with oil. And inside was a plump fresh tomato. I have no idea what their secret is, but I need to learn how to fry foods like this. The best thing on the plate was that one picked okra. Best. Pickled. Okra. Ever.

Steve ordered the Tender Medallions of Beef. I'm pretty sure the only reason why he picked this dish was that it was served with Gorgonzola butter. That is a pretty good reason if you ask me. It came with cheesy cauliflower and asparagus. Steve was also sick at this point and couldn't really taste much of his dish to provide a commentary. I tried this dish and wasn't blown away. The meat was a little too tough and the sauce was on the boring side. But, I also was sick so I don't know if my palate was thrown off as well.

Being sick I wanted some comfort food. And how more comfortable can you get than meatloaf? And not just regular meatloaf, meatloaf with bacon inside. I loved this dish-it was exactly what the doctor ordered. The meatloaf itself was juicy and had good spice. The tomato sauce on top was super fresh and didn't overpower the meat (I want to taste that bacon). I'm always skeptical when mac n' cheese is a side dish, but I really like Tupelo Honey's take on it. You can taste the really good cheese that they used- no processed crap here.

Overall, we really liked Tupelo Honey. I'm happy that this was everyone's go-to Asheville suggestion!

Asheville Street Art: Chicken Alley and Carolina Lane

One of my favorite things about visiting Asheville was the amount of beautiful street art. Downtown, I fell in love with Chicken Alley and Carolina Lane. They are small pathways with little houses tucked away. The walls are covered with beautiful murals. I could see myself living in a place like this one day. Steve took some amazing photos:

Ok, I know this isn't real "art" but it's my kind of tagging!

Food Friday, Asheville Edition: Early Girl Eatery

A few weeks ago I put a call out for suggestions on things to do and places to eat in Asheville, North Carolina. And the Internet came through! A special shout out for the lovely suggestions provided by Kate D., Lauren W. and Jennifer. We were only in town for two days and had so many things on our lists! What we did do a lot of was eating. When asked where to go for food, nearly everyone we spoke to (including Steve's parents) told us to go to Early Girl. When one place is recommended that frequently, I just have to check it out!

Early Girl was our first stop after we checked into our lovely AirBNB home. It was lunchtime and I wanted to head downtown. When we checked-in with the hostess we were told there would be an hour to hour & fifteen minute wait but we should check back in 45 minutes. That is a long wait but I was expecting it from all the recommendations. So Steve and I wandered around the Grove Arcade until 45 minutes had passed. We checked back in with Hostess and were seated in 10 minutes. I hate waiting but I love when restaurants give you accurate wait times, and the staff at Early Girl was polite and helpful. This lunch was off to a lovely start!

Of course being in Asheville Steve had to try some local beer. I was so sick with a cold that the idea of alcohol was unappealing so I stuck to water. Steve is a fan of Highland Brewing Company and really enjoyed their Gaelic Ale.

This jam was on our table and I loved it. My dish came with a fresh biscuit and I put butter and jam all over that thing. I've only started enjoying jams in the past two years and it's opened my eyes to all the amazing things that I can put on a biscuit (besides butter).

While I was ready for lunch, Steve wanted some breakfast so he opted to order off the breakfast anytime section of the menu. He ordered the Porky Breakfast Bowl which contains, "Homefries, BBQ pork, scrambled eggs and farmstead cheese smothered in Benton’s smoky bacon gravy." It was pure pork heaven in a plate! That Benton's Bacon gravy was to die for and the pulled pork had a great smoke flavor and a good texture. I think I might have to order this myself next time. 

I wanted to have a more traditional lunch so opted for the Early Girl's fresh take on meat + 2 where you choose one protein, two sides and you get a bonus biscuit. For my meat I chose the local mountain trout with pecan butter. The fish was cooked to perfection and the sauce was very light and not overpowering. This might be the healthiest meat + 2 I have ever had. For my sides I chose the honeyed beets and candied yams. I love beets and this was a great dish for me. I even tried to replicate this myself when I came home (Beets+Honey+Orange Juice=YES!). I was super happy with my choice and I felt great after. I was ready to take on downtown Asheville!

I can see why everyone recommends Early Girl. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is pleasant. There were lots of really cute paintings by a local artists around the restaurant. I love that we sat at a table next to a big window overlooking the busy street below. But the shining star is the food, as it always should be. Their healthy farm-to-table take on southern food is a sure winner.