The Stinger’s Kenmure-Area Restaurant Reviews
Updated 11/06/2007

The past year has seen some long term restaurants leave Hendersonville including Expressions, which had been highly rated for many years. At the same time, there are a number of new restaurants which have opened recently with great potential. Four of the six new entries on the Stinger’s review list are Italian restaurants. A couple of other Italian spots have opened up recently and will be reviewed in the future.

The Stinger places restaurants in one of three categories or tiers: Classic which includes fine dining establishments with dinner costs ranging above $25 per person, Casual for more modest establishments with lunch or dinner prices averaging $15 to $25 per person, and Café which includes most everything else such as cafés, pubs, pizza, barbeque, and lower-end ethnic specialty restaurants in the under $15 per person price range. All restaurants are now rated only within the restaurant’s peer tier, so that a coffee shop doesn’t compete with a top-rated fine dining establishment. You may find some great food, service and values among restaurants with two or three stars, but The Stinger accepts no responsibility for restaurants rated one or fewer stars.

The Stinger is happy to receive comments or suggestions regarding restaurant reviews by email at TheStinger@mchsi.com, but reserves the right to ignore comments that are critical of The Stinger’s work.

Restaurants recently added to The Stingers reviews: Amici Trattoria, Gerard’s, Mike’s on Main, Potenza, Saluda Grade, Umi, West First Street Pizza

Restaurant with new ownership or location: Battery Park Bistro, Peddler Steak House, Twigs

Restaurants which have recently closed: Samovar Café, Expressions, Gypsy Cab Company, Café Calabria

Stinger Tip: Visit www.restaraunt.com to save a little money on your next restaurant outing. The site is easy to use and allows you to purchase and print out coupons which could save you $20 or more at some of the restaurants in The Stinger’s inventory. Once you have purchased a coupon, you will occasionally get an offer for even better deals. Coupons are periodically available for Cypress Cellar, Expressions, Seasons, Southside Café, Stone Hedge Inn, and Bistro Europa among The Stinger’s reviewed restaurants. Participating restaurants change from time to time and the coupons are good for one year from date of purchase. The site features restaurants all over the country and is also useful when you are traveling.

Restaurant Reviews: The Stinger’s restaurant ratings are summarized at the following link:
The Stinger’s Restaurant Review Index Summary

If you are tired of Egg-McMuffins and Whoppers, check out The Stinger’s new listings and ratings of local restaurants for breakfast and lunch at:
The Stinger’s Breakfast Spots
The Stinger’s Lunch Locations

Your may also read full restaurant reviews in alphabetical order by scrolling through them in the list below:

12 Bones Smokehouse
828-253-4499
5 Riverside Drive
Asheville, NC
Cafe Tier
Three Stars

Not long ago, The Stinger was “almost” lost in West Asheville near the river and stumbled across a barbecue restaurant with a long line out front in the middle of the afternoon. Of course TS had to check it out, and discovered that part of the reason for the line was that there was not much room in the restaurant between the ordering counter and the door. The other reason is that they serve really good barbecue at 12 Bones. The restaurant is not fancy – you wait in line to order, walk on a concrete floor, use a paper towel from the roll on the table for a napkin, and receive your meal in a 12” pie tin. 12 Bones lists a number of sandwiches including pulled pork, pulled chicken, chopped beef brisket, BLT, Hogzilla, and a smoked brat at $4 - $7 depending on whether you select chips or a choice of two sides. In addition to a few salads, the restaurant also serves “plates” of 12-bone or 6-bone racks of baby back ribs, pulled pork, and all the other stuff. The plates come with cornbread and choice of two sides. Iced tea, fountain drinks, and bottled water cost $1.24 for all you can drink in a 24-ounce glass. Beer costs a little more. You’ll find RC Cola at the fountain, but don’t look for Coke or Pepsi at 12 bones.

Owners Tom and Sabra make everything from scratch with meats smoked long and slow over select hardwoods. The recipes are old family favorites along with some stuff that they just made up as they went along. Baby back ribs come in a number of “flavors”, with two or three choices available on any given day, but Tom promises to whip up anything that is not on the board, if you make enough of a fuss.

All of the meats are available for take-out at $7 -10 per pound, which is another reason to not fear the line out front. Many people apparently prefer to take it home rather than eat it out of an aluminum pie plate. The pie plate was fine for The Stinger, however. TS is not sure why anyone would venture into this part of West Asheville, but 12 Bones Smokehouse is as good an excuse as any. 11/28/2006

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Amici Trattoria
828-277-1010
900 Hendersonville Road
Asheville
Classic Tier
Five Stars

Executive Chef / Owner Heath Miles opened this restaurant in 2003 in the space previously occupied by Wildflower. Chef Miles began his career in the food industry cooking hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches in Pittsburgh at the age of 14. He went on to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America and practice his skills at a number of five star, five diamond resort restaurants in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Maui, and West Virginia before coming to Asheville to be closer to his wife’s family.

Antipasti choices at Amici are numerous and sumptuous. Some favorites are the Olive Tapenade ($4), Classic Caesar ($6), and Sea Scallops, which sit atop creamy polenta topped with a tomato onion compote and finished with truffle oil ($9).

On the pasta menu are spaghettini, with or without meetballs ($13-16), Seafood Ravioli, Lasagna with beef , sausage, fresh mozzarella and goat cheese ($17). Entrée selections currently offered are eight items among which are Veal Saltimbocca ($20), Seared Ahi Tuna ($21), and Veal or Chicken Parmesan ($18).

The Lunch menu at Amici has smaller, less expensive versions of a selection of dinner options, most which are under $10. It also includes a list of Panini’s including Goat Cheese, Turkey Wrap, Meatball, and Reuben. These are all very good, come with sides, and are priced at $8.

The wine list at Amici is very extensive with selections from most of the world’s best wine producing areas. Many are available by the glass at $6-8 or in half bottles. Bottles range from $21 for a Columbia Valley Belle Pente 2003 Pinot Noir to $325 for a Tuscan Bollini Merlot from the Chef’s Special Reserve – something for everyone.

Tratoria Amici is a fine restaurant and worth the trip to Asheville. 11/05/2007 10/01/2006

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Battery Park Bistro
828-253-2158
22 Battery Park Avenue
Asheville
Classic Tier
Three Stars

Battery Park is a new entry in the Wall Street restaurant complex in Asheville. This restaurant has recently changed ownership.

This restaurant has an intimate, quiet feel (at least when owner, Don Gundry, is not around) with soft live keyboard music in the background. Battery Park has a straightforward dinner menu with three or four choices among Appetizer, Salad, Soup, Steaks, Chicken, Seafood, and Pasta categories. The food is geographically balanced with Fried Green Tomatoes, “local” poppers, Chipotle Spinach Dip, French Onion Soup, Australian Filet, New York Strip, Cajun Salmon, and Pasta Alfredo. The Stinger recommends stay with New York for your steaks. Entrée prices are generally in the $16-18 range (except for the good steaks) and $6-10 for the starters. Large portions of vegetables can be purchased to share for $5.

You will enjoy this restaurant.

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Bistro 502
828-697-5350
502 North Main Street
Hendersonville
Classic Tier
Three Stars

This relatively new restaurant entry is located at the corner of Fifth and Main Street, and already has a new set of co-chefs, Frederick Schoen-Kiewert and Alys Wild, who seek out the finest and freshest ingredients available for preparation of their menu items and daily specials. The owner is a first time restaurateur who does not seem to be averse to changing the formula to find a niche. The restaurant has a full bar, but its lighting and nicely spaced tables provide and atmosphere conducive to slow paced dining and quiet conversation. The new chefs have overhauled the menu, resulting in a more moderately priced offering with nice variety available at both lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. The current menu includes three appetizers in the $7-8 range, five interesting Panini’s at around $10, a dozen or so basic entrées including beef stew, meatloaf, chicken pot pie, steaks, a chop, pasta, and fish flown in fresh weekly from Hawaii. A half dozen entrée size salads round out the printed menu and daily soup and entrée specials are generally available. Bistro 502 has moved to position itself at a new, more moderate, price point and early problems with service seem to be smoothing out. This is a nice place for a quiet dinner with a few friends. 10/20/2006

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Blackwater Grille
693-0856
Laural Park Village
1715 Brevard Road
Hendersonville
Casual Tier
Four Stars

Chef / Owner Scott Adams traces his roots back to the early 1800’s when his ancestors left Inverness, Scotland for the Appalachian Mountains, some nine generations ago. His new restaurant and menu reflect his Celtic and Appalachian heritage and he proudly shares a percentage of the restaurant’s profits with the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy.

Blackwater Grille serves up “inspired Southern Highland Cuisine” and Chef Adams updates the menu four times a year on the solstices and equinoxes. The restaurant décor sports a waterfall and large fireplace, but is otherwise rather plain, but a big step up from Hubert’s, which previously occupied this space and was pretty low on The Stinger’s list. Blackwater claims to have the largest outdoor eating deck in Hendersonville, but the wait-staff really struggles getting food through the heavy door between deck and kitchen.

The current menu includes “Openers” such as Spinach Artichoke Spread and Whiskey Smoked Trout Pate w / Flat Bread Crisps for $8-9. Salad choices are priced at $8-13. Entrees include Grilled Flat Breads ( $9-12) like The Henderson – Caramelized apples and onions with applewood smoked bacon & white cheese blend or The Boss Hog – slow roasted pork, caramelized onions, blackberry smoked pepper BBQ sauce & a cheddar white cheese blend. You can also choose Sunflower Chicken, Rattlesnake Cakes, Blackberry Ribs, or BBQ Lacquered Salmon. Most of these are in the $16 – 30 range, but the best thing about this restaurant is the availability of smaller portions of salads and entrees at prices about $5 per entrée less than the full –size dish. This may be just what you want for your ladies night out group, your petite girl friend, your spouse who is on a diet again, or if you are planning to stop by Kilwin’s for double scoop on your way back to Flat Rock.

The luncheon menu has been expanded and includes a Smoked Trout Wrap, Salmon Club, Wild Boar Sausage, and Fish & Chips, all in the $8-9 range.

Blackwater has a list of mainly California wines, a full bar with, of course, single malt scotch selections, and a selection of micro-brews on tap. The restaurant is currently open from 11:30am to 9pm Monday through Saturday. 10/01/2006

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Blockhouse Restaurant and Oyster Bar
864-232-4280
1619 Augusta Road
Greenville, SC
Casual Tier
Four Stars

This is The Stinger’s kind of restaurant – a local tavern, with good food, no waiting, open 7 days a week, and reasonable prices. The Blockhouse is owned by Charlie McMillen and has been a local favorite in Greenville since 1981.

The restaurant offers a variety of appetizers, but it would be a mistake not to order raw oysters, unless you really don’t like them. The shellfish are flown in twice per week from Appalachiola , Florida, in large numbers – up to 640 pounds per week depending on the season. A dozen on the half shell will cost you $7.25, but you can get two dozen for that price on Monday from 4-8 PM. You can also get them Rockefeller, fried, or steamed. Other appetizer specials are available on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Blockhouse food is made from scratch with meat aged inhouse and steaks hand cut. You can also order oyster entrees almost anyway you can think of, or select from a variety of salads, fresh fish, and sandwiches. Burgers are half pounders, hand-patted, and chargrilled over hickory logs. Oyster Stew and Blackened Ahi Tuna were deemed to be highly edible by members of The Stinger’s party. Apple-cherry cobbler is an excellent choice for dessert. 07/03/2005R

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Cypress Cellar
698-1005
321-C N. Main Street
Hendersonville, NC
Casual Tier
Four Stars

Owner Reneé Ellender Shealy was born and raised in Bayou Terrebonne, Louisiana. She moved to Hendersonville about 15 years ago and after some serious research, opened her restaurant at the cellar level of a building on Main Street in 1996. The recipes came from her mother and the handcrafted cypress wood tables were made by her father.

Cypress Cellar is a long-time favorite of The Stinger, who is partial to spicy food and crawfish. Since TS almost always orders something with crawfish in it (etouffee, pasta, etc.), The Stinger is probably not well-positioned to properly rate this establishment. Nevertheless, the restaurant needs to be evaluated and brought to your attention.

This restaurant does offer a wide selection of great seafood, seafood, and seafood prepared with an authentic South Louisiana flair. Where else in H’ville can one find Fried Green Tomatoes, Alligator Sausage, Gumbo, and Oysters any way you want ‘em, all on the same menu. If necessary, you can also get a blackened or grilled steak (never tried it). Prices are reasonable – two can eat for under $30. Cypress Cellar is open Tuesday through Saturday plus Monday during the summer season from 11am until 9/10pm. The restaurant includes a large bar which features live music on Friday and Saturday nights all year. Patio dining is available in fair weather. Service can be spotty. 07/03/2005R 07/03/2005R

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Flat Rock Village Bakery
693-1313
2710 Greenville Highway
Flat Rock
Five Stars
Café Tier

This true hole-in-the-wall bakery and café is located in the rear of the Wrinkled Egg in downtown Flat Rock. Proprietor Scott Unfried moved his family from California to North Carolina a few years ago to start his business initially with hand-kneaded, organic, wood-fired breads. Eight or nine different varieties are produced from Tuesday through Saturday and not all are baked everyday. Before long, he began adding coffee and espresso, pastries, bagels, artisan sandwiches and some very creative and excellent wood-fired pizzas. Everything is done by hand and Scott makes use of high quality, fresh ingredients in everything he does. The only high-tech equipment in the place is the espresso machine. From the hole-in-the-wall , you will see a wood fire in the oven, wooden paddles, many wooden bowls for the bread, and pencils to add up your bill.

During the winter months, the bakery serves five or six hearty sandwiches (about $6) such as an avocado BLT, Oven Roasted Turkey and Black Forest Ham – all on fresh-daily handmade wood-fired breads. For the summer, the menu shifts from just a couple of sandwiches – Chicken Salad and Grilled Ham and Cheese – to a selection of cool salads like Asian Noodle, Strawberry Spinach, and Fruit Bowl and a Hummus Plate ($3-7). Some of these come in small and large sizes.

The Stinger stops by the bakery regularly for three dollar 16 oz Café Mocha (good buy) and / or a loaf of bread, but for lunch, TS usually goes for the pizza which is truly outstanding. Current offerings at about $9 each include Classic – fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and crushed tomato, Four Cheese – romano, mozzarella, feta, havarti, basil and crushed tomato, and spinach – artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, black olives, mozzarella on crushed tomato. The pizza’s are 13’ in diameter and will satisfy two people nicely, though The Stinger can eat all but one or two slices alone if pressed. The pizzas are available from about noon (when the bread is done and the fire is properly re-tuned) until 5 pm. Scott can even partially cook a pizza or two for reheating in your oven at home as a complement to the menu for your wine tasting group.

The best day to visit the Flat Rock Village Bakery during the summer is a warm, but not hot, overcast, but not rainy day. The reason for this will be clear on your first visit. About eight people can be seated comfortably inside the hole-in-the-wall dining space, but many more can eat at picnic tables on the partially tree shaded deck outside the restaurant. In the summer, the place is really busy between noon and two o’clock, but in the winter you can usually find a seat inside if you are patient. Take-out is always an option.

This is very tasty food at reasonable prices. Also, visit FR Bakery’s big sister restaurant on Third Street in Hendersonville. 11/06/2007R

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Flight
828-694-1030
401 N. Main Street
Hendersonville
Classic Tier
Three Stars

Flight Wood Grille & Wine Bar (previously Lark’s) is housed in the historic First Bank and Trust building at Fourth & Main Street in Hendersonville. The restaurant has an open, comfortable feeling owing to its high ceilings and tastefully decorated interior. More than 100 “Larks” hang from the ceiling, while paintings by Marsha Hammel (musicians downstairs) and Sue Fazio (wild animals upstairs) adorn the walls. Unfortunately, the marble floors, open kitchen, and cold steel of the safe make of a noisy dining experience on the lower level – ask for seating upstairs if you are up to the climb.

Owner Sam Neill recently overhauled the menu, which has remained stagnant since the restaurant first opened as Lark’s several years ago. New appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas, and entrée’s are now available. Flight features an apple wood-fired grill and the restaurant does a good job with mixed grill options, steaks, and seafood dishes. Appetizers ($8 -10) include delicacies like Salmon Ceviche and Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli. The Stinger was recently disappointed in the Sesame Seared Tuna, however, as the presentation was excellent though the quality of the yellow-fin was second- rate. The Oyster & Brie soup with leeks Guinness beer sounds great - $6. There are a number of salad choices from a wood-grilled Caesar ($6) to a Grilled Lobster Salad with a whole lobster tail atop mango, avocado, & mixed greens ($24). Wood-grilled pizza’s are interesting, at least in shape, as they conform to the signature tear drop plates used by Flight, but they just don’t stack up to Flat Rock Bakery’s wood-fired pizza (see review) or even to The Stinger’s own Green Egg charcoal fired thin crust pizza (review not available), which is still under development. They also have too much cheese (cannot believe I said that). The best entrée choices, after the mixed grill choices, seem to be the seafood dishes along with the steaks, pork tenderloin, veal chop, and braised short ribs.

Flight has a full bar, free (if you have dinner) or low cost wine tasting on Wednesday nights, and a nice full-range wine list which won Wine Spectator accolades this year for the first time.

Flight is a smoke-free restaurant and a nice place to take out-of-town guests. 10/06/2006

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Gabrielle’s
252-7313
87 Richmond Hill Road
Asheville
Classic Tier
Five Star

Anytime The Stinger wins a few bucks on the golf course (seldom), the winnings go into a special jar a return trip to Gabrielle’s at the Victorian style mansion now called the Richmond Hill Inn. Gabrielle was the wife of ambassador and congressman Richmond Pearson, who constructed the building as their private residence in 1889. Chef Duane Fernandes recently took over Executive Chef duties from Michelle Kelly. Chef Duane has experience in Charleston, Richmond, and most recently at highly rated Per Se Restaurant in New York City. The new chef is continuing, at least for the moment, the Prix Fixe menu program that has been used at Gabrielle’s for the past several years.

Gabrielle’s uses locally grown ingredients are used to create a seasonally changing menu. The setting is first class all the way with a grand entrance hall, wood paneling, beautiful grounds and views, very professional formal service, and soft live piano music several nights per week. Gabrielle’s is currently offering a three-course Prix Fixe menu including entrée choices or fish, beef pork, and duck along with soup / salad, bread and dessert at $59. Gabrielle’s Grande menu includes an additional course along with Amuse Bouche, Intermezzo and A Tasting of Artisan Cheeses. Second course options of Sonoma County Foie Terrine and Tuna Tartar are both outstanding and should not be missed – share one with your spouse or better yet, ask to substitute one for a soup / salad course offering. You will have your choice of three extra special entrées with the Grande Menu: Butter Poached Turbot with Parsley Risotto, Medallion of Beef Tenderloin with a Lobster-Corn Cake, or Herb Encrusted Veal Tenderloin with Leek Whipped Potatoes. This will cost you an arm and a leg, or an arm and two legs with Chef-selected wine pairings. Off-season, your visit can include a tour of the Inn’s beautifully decorated rooms, and in-season make time to walk the though the nicely-manicured gardens. Save this restaurant for a very special occasion unless you are among the super-rich, in which case go as often as you can.

Oenophiles will find that the staff at Gabrielle’s are quite knowledgeable about wine offerings and pairings. Restaurant Manager Frank Comito is currently putting together a special dinner with all wine pairing rated at 100. This one is sold out, but get on the list for future events – you will enjoy. 11/28/2006R

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Gerards
864-879-0070
102 East Poinsett Street
Greer SC
Classic Tier
Five Star

The Stinger made a first visit to downtown Greer a number of months ago and found a small, redeveloping city center anchored by this fine restaurant, which has been frequented in recent years by a number of Kenmurians. Billy eats here often and always leaves a very generous tip for a West Virginian.

Chef Gerard Cribbin and co-owner Robert Conway opened this restaurant featuring contemporary Italian cuisine in 2003. Chef Gerard developed his culinary skills at Filomena restaurant in Washington DC and then spent ten years in the business in Puerto Rico before arriving in South Carolina.

Gerard’s is housed in a historic building, with exposed brick and wooden beams in the interior. Sound dampening ceiling panels, bright artistic decorations, subtle fine art paintings, white table linens and black napkins provide the perfect environment for a memorable meal.

It seems impossible to make a bad choice from the menu at Gerard’s. The current dinner menu includes excellent fried calamari rings with tasty marinara ($8), and buffalo mozzarella with slow roasted tomatoes, mixed greens and basil ($10). From the pasta list, try linguine with shrimp, scallops, fish, and crab meat in a medium spicy marinara sauce ($23), or the chef’s pasta selection of the day ($18). Seafood selections include seared scallops with sherry cream, baby spinach and risotto Milanese ($22), and South African lobster tail francese with fettuccine carbonara and asparagus ($31). You might also be tempted by duck breast with a raspberry port sauce, risotto Milanese and broccolini ($22), or Chef’s”choice for the adventurous” (Friday and Saturday only) priced at $44. The Stinger is saving up for an adventure such as this. Tiramisu is, of course, always available for dessert along with several other delightful temptations.

The lunch menu at Gerard’s has salads and soup, along with smaller, less costly ($8-17) versions or several dinner entrées. A trip for lunch might be appropriate if you don’t have any used golf clubs to sell at the moment and are in the mood for a really good meal.

Fine and “Very Fine” wines from Italy and California are available by the glass ($7-10) or bottle ($26-130).

The Stinger highly recommends this restaurant. 11/05/2007

Grove Street Café
828-693-1222
224 South Grove Street
Café Tier
Hendersonville, NC
Five Stars

This restaurant was originally opened by Paul and Laurie Bakke in July, 2000. It recently sold to Shand and Robin Howie. Shand was previously restaurant manager at the Purple Onion in Saluda and comes to Hendersonville with lots of ideas and enthusiasm. Shand plans to keep Laurie’s menu (including the Laurie Burger) in the short-term, while adding a dinner menu in future months. The dinner menu will focus on all natural meats, fresh seafood, local produce, and organics in keeping with Laurie’s concept and Purple Onion traditions. Look for Laurie to offer some cooking classes at this location after a brief respite.

The lunch menu is available from 11 AM until 3 PM and includes a variety of specialty sandwiches which come with a side salad and pickle. Examples are the Laurie Burger on a Rustic Onion Roll ($8.50) which includes exotic cheeses, marinated tomatoes, and fresh basil, Grilled Fresh Yellowfin Tuna Steak on a Kaiser Roll ($9.75), and Grilled Shrimp Quesadilla ($9.25) with wild mushrooms, corn, cilantro and Monterey jack cheese. Panini sandwiches are delicious Daily soup specials are $3-4 and the interesting salad choices range from $6 to $9. Soups and an impressive list of salads, spreads, salsas, and sides are sold by the pound from the deli case. Desserts, pastries, and breads are also available daily. The beverage list includes wine by the glass and bottle beer selections. Menu items vary seasonally and with market availability. Be sure to check the chalkboard for specials of the day. 10/20/2006R

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Hannah Flanagan’s Pub
696-1665
300 N. Main Street
Hendersonville
Classic Tier
Four Stars

If you’re in the mood for live music, you don’t have many choices in Flat Rock unless the Kenmure Chorus happens to be performing at the clubhouse. Not far away in Hendersonville, however, you will find a live band most Thursdays through Saturdays at Hannah’s. Unlike most restaurants in our county, HannahHannah’s is open seven days a week until midnight or so, and until 2am on weekends, and serves an early morning breakfast before closing…….note that The Stinger has never personally eaten breakfast at Hannah’s.

Hannah Flanagan was born in Ballylanders, Ireland in 1870 and emigrated many years ago from County Cork, Ireland at age 19, and in 1893 to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she married a blacksmith and raised her family. Hannah may or may not be a distant relative of Laura’s. Hannah’sHannah believed that if you worked hard, you would succeed. Her namesake restaurant features the usualtypical Irish Pub fare along with sandwiches, salads, and daily specials in the $4-$9 range EBBB*. The bar is generally crowded after 8pm (The Stinger has heard), and can serve you one (or more) of more than 100 different bottled beers from around the world, or a draft from among a handful of taps. A nice selection of appetizers is available while you sip your beer. HF gets special recognition for its entertainment value and after midnight breakfast offering. The Stinger likes the fish and chips.

*excludingbefore beer 08/04/2005

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Inn on Church Street
693-3258
201 Third Avenue West
Hendersonville, NC
Classic Tier
Three Stars

This National Historic Register property was built in 1921, and sold on the courthouse steps for $25 during The Great Depression. It was purchased and updated by Mike and Rhonda Horton, who resold the business in 2005. The current chef is Mike Atkinson (formerly of Woodfield Inn), who has reshaped the menu from Northern Italian to Regional Countryside Cuisine using all natural products locally harvested organics from our lakes, hills, prairies, streams, fields, forests and oceans (nothing yet from the local mountains of the Blue Ridge).

The Inn serves lunch and dinner and recently began offering brunch on Sundays. The Brunch menu is fairly extensive and comes with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice – the best bet is probably Carlos’ Breakfast Buritos. The lunch menu currently features Specialty Sandwiches such as BLT on Peasant Bread, Slow Roasted Prime Rib Sandwich, and an IOC Angus Burger Your Way for $8-12.

Dinners are served with Chef’s Whim organic side dishes. You could try the Farmer Style Chicken Schnitzel, Seared Salmon and Lobster Mash, Atlantic Salmon, or an Angus Steak for $18-28. Add Organic Greens or Caesar Salad for another $5.

The Inn has seating in several dining rooms and on the extensive porches of the building. More than 75 global wines are available and the restaurant has received Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for the past three years.

Like many Hendersonville restaurants, service can be a bit slow and untidy at this eatery. 10/01/2006

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Kelsey’s
693-6688
840 Spartanburg Highway
Hendesonville
Casual
Two Stars

This restaurant is very popular, and you will generally see someone you know there when you go. Being one of a “foursome” of restaurants owned by a local crowd, Kelsey’s can’t be all bad. It’s a fairly typical casual-family-grill place. You probably won’t get a bad meal, but you won’t get a gourmet meal either. This restaurant is clean and efficient with a nicely decorated dining room and soft music, and is close by if you are in a hurry to get back home in time to see Larry King Live. It is open from 11am until 9:30pm on weekdays and later during the week, but the Stinger wasn’t kicked out at 10:15pm on a recent Tuesday night.

Kelsey’s has a selection of beef, chicken, and fish entrees plus daily specials in the $10-15 range, along with an assortment of sandwiches and dinner salads. One of the Stinger’s friends eats at this restaurant regularly and “always” orders the Carolina Chicken, which is a good choice. The restaurant also has a full bar. Service is pretty good. 08/04/2005R

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Main Street Pizza & Pasta
692-2202
1201 Asheville Hwy
Hendersonville, NC
Café Tier
Three Stars

Hassan Sevick, originally from Egypt, and his wife Geneva moved their business (formerly Main Street Pizza downtown) to this new location in 2005. The owners are heavily involved in the restaurants operation and can frequently be found in the kitchen or delivering meals.

The people and menu are the same. It offers a large selection of New York Style Italian Cuisine with big flavor. To The Stinger, who is rather simple-minded with minimal cooking skills, it seems that good Italian food means having a couple of great sauces and some pepperoni that can be packaged in 15 or 20 different ways. Nevertheless, TS has found the Café’s fare of 100+ different variations to be very tasty and consistent. Salads, pastas, sandwiches, strombolis, calzones, and pizzas all seem to have fresh ingredients and are served hot, like The Stinger likes them. The Meatball Parmigiana sandwich and the “Tour of Italy” pizza are among TS’s favorites. You can also get a cheeseburger if you are not in an Italian mood. You have to order something really big to break into double digits at Main Street, and many menu items are priced under $6.00. Doctors sometimes eat at Main Street, Kenmure friends from the Big Apple eat there often (that’s a good sign), and The Stinger can sometimes be found there with Mr. “B”.

At Main Street you can dine in, take out, or order delivery to Kenmure (from 4pm to 10pm). The restaurant is open seven days a week 10:30 am until 10 pm with a bonus hour until 11 pm on Friday and Saturday, but that’s past TS’s bedtime. At its new location, the take-out service is a long haul for Kenmure, but very convenient for the Docs. Main Street will be happy to sell you a gift certificate. 10/01/2006R

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Mellow Mushroom
236-9800
50 Broadway
Asheville, NC
Café Tier
Four Stars

For an interesting change of pace when dining in Asheville, try the Mellow Mushroom. The specialty is pizza, and it’s made here about as healthy as you will find it anywhere. The restaurant uses only reduced fat real mozzarella cheese. Meats are precooked, drained, and trimmed of excess fat. The crust is prepared using vitamin E enriched high-gluten flour with wheat germ and spring water. No refined white sugar is used in Mellow Mushroom’s dough or sauce. Many toppings are selected because they are high in protein and low in calories. There are some 31 to choose from including three types of mushrooms. The pizza is stone-baked. Dairy-free soy cheese pizza is also available.

The Mellow Mushroom has a decidedly eclectic atmosphere with a large patio dining area under the trees, a special door for Hippies, and 1950’s era gasoline pumps representing almost every brand except Exxon. MM sells both local draft beers ($3) and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream ($4. 50) by the pint. Excellent salads, tasty calzones, and monumental hoagies also adorn the menu.

Mellow Mushroom is a fun place to visit, and the food is good. 08/04/2005 R

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Mikes on Main
698-1616
303 North Main Street
Hendersonville
Café Tier
Two Stars

Mike’s on Main Street owned and operated by Mike Duncan is a sandwich and soda shop in the historic 1882 Justus Pharmacy building at the corner of Main and Third in Hendersonville. Mike’s has a 1950’s era feel with antique signs, a collection of milk shake machines, apothecary jars and pharmacy compounding equipment along the walls. It also features an updated (CD’s) Rock-ola Juke Box, usually playing 1950’s / 60’s music. You will hear Johnny Mathis, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison at reasonable volumes. One can eat at the counter or in a booth or at a table at Mike’s.

Mike’s serves breakfast until 11 am with a dozen or so traditional plates maxing out at $7 for a bagel with Nova Salmon, cream cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and capers. Yes, you can get a side of sausage gravy and biscuits for $4.

The shop has a two page menu of lunch items including Campbell’s soup, salads, classic grilled cheese sandwich BLT, Egg Salad, burgers and everything in between. The lunch selections are priced up to $7, with extras and substitutions 50 cents to $1.

On the back page you will find 20 flavors of Blue Bunny ice cream, fountain drinks, milkshakes, malted shakes, egg cream, ice cream floats, banana splits, and sundaes.

Take a trip back in time, and visit Mike’s on Main Street for lunch, breakfast, or a treat from the soda fountain. Mike reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. “No shirt, no shoes, no manners – no service!” Just like the old days. 11/05/2007

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Mills River Restaurant
828-891-4039
Highway 191 & 280
Mills River, NC
Cafe Tier
Two Stars

If you are in the mood for a home cooked meal any time of day and Grandma is just not cookin’, head out for family-owned and operated Mills River Restaurant. This is a diner-style restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. With well over 100 items on the lunch / dinner menu alone, there is something for everyone. This is also the place to go when the social security check is late and you are a little short of cash. The only items over $10 are the full rack of barbecue ribs, the ribeye, and a couple of seafood dishes. You can get a full meal at Mills River for less than the price of a large bag of popcorn at Epic.

Daily Specials for each day of the week are printed on the menu so that you can plan ahead for a subsequent visit, but you will find that Barbecue Ribs ($12) and Lamb Shank over Rice ($9) appear almost every day. Among the vegetables available every day, you will find Idaho Mashed Potatoes, Fruit Jell-O (is this vegetable?), and Pickled Beets. The menu includes a number of items with the word “liver” in them, lots of fried stuff, and plenty of gravy on anything you like. You will also find a special list of items for senior citizens, and children’s plates (under 10 for breakfast and under12 for lunch and dinner). Diners can find a 5 ounce burger for $3.45, a meat loaf sandwich for a dollar more, or a “fried chuckwagon” for $3.95 (TS has not tried this one yet). Drinks are $1.39 and desserts $2-3. For breakfast, try the 2-2-2 special (2 pancakes, 2 eggs any style, and 2 bacon or sausage) – only $4.95. Service is fast and efficient, though The Stinger and companion were recently invisible for an extended period after being seated at a table. 11/28/2006

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Mustang Cafe
828-693-8444
2560 Chimney Rock Road
Hendersonville, NC
Cafe Tier
One Star

If you are looking for breakfast at 5:30am, cooked eggs for less that 50 cents apiece, want to meet your local fireman, or trying to track down your subcontractor or well-digger, Mustang is the place for you. For breakfast, you will find all of your favorites: livermush biscuits, gravy, fried steak biscuit, chocolate chip pancakes, and 3-egg omelettes with grits and biscuits for under $4. For lunch order one of 10 burger choices, most under $4, or one of nine hoagies (including tots) $5.50 or less, or a choice from six kinds of chicken. You will also enjoy the opportunity to order onion peels, tater tots, or munchers at very reasonable prices. The Stinger’s friend Frank will be pleased to see that 100% Beef hot dogs, foot long dogs, and corndogs are all available with chili, mustard, onions, and slaw at $1.50 to $2.50 each, and there is no limit on the number ordered. Most (but not all) of The Stinger’s friends will pass on this one, and owe TS big time for checking it out for them 10/20/2006

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Negozio’s
828-692-0380
2000 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100
Hendersonville, NC
Cafe Tier
Three Stars

This new Italian Deli & Grocery features Boar’s Head brand meats and cheeses by the pound or in sandwiches, which may save some folks a weekly trip to Greenville. Be prepared for the plastic deli basket for your sandwich and tables elbow to elbow. Negozio’s has a sandwich for all appetites from small (on a roll) to medium (on a half loaf), to large (on a whole loaf – The Stinger might have ordered this in a previous life). You can add any Italian condiment you can think of plus oregano. Choose from Negozio’s Super Hero, Bella-Granda-Direct from Via-Veneto (proscuitto-sopressata-Italian Capicola-Mozzarella), Hot Frenchman, Kickin’ Chicken, Italian Tuna (Dad’s recipe) and others priced from $5-13 depending on the magnitude of the sandwich needed. The usual Italian hot sandwiches, sides, soups, and desserts are available. Soft drinks only. Its close by – give it a try. 10/20/2006

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Paisano's
828-693-4300
1508 Asheville Highway
Hendersonville, NC
Cafe Tier
Three Stars

For casual, tasty, reasonably priced Italian food, try Paizano’s. This restaurant is the best thing that has happened at this location in a long time.

The menu is quite simple with a few appetizers, three salad choices, Calzones serving up to three people, a few sandwiches, a dozen or so traditional Italian entrees ($10-12) with garlic bread, soup or salad, and some very good pizzas available with the fairly standard toppings. The signature pizzas are made with handcrafted (?) dough and delicately seasoned sauce.

One of the best features of the restaurant is its award winning Bolo sauce. Bolo seems to come with many dishes, but could probably be added or substituted in just about any and it would be a very good choice. Pasta Bolo is one of The Stinger’s favorites.

The restaurant offers beer, wine and mixed drinks. Dinner entrees are $10 to $25, and sunset dinner specials before six provide a choice of three entrees with soup, salad, dessert, and beverage for $10 before 6 pm. 10/06/2006

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Pampered Palate
696-0828
728 Sixth Avenue
Hendersonville
Café Tier
Two Stars

Now the Stinger would not normally consider dining in an establishment with a name like The Pampered Palate, but this job requires some compromises. You can check the daily specials on a sign by the road to see if there is something of interest. Otherwise the menu is concise including soups, sandwiches, wraps, and salads, but broad enough to keep you coming back. The café bakes its own bagels, cakes, and cookies daily, and yesterday’s bagels are thinly sliced and toasted to create tasty bagel chips to go with today’s sandwiches, which also come with a crunchy pickle. You can get a Farmer’s Breakfast, Breakfast Burrito, Omelet, or Bagel between 8am and 11am Monday through Friday, after which lunch is available until 3pm. The Stinger’s favorite sandwich is Toni Toni Toni, again selected only because of the job, but it turned out to be quite satisfying. Homemade soups are thick and delicious and don’t forget dessert. The PP offers easy parking. 08/04/2005

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The Peddler Steak House & Lounge
693-7999
White Street
Hendersonville, NC
Casual
Two Stars

The Peddler has moved from its previous location and maybe got slightly better in the process. If you are looking for a decent steak, properly cooked over live charcoal, and reasonably priced, this is a place. Peddler is a locally family-owned franchised restaurant, and this one is overseen by Scott Surrette. The restaurant offers a selection of 50 or so California wines, full bar service, and a variety of beers. Appetizers and bread are available but don’t look for anything out of the ordinary. The salad bar has good variety, and may, or may not, have relatively fresh ingredients. The specialty is in the steak section – half a dozen aged Black Angus selections priced at about $17. To go with your steak you have a choice of Baked Potato, Garlic Potato, Sweet Potato, French Potato, Home-style Potato, or Vegetable of the Day (Potato Salad?). The menu also offers some seafood entrées and token chicken option. For dessert, pick from three or four pie-like multi-million-calorie selections. Entrées are generally reasonably priced, but don’t order anything labeled “market price”, which seems to mean “outrageous” at the Peddler.

The Peddler’s new location can seat up to 200 with a bar area (smoking), patio dining area, and a private room handling up to 25 or so for parties. The Stinger has, on several occasions, entered the Peddler at its old location and been invisible for up to 15 or 20 minutes until TS left the premises for another more accommodating restaurant host / hostess. The Peddler is is okay if you are really in need of a nicely cooked ribeye and your in-house cook is out of town, or you are out of charcoal. 04/01/2004

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Potenza
698-5598
111 South Main Street
Hendersonville, NC
Casual
Two Stars

This new restaurant entry fills the space previously occupied by Gypsy Cab on South Main Street. Chef-Owner Joseph Lewis worked with Robin and Victor Giancola, from La Caterina in Asheville, to establish the new Italian restaurant which offers a menu similar to La Caterina, but with somewhat more limited choices. The interior of the restaurant hasn’t changed much from the décor of its Gypsy Cab predecessor and has a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.

Like many of Hendersonville’s better restaurants, Potenza’s Chef Lewis utilizes locally produced organic ingredients wherever possible, and prepares pastas, sausages and desserts in-house. The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Call the restaurant for days and hours of operation as these will likely change with the seasons like most of Hendersonville’s tourist-driven restaurant schedules.

The current dinner menu includes a nice selection of antipasti plates ($7-8) including the house-made Sicilian sausage, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and steamed mussels. Pasta selections (around $15) include most of the usual Italian dishes in with many combinations of fillings, sauces, and cheeses. Some highlights include ricotta cavetelli with petite chicken meatballs, escarole and fennel in chicken broth, and a seafood dish with shrimp and fish of the day. Specialty dishes ($15-18) include Italian preparations of local trout, lamb shank , the Chef’s sausage of the day, and chicken. Caprese , Cesar and other salads are also available ($7).

The lunch offering includes the dinner salads and smaller versions of many of the pasta dishes, along with a selection of Panini’s ($7.5 each) and a couple of open faced, baked omelets ($8). Panini’s are baked, rather that than pressed and grilled in the traditional manner – bit of a disappointment actually.

Sunday brunch at Potenza offers selections of egg specialties, frittatas, French toast, salads, Panini, and, of course, pasta. Prices are in the $7-8 range.

Potenza recently held a special Italian wine dinner in conjunction with the Weinhaus at $55 per person. You can expect more of this type of event which is becoming popular with many local restaurants. 11/04/2007

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Rezaz
277-1510
28 Hendersonville Road
Asheville
Classic Tier
Four Stars

Rezaz is a stylish restaurant in the Biltmore Village section of Asheville serving very inventive Mediterranean Cuisine. The restaurant has a full bar and a wide selection of wines from Italy, France, Spain, and California. The menu changes regularly, but there are always many items that spark The Stinger’s interest and invariably salve TS’s palate.

Starters recently included Morocan Spiced Lump Crab Cake ($5) and Reza Mezze – an assortment of Mediterranean dips with warm pita bread ($6) … try it. Seafood dishes abound and vary by availability, but will generally include scallops, prawns, grouper, and always Paella, all cooked with the Mediterranean flair of Reza. You will also enjoy Chicken al Matone or Tagine ($14), Tagine Leg of Lamb ($14), Grilled New Strip ($19), Veal Osso Bucco Milanese (18), and at least one daily special. There are a half dozen or so Mediterranean-style desserts available for about $5.

At lunch time, Rezaz offers Mediterranean Bowls with various combinations of meat, vegetables, and a choice of Rice, Couscous, or Risotto at a reasonable price of $7-8 …. these will fill you up. Various sandwiches, salads, and kebobs are also available for $6-9. TS thinks you will like this restaurant. 08/04/2005R

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Restaurant O
864-331-0007
116 South Main Street
Greenville, SC
Classic Tier
Five Stars

The owners of Soby’s opened Restaurant O a few years ago and have established a high quality New York / Chicago style steak house just down the road on Main Street in Greenville. Food quality, preparation, presentation, and service are all first class. Chef Rodney Freidank knows what he is doing in the kitchen and stays close to the action. Prices are upscale, but so is the service and ambience – well worth the price and much cheaper than airfare, hotel, and restaurant tab for dinner in the Big Apple.

The current menu features five appetizer choices from jumbo black tiger shrimp cocktail to cold water oysters on the half shell at $8-15. Soups and salads include creamy blue crab and vidalia onion soup and a great signature Caesar salad ($6-7). Chef’s features offer twin Cavendish quails, Chilean sea bass, and fennel roasted red grouper ($18-26). On your first visit, you will probably want to opt for a steak seared on the restaurant’s state-of-the-art 1650 degree broiler at $24 – 33, depending on the cut of meat selected. If you still have room for dessert, try the Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee or Callebaut Chocolate Bombe and be prepared to be impressed.

The Stinger recommends parking at least four blocks away in order to have the chance to walk off this dining experience and check out other interesting dining opportunities on Greenville’s Main Street on your way home. 10/20/2006

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Salsa’s
292-9805
6 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC
Casual Tier
Four Stars

When you walk by Salsa’s on Patton Avenue, it may occur to you that this is quintessential Asheville funky, a place you may not want to enter, but go ahead – its fun. Salsa’s serves Mexican food with a Caribbean flair. Owner –Chef Hector Diaz was born in Puerto Rico, spent time in South America and Africa learning his trade, then opened this restaurant as basically a take-out kitchen in 1990. In 1994 he acquired a few more square feet next door and opened a seating area. This restaurant has been very successful and is quite crowded on weekends and during the summer season. Hector also owns Zambra, an upscale restaurant in Asheville with some very inventive cuisine of its own.

Salsa’s menu starts out with categories you will recognize from El Paso: Fajitas, Enchiladas, Quesadillas, Burritos, etc. But then it gets weird. Most items contain chicken, pork, salmon, or beef with the addition of ingredients such as roasted oranges, goat cheese, plantains, mojo del dia, pumpkin, and yucca (steamed in coconut milk). The combinations make for some very interesting taste sensations. Most people will want to avoid dishes with plantains in the Stinger’s opinion.

The Stinger recommends first time visitors start with one or two of Salsa’s special salsas as an appetizer and a glass of mango iced tea, unless you plan to sample a local brew or have a glass of wine. Then you are on your own from there. Bring a big appetite or plan to take home a box – the plates are piled so high, it’s hard to know where to start. If you don’t like what you ordered you have the option of dosing it with Hector’s own branded Habanera Sauce, or sharing your friends’ meals since they are unlikely to be able to consume everything they ordered. Dinners are priced at $8 -$12, with three or four daily specials in the $13-$14 range. Most items are served with rice, beans, and mojo(?).

Salsa’s is small, colorful, busy, lively, and filled with Caribbean background music. Local artists’ works adorn the walls and are priced at $500 and up in the event you inclined to support the local art community. It is open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. 08/04/2005R

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Saluda Grade Cafe
749-5841
Main St
Saluda
Casual Tier
Three Stars

Saluda Grade Café is owned by Kaye Strang and Carol Thompson and has been around for a while. It has a comfortable café ambience situated in the short Main Street strip across from the tracks in Saluda.

The dinner fare at Saluda Grade offers several tasty appetizers such as Thai Style Vegetable Summer Tolls, Roasted Red Pepper Spinach Dip, and Warm Drunken Goad Cheese served with sun-dried cherries, pistachios and balsamic. Appetizers cost about $6. In addition to Caesar, Greek and Dinner salads, one may also order and enticing Black and Blue, or Crazy Squirrel salad. All but the dinner salad will set you back about $8, but you will enjoy. Chicken, Salmon, or Shrimp can be added for a complete meal (for most people).

Burgers are available for $7 with a variety of toppings.

A recent menu listed a dozen entrée’s reasonably priced from $9 for meatloaf to $19 for a 12 ounce roasted garlic black pepper grilled New York Strip steak with smoked shiitake cabernet butter – lots of flavors there. Several fancy seafood dishes run $17. Pastas are very tasty at $11-14. The Stinger has never tried the Vegetarian Puff Pastry Purses, and probably never will, so let TS know how it is if you give it a try.

Saluda Grade has daily specialty desserts and will sell you a whole cake or pie if you didn’t get your fill for dinner. These can even be custom ordered ahead if you have something special in mind. 11/05/2007

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Samovar Café
692-5981
229 South Washington Street
Hendersonville
Café Tier
Two Stars

Samovar Café, A Restaurant in the Old Tradition, has been serving lunch in Hendersonville since 1977. The restaurant has recently relocated from its original location on West Barnwell to a building previously built as a church a few blocks away. The new location has a much different and more comfortable feeling with more overall space and better separation between tables. Samovar is named for the middle-eastern urn used to brew coffee and tea and which has become symbol hospitality. This restaurant offers about 50 different hot and cold sandwiches, homemade soups, vegetarian sandwiches, quiche and crepes. A long list of salads including Spinach, Harvest, and Tuna cost about $6 each. Sandwiches are mainly made of things you have heard of and can identify. They cost about $6 each including choice of salad, chips, or slaw, fruit, or cottage cheese. Fresh Baked Cookies, Ice Cream, and Frozen Yogurt are among desert choices. Service is friendly and prompt. Also expect plastic glasses and utensils because that’s what you will get. Owner Kathy Summey does not promise anything fancy, but the food is good and price is right. Samovar serves lots of sandwiches and is open every day of the week. 10/06/2006

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Sassafras Southern Bistro
864-235-5670
2 West Coffee Street
Greenville, SC
Classic Tier
Three Stars

This restaurant is actually in Bergamo Courtyard opposite Coffee Street at Main in Greenville. If it’s Friday or Saturday night in the summer, you can find it by looking for the bar crowd spilling out into the courtyard. Sassafras has been around for about five years and is nicely ensconced in an old cigar factory. The thick masonry walls, arched doorways, and stained glass and pews from an old church in Charleston provide a nice ambiance (you’re surprised The Stinger knows these words, I know). Rich Baverman from Magnolia’s in Charleston did the original recipes, and Trevor Hagin, the current Chef, updated the menu in 2003 with a number of creative entries. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. A private dining room is provided for parties of up to 50 people.

Wine selections by the glass cost $6/$7 with full bottle options from $26-$225 for a really nice bottle. Appetizers cost about $8 and include items such as Lobster and Cheese Stuffed Artichokes Hearts, Fried Green Tomatoes, and several types of oysters. The Stinger had Cornmeal Encrusted Frog Legs which tasted just like chicken! A variety of soups and salads range from $5-$13. Grits & Pasta items focus on seafood – Scallops, Shrimp, Tuna, Salmon, Lobster, and Crawfish in the $18 category. Steaks and Potatoes are offered at $18-$29. Other Great Things including Big “O” Ugly Catfish and Southern Fried Chicken Livers run $12-$19. Dessert specials include combinations of caramelized apples, ice cream, whipped cream, raspberry sauce, pastries, etc. Three of these satisfied The Stinger’s party of 10.

The luncheon menu offers salads, sandwiches, and Po Boys in the $5-$8 range.

During a recent visit, the service was excellent, the food good, and the atmosphere pleasant (except for the visiting mouse) in the outdoor eating area in the courtyard. An automatic gratuity of 20% was added for our larger party, but the waitress cheerfully provided separate checks, and even split the shared wine and desserts among five couples without being asked, and made no mistakes. Sassafras Southern Bistro is worth a visit. 08/04/2005R

Seasons at Highland Lake Inn
693-6812
Highland Lake Road
Flat Rock
Classic Tier
Three Stars

This local restaurant offers fine dining in a casual country setting and has received a number of regional awards. It has recently undergone some renovations and received its new, more distinguished name. Seasons takes great pride in its use of fresh ingredients from its own extensive organic gardens in preparation of meals. The menus change seasonally and currently include Pan Seared Grouper, Creole Spiced Grilled Wild Pacific Salmon, and Cast Iron Seared Shrimp & Scallops on the dinner entrée list. All of these dishes contain herbs, spices, and vegetables from the onsite gardens. Dinner entrees are priced at $15 to $25, while luncheon items cost about $10. Seasons is also open for breakfast and serves brunch on Sundays and certain holidays.

Over the years, this restaurant could be counted on for excellent dining, and as a place to take the family for a great holiday buffet, or out-of-town guests for an enjoyable evening in Flat Rock. Unfortunately, quality and service has been less consistent in recent months. Maybe it was just the table, but in The Stinger’s party, three of six entrees were significantly under or over cooked during a period when the chef was chatting with guests in the main dining room.

Seasons requires ‘casual, but nice’ attire and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a very good brunch buffet including live music on Sundays. The restaurant offers full bar service and has an extensive wine list. Waitstaff at the restaurant have been known to refuse to provide separate checks to Kenmure couples dining in a group at this restaurant – ask in advance about current policy. On the other hand, The Stinger has had some excellent experiences at the Inn. 08/04/2005R

Sinbad Restaurant
696-2039
202 S. Washington Street
Hendersonville
Classic Tier
Four Stars

Owner-Chefs Sylvie and Kanaan Kassab were busy with careers in international banking and finance and living in Kuwait when Saddam Hussein invaded the small country in the early 1990’s. They left town and soon found themselves in Hendersonville, where they opened Sinbad, initially on 4th Avenue East, a block off of Main, in 1993. Later they purchased the 115 year old Historic Reese House on Washington Street which now serves as their own home as well as that of Sinbad. Former CIA Chef Allan Reiss works from a menu which is about half Mediterranean and half Continental, and prepares dinner specials which include trout, salmon, pasta, duck, lamb and vegetarian dishes. Mediterranean items include a Lebanese combination platter, Moroccan lamb couscous, and a variety of curries – mild, medium, or hot. Lamb Shanks, Curries, and Kabobs are all excellent. Sinbad has full bar service and offers a selection of about 20 wines from Europe and California, some available in half-bottles, though The Stinger always drinks a whole bottle. Creation of interesting deserts is the pride and province of owner Kanaan. Service is generally good and always friendly. Sinbad is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. 08/04/2005R

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Soby’s
864-232-7007
207 South Main Street
Greenville, SC
Classic Tier
Four Stars

Co-owner / architect Carl Sobocinski and co-owner / chef David Williams opened Soby’s in 1997 serving New South Cuisine. The older, renovated building has an open feel with two levels, two bars, an open beamed ceiling, and a semi-open kitchen in the center. While visually appealing, this architecture makes for a somewhat noisy setting. Patio seating is also available. The restaurant has an extensive wine list which has been recognized for several years by The Wine Spectator as one of the world’s finest. Soby’s also offers very good private label varietals produced by Shug Carneros Estate Winery in California.

A dinner at Soby’s begins with excellent cheddar cheese garlic biscuits. Among the appetizers is a highly recommended Southern Fried Calamari with a delicious sweet chili dipping sauce. Or try the Lobster Cobbler. Several salad selections are offered, but order only a half salad which will satisfy almost everyone. Entrees, which change seasonally, include seafood, steaks, and chicken dishes priced from $16 to $26. The Stinger recently tried Fried Monk Fish, which was one of the nightly specials. The fish was very enjoyable, although the string beans served along side were a bit stringy. The dessert list is very tempting and no one in The Stinger’s party left anything on the plate.

Soby’s is open every night but Sunday for dinner from 5 PM, and its associated Soby’s On The Side around the corner offers bakery, breakfast and luncheon items. The partnership has opened another establishment –Restaurant O, a steakhouse extraordinaire, which is also located on Main Street in Greenville. 08/04/2005R

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Sora
828-883-9808
300 Forest Gate Center
Pisgah Forest, NC
Classic Tier
Four Stars

David Zeng and Stephen Wang are the Chinese partners and owners of a relatively new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Pisgah Forest called Sora, which means sky in Japanese. David manages the restaurant while Stephen produces the sushi. David lives near the Asheville airport where he picks up fresh fish several times a week. Sora offers the usual assortment of Japanese soups, hot and cold appetizers, noodles, sushi, and sashimi along with a creative selection of vegetarian and seafood rolls. The sushi / sashimi is excellent at Sora, and it is quickly gaining a reputation for the best Japanese food in western North Carolina. If raw fish is not your thing, but your girl friend wants to go, there is also a section in the menu with various chicken, salmon, and beef entrée’s, including Grilled Filet Mignon with the chef’s special yakiniku sauce ($23). Interesting Japanese Bento Boxes are also available at lunchtime for $8 each. Sora is open every day of the week. Beer and wine are available. Sora has a clean and sparkling atmosphere, and it is highly recommended to The Stinger’s sushi-loving friends.

Sora is in a relatively small space in the strip center next Walmart in Pisgah Forest. It is often full on weekends and even weekdays in the summer season. The good news for Kenmure residents is that the owners are planning to open a second restaurant, to be called Umi (ocean in Japanese), in the spring on the north end of Main Street in Hendersonville. Sushi in Hendersonville is long overdue! 11/28/2006

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South Rock Grille
828-697-6257
830 Greenville Hwy
Hendersonville
Cafe Tier
One Star

South Rock Grille has become a smoke-free restaurant inside. So it is now necessary only to run the gauntlet through the smoky patio area where smoking diners eat in fair weather and others from the inside tables go to have a smoke while their meals are being prepared.

Among the delicacies at South Rock are Chili Cheese Fries (with full-bodied chili and cheese) - $4, Potato Styx & Brown Gravy – same price, grilled, blackened, jerked, or fried chicken on a Kaiser ($6.50), unspecified “fish” on a Kaiser, “Half Pound” all beef hot dogs - $6, or a mountain of Fries - $4. Sides of Brown Gravy are available at $.50 for a small and $.75 for the better-buy large size. You can put it on anything you like according to the waitress. During a recent visit The Stinger’s $6 BLT was not too bad after the middle layer of bread was removed. Chicken wings are available in thirteen different flavors, including, last, but not least, “Killer” (crying towels are on the house according to the menu). In the interest of complete disclosure, the other twelve flavors are mild, medium, hot, BBQ, Teriyaki, jerk, garlic butter, garlic parmesan, seasoned lemon, lemon pepper, Jessica’s hot honey, and blackened garlic. Wings are available at prices as low as $0.59 each in large quantities and even lower during “special” event nights. Be sure to inquire about the soup of the day if you are in doubt about what to order. According to the owner, the blue cheese dressing is made from scratch.

South Rock offers plenty of liquids to wash all this down including a long row of draft beer options, and even Pink Lemonade ($1.75).

South Rock also offers the longest bar in Hendersonville (45 feet), many small screen televisions showing the same game, a pool table, a Friday night poker table.

The grill is now open for breakfast from 6:00am. The menu includes eggs, omelets, oatmeal, pancakes (“these boys are HUGE”), French toast, and “two biscuits n sausage gravy” ($4). You can get a quick breakfast here for $5-6.

This restaurant is somewhat improved with the change in the internal environment and some upgrades in the food quality. However, it still maintains an atmosphere more like a biker bar than many Hendersonville sports bar and pub style restaurants. 11/06/2007

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Southside Café
274-4413
Dingle Creek Crossing Shopping Center
1800 Hendersonville Road, #6
Asheville
Classic Tier
Five Star

Southside has been around since 1990 as a family owned and operated restaurant. Lance Carter owns the place and is in the process of putting his second son through culinary school in California. The older son worked as a chef in the restaurant for several years before moving on. Kent Hook is the dinner Chef, and Frank Charles fills the position for lunch. Southside is comfortable place to dine with white tablecloths, soft lighting and music, and friendly waitresses who have been around for a while (TS doesn’t mean to imply that they are old). A covered outdoor patio is available for seating in nice weather. You will need a reservation on most nights.

The lunch menu offers a large variety of soups, salads, sandwiches, and pastas priced generally in the $8 - $12 range. Selections include a Sourdough Club, Prime Rib Sandwich, Blackened Scallops, Jambalaya, and a great 8-ounce Angus hamburger. The Stinger’s friend frequently requests a special-order vodka / tomato cream sauce with chicken over pasta – he then goes home and takes a long nap. Note that the dinner chef does not know how to prepare this dish.

The wine list at Southside includes 50 wines under $50 and a few that are more, along with a full bar service. Most of the wines are from California, with a few entries from Europe and Australia. Dinner includes warm bread and fresh salad. Starters such as Crabcakes and Parmesan Fried Oysters are available, but probably unnecessary unless you are really hungry. These are priced at $8 - $12. “Light Fare” offers a dozen choices, many from the luncheon menu, including soups and dinner salads such as Shrimp Cobb, Classic Caesar, and Tuna Nicoise Salad with prices in the $12 range. Chilean Sea Bass seems to be the specialty of the house and is often prepared several different ways. Other entrées such as Veal Oscar ($24), Aged Ribeye ($25), Sasame Tuna ($24), and Trout ($23) are always excellent. A dozen pasta dishes are also served at prices from $12 - $20.

Sunday Brunch at Southside ( 9am – 2 pm ) consists of twenty selections including Charleston Shrimp and Grits, Grand Marnier French Toast, Omelets, and Low Country Benedict. Most are priced at $10 – $12, but you can also get Griddle Cakes with bacon or sausage and real maple syrup for $6, a complete Southside Breakfast for $7, or the Chef’s Hash of the Day, which will depend on what didn’t sell on Saturday night.

Southside is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, plus brunch on Sunday. This is a great restaurant which you will surely enjoy and return to again and again. 08/05/2005R

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Stone Hedge Inn
859-9114
222 Stone Hedge Lane
Tryon, NC
Classic Tier
Four Stars

The buildings on this unique property were constructed in 1934 as a private residence on 170 acres with fieldstone gathered from the original landscape. The Inn, owned and operated by Thomas and Shaula Dinsmore since 1994, includes a main house, guest house, and pool-side cottage currently surrounded by 28 acres of gardens, wooded walks and rolling meadows. The restaurant is located in the main house.

The Innkeepers offer dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 6 PM until 9 PM and brunch on Sunday from Noon to 2:30 PM. The Stinger believes that this restaurant is best enjoyed in the late spring, summer, and early fall when your party can arrive before sunset to enjoy the serene and peaceful setting of this estate. The Inn can be difficult to find in the dead of winter in a rainstorm, which is when The Stinger’s spouse usually decides it’s time to visit Stone Hedge. Nevertheless, it is also quite beautiful in December when the main house is beautifully lit and decorated for the holidays, and the dining room is quite comfortable with soft lights and a warm, glowing fire.

The restaurant offers a choice of a half dozen appetizers including Escargot ($9). Entrees include a choice of homemade soup or salad, potato or rice, and freshly baked rolls. Choices are limited again to six items currently including Filet Mignon ($25), Trout ($17), Shrimp ($23), Chicken ($16), and two Veal dishes ($18/$19), plus a couple of specials which change daily. The limited menu options offer a bonus for The Stinger, whose spouse occasionally has difficulty making decisions about food with complex menus. On a recent visit, The Stinger’s party sampled trout, red snapper, veal, and beef selections and all were pleased with quality and preparation, and generous portion size. Dessert offerings include items such as bread pudding, cheese cake, ice cream, and crème caramel, all available with multiple spoons. Service is friendly and prompt.

The Hedge Stone Inn provides Brown-Bag alcoholic beverage service only, so remember to BYOB. The restaurant is a great choice for a romantic dinner for two, or for private parties, weddings, or receptions. Stone Hedge gets The Stinger’s rating of 5 Stars. For directions, call the restaurant or email The Stinger (thestinger@mchsi.com), but remember, don’t go the first time in the rain. 08/05/2005R

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Thaicoon Ricefire & Sushi Bar
864-246-7255
5000 Old Buncombe Road (University Square off Route 276)
Greenville, SC
Cafe Tier
Five Stars

This restaurant is about 30 minutes from the Kenmure gate and one of The Stinger’s favorite hangouts. TS has watched Thaicoon grow from a Furman University area Thai take-out joint, to a great economical Thai restaurant three times its original size with sushi and a full bar. The food here is delicious and can be spiced for any palate from 1 to 10. Besides excellent freshly prepared sushi at $1.35 per piece, Thaicoon offers Asian appetizers, soups (try the Tom Yum Head - $4), salads, Thai Market Cuisine with chicken, beef, pork, vegetable or tofu with jasmine rice in nine (9) varieties, and Ricefire Creations such as Three flavored Snapper, Basil Lamb and Spicy Mixed Seafood ($14-19). If these don’t get your attention, check out the Noodles and Fried Rice options or select from an assortment of Thai Curries. This is great, economical food – check it out if you can find a table among the regular Furman co-ed patrons. Its open every day of the week. 10/20/2006

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Three Chopt
692-0228
103 3rd Avenue East
Hendersonville
Café Tier
Two Stars

Being retired and all, The Stinger seldom has time to go looking for a good deli sandwich at lunchtime, unless the weather is really bad. If you’re in this category, just head on down to Three Chopt. Second generation Owner-Chef Matthew C. Rogers has run the restaurant since 1990….it originally opened at this location in 1981. The restaurant prides itself on original recipes, quality products, and friendly service. The menu includes a broad selection of salads, subs, sandwiches, and homemade soups and chili. With names like Big Hungry, Road Warrior, Grand Strand, and Elizabeth’s Mile Marker, it’s even hard for The Stinger to decide what to eat. Three Chopt is only open from 11am until 3pm Monday through Saturday and you’ll have trouble finding a seat between noon and 1pm, even in the winter on Wednesday. A complimentary bowl or freshly popped corn keeps you busy while you’re waiting. Salads and sandwiches average about $6 a piece. The take-out business is “big”. Check it out, and find out where the name Three Chopt came from. 08/05/2005R

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Tooley’s
693-1373
1729 Brevard Highway
Hendersonville
Café Tier
Three Stars

If you’re looking for a quick lunch or dinner without the hassle of finding a parking place in Hendersonville, take the back roads over to Laurel Park Shopping Center and try Tooley’s, A Unique Neighborhood Restaurant. This café style eatery has been around for about 15 years with three owners, the most recent has had the restaurant for the past year. Recently expanded hours provide for lunch Monday through Saturday and dinner Monday through Friday. The menu offers Home Favorites such as Bubba’s Chicken Sandwich, Garden Goodies like Homemade Quiche (who would eat that?), Lite Delights including Sandy’s Greek salad, Tooley’s Treasures with Brandy’s Club, and Dentist’s Delights encompassing Forest Fruit Pie (The Stinger ate the whole thing). Daily lunch and dinner specials offer choices such as Coconut Shrimp and Fish and Chips. Now, The Stinger doesn’t claim to be personally acquainted with Bubba, Sandy, or Brandy, but their namesakes are very appealing. Tooley’s is a good value. 08/05/2005R

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Trattoria Giorgio
864-271-9166
121 South Main Street
Greenville, SC 29601
Classic Tier
Three Stars

Giorgio learned his craft from the culinary institute of “mama” in his hometown of Bergamo in northern Italy, and trust The Stinger …. mama taught him well. The Owner / Chef has cooked at restaurants in Italy, and others in Greenville. He opened his own restaurant about five years ago. It is conveniently located on Main Street near the Peace Center and across from the Westin Poinsett Hotel.

This small restaurant has about a dozen tables inside, with four more available during the summer in the garden adjacent to the dining room. It is operated by a staff of six, including four very efficient and friendly waiters. Giorgio and one assistant prepare food to order in the kitchen. Dinners begin with freshly baked Italian bread, and the option of selecting from an extensive and excellent list of Italian wines by the bottle or glass. Giorgio’s signature entrée, for which he is known throughout the area, is Sea Bass with an olive and tomato sauce, accompanied by cheese crepe and spinach. Other recommendations include Scaloppine alla Fontina (veal), and Gamberi al Pomodorro (shrimp). For dessert, try Panna Cotta or Mousse al Cioccolato.

Giorgio’s is open for dinner only, Tuesday through Saturday from 6pm until 10pm, and you will need a reservation. The price range is about $60 to $70 per couple for a full dinner, excluding beverages. 08/05/2005R

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Twigs
864-457-5155
130 North Trade Avenue
Landrum, SC
Classic Tier
Four Stars

Twigs is a real gem, located in Landrum between the Habitat Thrift Store and the local funeral home, and just across the street from the railroad tracks, but don’t let this location deter you from visiting one of the areas finest restaurants. Twigs was founded ten years ago by Susan & Mac Phillips, who, with their own hands, transformed the historic 1911 bank building into a quaint casual fine dining establishment. Inside the restaurant, you will find plenty of “twigs” in the room divider, trellises, wine rack, and chairs. A limited choice of wine is available. Pawley’s Island native and executive chef Rob Ennis brought his award-winning cuisine from the Carolina coastal plain to the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he combines fresh coastal seafood, Carolina traditions, and local mountain produce to deliver gastronomic delights in an ever-evolving menu.

The current menu includes spicy fried oysters ($9) among four appetizer choices. Entrees, served with house salad, vegetable of the day, and an appropriate starch feature chicken botegga, char-grilled angus steaks, pork asado, sweet potato crusted grouper (excellent), and of course Pawley’s Island crab cakes all well-priced below $20. Nightly specials may be a bit more pricy and include items such as surf and turf or Steak Diane. Service is top-notch at this restaurant. Make a reservation in season, on weekends as this restaurant has limited seating, and enjoy! 10/20/2006

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UMI
698-8048
Main St
Hendersonville
Classic Tier
Five Stars

If you enjoy Sora in Brevard, you will love Umi. The new Japanese Fine Dining establishment was opened in July, 2007 by the owners of Sora. It is housed in an elegant oriental setting, has an expanded menu, and is a much closer source of fine Japanese food.

The extensive menu at Sora includes about everything you would expect at an upscale Japanese restaurant. Offerings include Soups ($2-9), Salads ($3-6), Hot Appetizers ($3-8), Cold Appetizers ($6-8), Entrée’s with Steamed Rice ($17-26),Teriyaki in six varieties ($12-17), Tempuras and Katsus ($11-15), Bentos ($19), Udon and Soba Noodles ($10-12), Fried Rice ($7-8), Sushi Combinations ($17-20 per person), Vegetarian Rolls ($3-5), and of course a large selection of sushi, sashimi, and rolls. Sushi runs $2-3 per piece and rolls go up to $15 for super special productions such as the Green River roll with eel, wakame, spicy lobster, jalapeno and chef’s special sauce. The Superman and Spicy Lobster Rolls are among the great choices on this list. Umi posts daily specials on the board in the entryway. As you can see, there is something for everyone at Umi and non-sushi eaters should not be deterred from trying this excellent restaurant.

The lunch menu, served daily until 3:00 pm includes Bento Boxes (a combo of Japanese delicacy selections), or a choice of two rolls from a list of 18 items. Lunch will run about $8 from this menu, quite a good deal.

Beer, wine, and sake are also available.

The Stinger has had a hard time getting past the sushi selection sheet at Umi, but all of the menu items in sight appear to be nicely prepared and presented, and are greeted with ooh’s and aah’s by those at nearby tables. The fish at Umi is picked up by one of the owners at Asheville airport a number of times a week, and is judged to be very fresh and of high quality from The Stinger’s rather extensive experience in sushi consumption.

Sora has been quite popular since its opening and can be very busy even though it operates seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended for weekend dinners especially. Most menu items are available for take-out.

The owners and operators of Umi are David Zheng, Stephen Wang, and Mary Fon. You will generally see one of more of them hustling around the restaurant or preparing delicacies behind the sushi bar. 11/05/2007

West First Pizza
693-1080
101 First Avenue West
Hendersonville
Casual
Four Stars

Scott Unfried from Flat Rock Village Bakery has teamed up with Dave Workman to open the West First Wood-Fired Pizza restaurant in Hendersonville. The new restaurant takes the cramped café / takeout format of the local coffee / bread /pizza counter to a whole new level. The attractive new venue, just off Main Street includes seating on the main floor and the mezzanine via curved staircase, or at the comfortable and friendly bar where a single diner can find a quick pizza and beer and make a new friend at the same time. Scott’s artistic wife, Alexis, is responsible for much of the décor including the artwork, tiling of the massive wood-fired oven, and even the stained glass windows.

West First features nine 13 inch hand-made thin wheat crust pizzas topped with freshly-grated Romano. A couple of these come directly from the Flat Rock Bakery menu, but the rest are new creations. The Goat Cheese and Mushroom pizzas are among The Stingers favorites, though all of them are quite tasty with accents from fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, and thyme. Pizza is priced nicely at around $10.

Pastas are hand-made daily from organic whole grains and one can select from chicken (papparadelle), shrimp (tagliatelle), or fresh vegetable (maltagliati) based choices in the $10-12 range. Soup made fresh daily, and a selection of salads complete the simple, but adequate menu.

The restaurant bar menu includes an eclectic selection of old world and new world wine and beer including a few North Carolina products and some organic selections. You will find out of the ordinary red and white wine choices from Italy, Argentina, Spain and California priced at $12 and up. Boutique breweries from North Carolina, California, New York, Colorado, Michigan, Italy and Belgium are represented with an array of interesting styles and names ($3-4 for domestic).

The dessert selections are enticing but it hard to save room if you have fully enjoyed the main attractions.

West First Wood-Fired Pizza is an exciting new entry to the Hendersonville restaurant scene. During its few months of operation, lines began to form before its 5 pm opening time and the restaurant was generally packed through the evening based on the popularity and success of Flat Rock Bakery and simple word-of-mouth contagion. West First will likely add lunch to its current dinner service sometime in the future. It has become one of The Stingers favorite stops in Hendersonville. 11/04/2007

Woodfield Inn
828-693-6016
US Highway 25
Flat Rock
Cafe Tier
Three Stars

The Woodfield Inn is North Carolina’s oldest continually operated Inn, having been constructed during 1850-1852 by a group of prominent Flat Rock residents, including Charles Baring, Judge Mitchell King, Dr. Mitchell King, and Henry T. Farmer (not related to Mike). Farmer oversaw the construction by slave labor, and built the original furniture used in the hotel at his factory in East Flat Rock. He bought the Inn following its completion and operated the Inn as The Farmer’s Hotel until his death in 1883, during which time it served as the first stagecoach stop south of Asheville. During the Civil War, the Inn served as the headquarters for the Confederate soldiers under the command of Captain B. T. Morris to provide protection for the residents of Flat Rock.

In recent years the Inn has been known as Woodfield and has been updated and refurbished in many respects by a series of owners, but retains the charm and character, including 22 wood burning fireplaces, of its 19th century beginnings. It contains 19 bedrooms with names like Sandburg Suite, Farmer’s Suite, Secret Room and Saluda Path, along with large dining facilities, kitchen, and parlor.

Recent owners have attempted unsuccessfully to establish a fine dining reputation for the Inn. The current owners, Eric and Jodi Myers, have focused on using the larger dining rooms for banquets and wedding receptions of all sizes, while setting up The Pub at Woodfield Inn as the primary public dining facility. The Pub is relatively small, but very comfortable with two fireplaces warming the room in the winter months, full bar and overstuffed furniture for those wishing to gather around the fire with a glass of wine after a night on the town. The Inn maintains a fine dining menu, but the main dining rooms close in the winter, and largely fill up with banquet activities during the summer season.

The Pub is open seven nights a week and Executive Chef Joseph Flanagan’s menu includes Soups ($6-8), Starters ($8-15), Salads ($12-14), Entrees ($14-24), and Desserts ($13). The food is tasty, but not terribly creative, and seems to be at least 20% overpriced compared to similar Pub fare ant Hannah’s and The Black Rose. The $10 Pub Burger is equivalent to Hannah’s $8 version, the $12 Pulled Pork BBQ would be better and more economically eaten at Green River, a $14 Thin Crust Pizza can’t compare to a $10 pizza from Flat Rock Bakery, and a $10 Half Sandwich and Cup of Soup can be duplicated anywhere in town for $6-7.

The Inn is currently offering a Sunday Brunch menu including eggs, fruit, coffee, juice, potatoes, meat, and bread for $10, prime rib at $18, or The Grand Brunch with champagne and choice of two entrées for $25.

The Pub at Woodfield Inn is a nice place to warm up with a beer or a glass of wine after a winter night outing, but locals should probably leave it for the tourists to enjoy for dinner. The Stinger is still waiting to see this great property establish a fine dining experience to match its historic stature in the community. 11/17/2006 05/08/2005R

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