Culinaire Menage á Trois

Ahh... mid-summer in the southern Appalachian mountains. If asked about this area most would not likely tell of eclectic wine selections, artisan cheeses, fine gourmet tapas, or handmade french-inspired chocolates. But this is Asheville. A small, metropolitan jewel nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge that is home to dozens of chef-run restaurants, wine bars, boutiques, and the like. A foodie's paradise, with more tantalizing choices than one could make in an evening, all within walking distance of one another. So, on this venture downtown we were forced, quite literally by hunger and thirst, to pick just a few. Three to be exact, progressing through many courses along the way and ultimately reaching the pinnacle of bliss -- a culinary menage á trois.

It seemed fitting to begin with wine and cheese, and the decision of where to have it was an obvious one: Sante Wine Bar, one of my favorites. With a wine list that changes more often than the seasons, you're almost certain to try something fresh and new each time you visit. So as the overly-warm southern day began to cool and soften into dusk, we prepared our palettes with crisp, dry, refreshing white wine, cheeses, and fresh, ripe, tomato bruschetta -- welcoming the evening with the anticipation of certain greatness. My wine selection, a Grüner Veltliner called Mo Velt, paired beautifully and was simply scrumptious, a perfect summer wine.

After teasing our appetites for over an hour, a unanimous decision propelled us to move on to our next destination and something of a main course: Zambra Tapas and Wine Bar. Tapas, if you've been keeping up with my writing, is something I absolutely love. Careful consideration, attention to detail, and unique flavor combinations are the reasons I enjoy Chef-made cuisine. Give me an opportunity to try three or four different courses, each a taste, a representation of who the chef is, and what he wants to convey through his food- his passion, and I'm in heaven. Pan-roasted, stuffed quail with lentils and romesco, Beef tenderloin with roasted garlic and mojo, Gnocchi with chevre cream sauce, Heirloom tomato napoleon with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and aged balsamic reduction- need I go on? A feast for the eyes, appetite, and mind all fit for the likes of a Spanish Conquistador and yet offered to us, and quite graciously received. In this symphony of perfection, one plate stands out above the rest: the quail, in all its tiny glory. When you visit Zambra, it's the quail, among others of course, but the quail you must choose at least once!

Here we sit, our bellies pleasantly full, sipping Spanish Tempranillo and Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, all quite euphoric, lazily laughing at stories being passed around the table. Even still, in this sublime moment there is but one more course whose need has yet to be satisfied: dessert. Rich, dark, captivating chocolate manipulated in ways that one can only imagine. So, as if jolted out of our food-induced hypnosis with the snap of a finger, we set out on an eight block trek towards the French Broad Chocolate Lounge. Here chocolate dreams come true right before your very eyes. There isn't a bad choice to be found in the enormous glass case filled with their handmade truffles. You won't taste a single disappointing cake, pie, or brownie. And you certainly won't be able to leave even a bite of the chocolate crème brûlée once you start eating it. The Chocolate Lounge, my friends takes the cake (pun quite intended!) when arguing over best dessert in Asheville.

So there you have it, we've reached the pinnacle of bliss, the cherry on top of a decidedly delectable dinner excursion- not to mention some very satisfied foodies!

G.