Food Dates: Californians Discover Asheville’s Food Scene

I moved to Asheville from Southern California this past April with my boyfriend, Andrew.  We moved here slightly on a whim looking for a change and to be closer to family. Andrew started working at Hickory Nut Gap Meats, a local farm outside of town that provides grass fed beef and pasture raised pork to numerous local restaurants. This began dictating our date nights; when we couldn’t decide where to try next, we started checking off spots that used HNG meats on their menu.

 Burgers

First off, we’re burger people, so naturally a good burger is high on the list. There’s a variety of burgers around town that we have tried and love but my favorite would be  The Vault Burger at the Rankin Vault.  This burger has been voted best in town for a reason, made fresh and delicious every time, and paired with their perfectly seasoned fingerling potatoes; I can’t get enough.
The Vault Burger!

Tacos

Of course coming from the West Coast there are a couple of things we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to find in our new mountain town, good tacos and sushi. They may not be exactly west coast style but the HNG pork belly tacos at Mamacita’s are to die for!
Pork Belly Taco. Photo Credit: Mamacita’s

Sushi

Trying a new sushi spot was intimidating so of course we started with the one that had a Hickory Nut Gap affiliation, Asheville Sushi & Hibachi. A little bit of a drive outside of town, the HNG steak hibachi may have been what got us in the door but the sushi rolls proved to be fresh and delicious!
Asheville Hibachi & Sushi. Photo Credit: Auburn Lily

Tapas

Tapas anyone? Sovereign Remedies is perfect for a late night bite with unique plates you can’t find anywhere else, like their crispy pig ears and chicken skin chips; perfect for munching while enjoying a local beer.  My personal favorite is their BLT.  It’s a seasonal dish, but well worth the wait!
In season BLT at Sovereign Remedies.
On the westside of town we tried The Admiral.  The perfect blend of small plates, unique dishes and house made pastries, The Admiral offers an intimate setting only locals seem to know about. The beef tartare is out of this world and I was blown away by the smoked trout.  We tried a handful of dishes and honestly, not one disappointed.
Hickory Nut Gap Beef Tenderloin Tartare. Photo Credit: Hickory Nut Gap
Eating our way through Asheville the past few months has been such an incredible treat, but there are still so many amazing restaurants on our list like Chiesa, Gan Shan West, and Capella On 9 offering a killer view of Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Our 2018 Restaurant Bucket List is quickly growing with new restaurants opening.  Cheers to good food in Asheville!
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Kirby Morris

Kirby Morris is a personal style blogger who moved to Asheville from Southern California in April 2017 with her boyfriend Andrew and her dog Divot.  Giving smaller town living a try in Asheville, North Carolina, Kirby is an adventurer at heart.  She writes about her love of all things fashionable and affordable on her blog www.fashionbyday.com


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