When ordering food from new places, there are two factors I take into consideration while looking at the menu.
- Take your surroundings into account. What cuisine is this region known for?
- Look at the reviews. Why is the selected restaurant popular?
These may seem like incredibly simple things to do, but I have been told I am a “great orderer” by others who are consistently disappointed with their selections. Asheville is filled with some incredible cuisines. I have broken the places I tried into 4 categories, listed out below.
BBQ
Restaurants
Food Trucks
Take Out
BBQ
12 Bones Smokehouse
Location: River Arts District
Overall Rating: 10/10
I feel like when you eat BBQ, you want to leave feeling full and satisfied. At 12 Bones, the sauces are incredible. I ordered the ribs and was given so much food. It was enough for at least two meals. The mac & cheese was also noteworthy.
Iron & Oak Brisket
Location: Woodfin, NC
Overall Rating: 8/10
I ordered the brisket sandwich and it was the best one I have had to date. They offer a few sauces, so each bite is a little different if you dip your sandwich (which I do). They are residents at Riverside Rhapsody and the BBQ & beer pair beautifully together.
Moe’s Original BBQ
Location: Hendersonville, NC
Overall Rating: 7/10
Rating a chain against local spots is hard. The food was delicious. The menu had a lot of options. I would eat here again, but I would prefer to support a local spot.
Luella’s BBQ
Location: Woodfin, NC
Overall Rating: 10/10
I like when BBQ joints have big menus. Luella’s menu is diverse and everything we tried was delicious. Luella’s had a lot of seating indoor and outdoor. We realized after we ordered that this BBQ spot operates more like a restaurant than a BBQ joint. In other words, we waited for a while for our food.
I ordered the Pulled Free Range Chicken with a side of mac and cheese and 2 hot chicken wings. It was the first time I saw pulled chicken on a BBQ menu and I am happy they included it. We asked for a side of each of the sauces. I enjoyed all except the mustard-based one. Also, I wish they had labels because one was a clear winner.
The mac and cheese was delightful. The wings were unlike anything we’d tried before. They were hot, but tasted like barbeque rather than buffalo. I would eat here time and time again.
Restaurants
Chai Pani – Indian Cuisine
Location: Downtown Asheville
Overall Rating: 10/10
SIMPLY THE BEST. There is a reason Chai Pani is on so many lists for places to eat in Asheville. The decor is so cute if you are able to sit inside. If not, their outdoor seating is decorated with a vibrant yellow that instantly makes you feel happy. Decor aside, their menu is unique and filled with flavor.
We have eaten here twice. The first time we ordered only Street Food and ate family-style. We ordered Bhel Puri, Sev Potato Dahi Puri, Aloo Tiki Chaat, and Chicken Pakoras. There were four people eating and each person had a different favorite dish. Mine was the Sev Potato Dahi Puri.
On our second visit, we ordered the Uttapam, but by the time it came to the table, we were already stuffed. If you are going to order the Uttapam, I would recommend skipping the Street Food.
Wicked Weed Brewing Pub- American Cuisine
Location: Downtown Asheville
Overall Rating: 9/10
I ordered the Hot Chicken Sandwich, which is one of my favorite foods to order. It was the perfect amount of spicy where I felt the heat, but could still feel my tongue. Technically, it is not a restaurant, but we ate at a table and it should be counted. A great spot to eat and have access to an extensive beer list.
White Duck Taco – Mexican Cuisine
Location: Downtown Asheville
Overall Rating: 8/10
Taco spots are hard to judge because they are all so different. White Duck Taco has a huge menu with unique taco flavors. If you are a taco purist, this is not your spot. I am not sure if there were any Mexican inspired tacos. With all of that being said, I am not a taco purist. They had so many flavors I wanted to try and I would go back.
Crave – Dessert Bar
Location: Downtown Asheville
Overall Rating: 10/10
Crave Dessert Bar is such a cool concept. The decor was dark and moody with youthful art. They had a painting of Goldfish, yes the snack that smiles back. The menu makes you want to order everything. It is complete with “sippable desserts”. We did not try any, but they sounded enticing.
We ordered the Molten Lava Cake & the Bread Pudding. Both were rich and delectable. Come with an empty stomach.
Benne on Eagle – African Inspired Cuisine
Location: Downtown Asheville
Overall Rating: 7/10
If you look up this restaurant, the reviews are phenomenal. The menu was unique and the flavor profiles were new and exciting. The biggest downfall would be their portion sizes and the lack of clarity of their menu. They do not split out what is a small plate versus what is an entrée. I ordered the Fufu Gnudi & Maafe Sauce. It was amazing, except for the fact that half of the plate was chips. I felt slightly taken advantage of that I ventured out to try something new and was not given a proper portion size.
Benne on Eagle is the restaurant associated with the Foundry Hotel. What they do not tell you when you create a dinner reservation is that there is free valet parking.
Food Trucks
Root Down – Southern & Creole Cuisine
Location: New Belgium Brewery (where we ate it)
Overall Rating: 8/10
I love trying new cuisine and creole was new for me. We ordered the Creole Rice Balls & the Pulled Pork Sandwich. I thought the flavors of the rice balls were vibrant and on point. I did not enjoy the texture, but that is nothing against the food truck. We enjoyed the pulled pork sandwich, but it was hard to compare it to all of the BBQ we have been eating.
Taqueria Muñoz – Mexican Cuisine
Location: Zillicoah Brewery (where we ate it)
Overall Rating: 8/10
When ordering authentic Mexican tacos, you should be aware that all of the extras are not included. The meat and salsas were delicious, but I was left wishing I had more ingredients in my taco. Since there are not as many ingredients, I would order 1 taco more than you normally do.
Take Out
Siam Thai – Thai Cuisine
Overall Rating: 10/10
It was so amazing we ordered it twice. The first time we ordered Fried Rice, Basil Stir Fry, and Drunken Noodles. We ordered them all at the spicy level – Medium. They were not spicy at all, but still very flavorful. Our favorites were the Basil Stir Fry & Drunken Noodles.
The second time we ordered the Drunken Noodles & Sweet and Sour Stir Fry with the spicy level – Hot. The jump from Medium to Hot was insane. Our food was so spicy, but just the way we liked it. We were sad when we finished both dishes. Beware of how spicy you order your food. I would recommend doing 1 hot and 1 medium if you like spicy food.
Del Vecchios – Italian Cuisine
Overall Rating: 8/10
I ordered the Chicken Parmesan sandwich with fries. I am very picky with fries and I found theirs to be addicting and amazing. I wish I had more. Their sandwich was good, but it was much thinner than I was expecting. The experience left me feeling happy, but homesick.
Geraldine’s – Bakery
Overall Rating: 9/10
A perfect example of how looking at the reviews will impact your experience. Geraldine’s is known for their donuts and croissants. Knowing this, I ordered my breakfast sandwich on a roll and was not disappointed. It was one of the best rolls I’ve ever had.
On the other hand, my boyfriend tried his luck with a bagel and was very upset with his sandwich. I do not blame Geraldine’s for his mistake, but also, beware of the bagels if you are used to true New York bagels.
Bruegger’s Bagels – Bagel Shop
Overall Rating: 7/10
Nothing will ever come close to New York bagels. I just found out that Bruegger’s is a chain on this trip. I have never had it before. With that being said, for a bagel shop in NC to claim their bagels are “Authentic New York Style” and then have an employee be baffled and not put ketchup on my SEC (Sausage, Egg & Cheese). LIES.
The bagel itself was much better than expected. It was one of the best ones I have had out of the tri-state area. The bagel was small and the everything seeds ratio was off, but it was able to satisfy my bagel craving. As time goes on, will I forget what a true bagel tastes like and accept anything? I hope not.
Challenge
Try to follow my guidelines for ordering at a new place and let me know if they improved your ordering game.