Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar
(1 Page Avenue)
One place we had to go is Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. Books and wines happen to be two of Sarah’s favorite things; and, I have to admit that drinking is a library setting definitely peaked my interest. In addition to offering a full array of coffee creations, they also have a variety of champagne, wines, beers, and signature cocktails. We chose to try the blood orange mimosas—having just discussed blood oranges on the drive up.
They were vibrant in flavor and eased us into the vacation state-of-mind. We found seats through a maze of bookshelves in a corner, where we could catch a glimpse of another customer’s dog, contently laying under a coffee table. Going into the trip, I don’t realize how dog-friendly the city of Asheville was! But we found out over the course of the weekend, that nearly every store and restaurant will allow them in…and I won’t even start on the number of boutique pet shops.
Carmel's (1 Page Avenue)
Dinner on Friday night was conveniently located next door, at Carmel’s of Asheville. It was after 8:00PM by the time we arrived, and the word hungry doesn’t even do our feelings justice. Without skipping a beat, we ordered an appetizer of pimiento cheese and took our time perusing the cocktail menu.
We decided to split two entrees: the almond-crusted trout with tomato corn parmesan risotto and tri-colored carrots and the sweet tea braised ribs with collards and macaroni & cheese. (You’ll notice that I put my largely meatless diet on hold.) I’d recommend both dishes, but the fish was probably my favorite: it had an awesome crunch from the nuts, the sauce they used was incredible…and Sarah could probably write us a sonnet on the greatness of the risotto. Lastly, I’d be remiss to not mention the Sugar Plum Fairy martinis we ordered. This martini combined the plum vodka, amaretto, juices, etc. and it was fabulous. We took a picture of the ingredients so we could recreate it at home ;)
French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Factory & Tasting Room (10 S. Lexington Avenue, 21 Buxton Avenue)
Saturday included quite a few culinary adventures. After a very late brunch, we made our way to the French Broad Factory & Tasting Room (separate from their chocolate lounge) for a step-by-step tour. Our "guide" was super passionate about chocolate, which made for a captivating lecture on the harvesting and processing of cacao beans. He let us taste raw beans, roasted beans, and ultimately multiple types of chocolate bars that they sell in stores. All the while, he was demonstrating the steps they take on a daily basis at the factory. Needless to say, my foodie-nerdiness was out in full force.
We walked to the lounge following our tour to sample some of the many truffles they make by hand onsite. Lavendar & honey, vanilla bourbon, maple with smoked salt, masala chai, dark chocolate salted honey caramel, hazelnut crunch...oh and we shared a slice of maple butter cake with smoked sea salt. My sugar feast was complemented by French pressed coffee--a method that's new to me as of 2013 and I'm loving it!
Curate (11 Biltmore Avenue)
Dinner at Curate was probably the most anticipated non-breakfast meal of the trip. It’s the only restaurant we made reservations for before getting to Asheville and it turned out to be very good thinking. This place was packed and buzzing with an excited atmosphere that begged for you to never leave. But, really, it was Spanish tapas...code for a never-ending meal of samples. Things we tried and recommend: pan con tomate with manchego (toasted bread with tomatoes & olive oil), potatas bravas (fried potatoes with a slightly spicy bravas sauce), berenjenas la taberna (fried eggplant drizzled with honey), pincho moruno (lamb screwer with moorish spices), and rossejat negro (paella-like dish with squid in its ink).
For dessert we had the chocolate mousse with raspberry sorbet and hazelnut praline and the rosemary ice cream with almond sponge cake and candied orange.
Tupelo Honey Cafe (12 College Street)
We declared Sunday "Biltmore Day". After breakfast, we headed to the estate for self-guided tours. It's strange how exhausting walking through a house can be! We skipped out on the winery in order to get a late, but much needed lunch at Tupelo Honey Cafe. Boyfriend and I had brunch at their southside Asheville location last year, and I was more than happy to return for lunch. The meal started off with large, warm, and fluffy biscuits with tupelo honey and homemade blackberry preserves. I wanted to say no, but I simply couldn't. Since the beginning of the trip, I'd been talking about giving in and having a real honest-to-goodness hamburger and Tupelo Honey's burger seemed to fit the bill: half pound of a ground prime rib and short rib. I got mine with caramelized onions and cheddar cheese, and a side of their signature tomato soup. So much food.
Dinner on Sunday was nothing particularly special, as we were full to the brim from a late lunch. We got takeout and watched HGTV in our hotel room: the ultimate cold-climate vacation activity.
Have you been to Asheville? If you can make the drive, I strongly recommend it for a long weekend vacation! Food aside, there are tons of hiking options, local breweries, and I've heard amazing things about the Biltmore Estate in the spring time and around Christmas (there's even a marathon there, for those who are interested!).
Now the real question is: where to next?!
Aw it looks like you girls had fun! We went to Asheville a couple times when I was younger. They had a coffee shop in a double decker bus that we tried and then this pizza place that I can't remember the name of, but that's where my sister first discovered her love of white pizza :)
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