Asheville, Nc

[kimjoy24]

Over New Year's I stayed in Asheville, NC for a few days. It has kind of a hippy, organic vibe to it, so I figured it would be gluten-free friendly, and did some Internet research beforehand.

I stayed at the 1900 Inn on Montford, a bed and breakfast. I indicated on their online form that I needed gluten-free meals, but apparently that transmission did not transfer properly to them. Luckily, they had a guest that had just left that was also on a gluten-free diet, so they knew what to expect. Overall, they did an excellent job. Breakfast was served each morning, which included a fruit course (one day they tried to serve me fruit with granola but that was the only error during my entire stay), then the main course (which was almost always egg based) and the dessert course, which they had no gluten-free substitutions for (it was a breakfast pastry). Frankly, I'm not used to eating hearty breakfasts every morning so 2 courses was more than sufficient for me. I'm sure they would have no problem if you wanted to bring your own gluten-free donuts or whatever and have them heat it up in the kitchen. There is a resident cat so if you have pet allergies, you might want to stay elsewhere. To me this was a bonus, a surrogate cat to keep me from missing my own kitties too much.

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The first night we ate at Bouchon. It's a little bohemian-like cafe. I had a great seafood entree that was gluten-free. They are best known for their mussels and fries- I did not inquire about the gluten-free status of the fries.

Chocolate Fetish is a popular candy shop in Downtown Asheville. The owner's son has Celiac, so the owner is very aware of the gluten-free status of his confections. It's a great place to stop for a sweet fix:

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New Year's Eve dinner was at MarketPlace. I wasn't that impressed. I was served bread and an amuse bouche that had a pancake on the bottom. I know NYE isn't the time to test a restaurant, but if you are used to big-city fine dining, you are apt to be a bit disappointed.

I had a good meal at The Lobster Trap. In addition to fresh lobsters which you can get with gluten-free sides, I had a very nice entree of scallops with risotto. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, since it is a more casual, lobster bib wearing kind of place, but it was really yummy. Surprisingly nice wine list as well. It also was one of the only places open on New Year's Day.

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For lunches, I hit Laurey's, Bistro 1896 and Tupelo Honey. Laurey's offers a selection of side dishes that you can combine into a meal. I had a tasty grilled avocado stuffed with salsa and a grilled chicken breast. I had a good apple, pear and walnut salad at Bistro 1896. Tupelo Honey was somewhat of a disappointment. I had to wait almost an hour for a table. I had already looked over the menu and despite the place having an organic focus, there were very limited gluten-free options (though it was nice that they labeled them gluten-free right on the menu). So I ended up with a veggie plate of salad, carrots and broccoli.

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I also visited the Biltmore Estates one day, and had lunch at the Stable cafe. I had the rotisserie chicken entree which was tasty. The wine tasting was great, but I really wished I had brought my own gluten-free "palate cleanser".

My last nice dinner was at the Sunset Terrace at the Grove Park Inn. This is a semi-formal, pricey affair. The food was good, if not necessarily creative. I had a spinach salad, then a steak with a side of potatoes.

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There are plenty of health food stores in town: Earth Fare, French Broad Co-Op, Greenlife Grocery. I was finally able to try New Grist and Bard's Tale beer, which I was excited about. Overall, Asheville seems to be aware and accommodating to those with special dietary needs.

[Lisa]

You are now appointed the "Official Gluten Free Restaurant Food Critic" You did a wonderful job.

We don't get the Asheville very often, but I love it. I could live there easily!

Thanks for your information.

[Corkdarrr]

Thanks for such a thorough review! I LOVE Asheville and the surrounding areas, and now I have another reason to visit.

[kimjoy24]

You are now appointed the "Official Gluten Free Restaurant Food Critic" You did a wonderful job.

We don't get the Asheville very often, but I love it. I could live there easily!

Thanks for your information.

Thanks- I wish that job was available, I would apply in a heartbeat!

I actually do restaurant reviews for a local alternative paper. They don't know I'm gluten-free, so luckily I get to pick my own restaurants, otherwise I might get stuck reviewing a bakery and really be in a bind.