Rhubarb Rave

Few things get my blood boiling like a good rant, so it is no surprise to me that my first post is a restaurant review.  And not a rant, a rave.

 

Pook and Janie Depp and I went to Rhubarb on Pack Square in lovely downtown Asheville and had a truly lovely dinner.  We sat at the chef's counter and were able to watch calm and competent professionals work as a team.  No meanness, no inappropriate stress.   We ordered starters and salads, wanting to taste as many offerings as possible.

 

The only disappointment was the very first starter -the Salt and Vinegar Kale chips. They were great kale chips, but had no detectable vinegar flavor. (Also, please be wary of spending the rest of the evening with kale in your teeth.)  Everything was just as tasty as could be from that point forward.  The Crispy Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower with North African Spiced Cruze Ranch were great.  Nice roasted flavor and the perfect level of spice in the dressing. The Lobster Corn Dogs with Comeback Sauce were to die for....lovely delicate orbs of scallops and lobster served a la the Iowa State Fair on a stick with a tangy sauce. And the Cheese and Meat Plate was well balanced and plentiful.   If I could buy the made in house Rye and Fruit Bread I would eat it every day.  It really is that good.

 

With the help of our charming server we segued gracefully to the 3 salads.  Local Lyonnaise won the favorite vote by 2 out of 3.  Crispy Trout Sardines and a perfectly fried local egg made it unctuous and intense.  I personally loved the Charred Farro and Beet salad...once again the kitchen's mastery of sauces, dressings and dips shone with the Fall Green Goddess. And the somewhat less dramatic Marinated Tender Hearty Greens was still beautiful with its Sweet Sherry Vinaigrette.

 

As we were nibbling and comparing and chatting merrily, we were also watching the cooks.  And there was one dish that looked so darn delicious being prepared that we had to try it, even though we were quite satisfied at this point.  With nary a sideways glance they agreed to split the entry onto 3 plates and we were able to watch our Looking Glass Goat Cheese Gnudi come to life.  I wish I knew the name of the chef-he was perfectly understated while being totally available.  And he produced a truly wonderful entrée.  The wood grilled radicchio and local mushrooms were the perfect choreography for the ethereal gnudi, once again glistening with an impeccably restrained sauce.

 

I can cook and I can eat, and I am really not that nice or easily pleased.  So it is cause for great personal celebration to have a lovely meal in a very pleasing environment for a quite reasonable cost.  I will definitely bring friends and look forward to having room for dessert.