2023 HIGHLANDS NC EXPERIENCE GUIDE
draw; 4118 Kitchen + Bar, known for its Southern-flavored specialties; the picturesque Bridge at Mill Creek; and Four65 Woodfire Bistro + Bar, a lively, pizza-centric restaurant opened by the folks at Old Edwards Inn & Spa. High-toned and highly-acclaimed fine dining establishments launched in elite hotels, where chefs of the high- est pedigree invented swoon-worthy dishes: Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden at Old Edwards Inn & Spa, Oak Steakhouse at Skyline Lodge and The Ruffed Grouse Tavern at the Highlander Mountain House. The foods of Asia, Mexico, and the Southern U.S. pour from local kitchens in astonishing abundance. It’s a feast for all the senses, from the dumplings at Asia House to the fresh and fat bur- ritos at Highlands Burritos to succulent ribs from the Highlands Smokehouse. “We love dining out in Highlands be- cause so many of the restaurants are committed to the farm-to-table experience,” says Lauren Green of Griffin, Georgia, during a languid evening at Midpoint’s second-story patio overlooking Main Street. “My husband TJ and I have a large garden and we grow most of the vegetables and herbs that end up in our meals. Naturally, we look for that quality and purity when we’re special-occasion dining. Although, I must admit, my kitchen could never produce desserts like these,” she says, in a hat tip to Midpoint’s extraordinary Pastry Chef Oksana Shchelgachova. Like many of the customers, several of today’s restaurants are newcomers. Ryan Aydelotte of 4118 Kitchen + Bar opened Highlands Tavern in collabo- ration with associate and Executive Chef Kimmy Vos. [See our profile of Kimmy Vos in this issue.] Taking over vacated space on 4th Street, Aydelotte and Vos have shown folks what can happen when a savvy res- taurateur and skilled chef join forces.
Candied bacon, tuna tataki and a twist on curried chicken are just a few of the many offerings from a menu de- scribed as farm-to-table ethnic fusion. Word about the new spot spread early on. A unique hybrid among the town’s restaurants – it's both the new hot scene and a food-lover’s destination. With the opening of the buzzy, new Primary Restaurant + Bar, Curtis Higgins of Colorado has brought ad- venturous dining to the former Tug’s Proper, and it appears to be exactly what Highlanders wanted. Though the menu is not extensive, it is end- lessly interesting, and there is much to praise. There are dazzling start- ers of ahi tuna, colossal shrimp and sandwiches, succulent, juicy burgers of Wagyu beef and NY Strip steaks mounded onto a bun. As delicious are the entrees, and though impossible to choose among, hungry customer favorites are the shrimp polenta, beef tenderloin and double-cut Berkshire pork chop. With food this appealing, it is no surprise the restaurant has sur- passed initial forecasts. “We don’t advertise, and yet business has been incredible,” Higgins says. And the media has taken note. Accolades have poured in. Garden & Gun magazine commended Old Edwards for a “masterful culinary program facet that sets it apart,” and brandished a mouth-watering photo of Oak Steakhouse’s Beef Wellington. Highlands and its restaurants are frequent features in the pages of Southern Living magazine which also named Wolfgang’s as “the best place for dinner in Highlands.” Wine Spectator magazine recog- nized Highlands for its extraordinary wine lists: Wild Thyme received the Award of Excellence, Madison’s and Paoletti’s achieved the Best of Award of Excellence, an honor given to res- taurants that offer thoughtfully cho- sen lists containing both quality and diverse selections.
These lists, typically with 350 selec- tions or more, offer an array of wines from top producers across a breadth of regions. Highlands has long been known for its generous pours and special vin- tages, even when serving alcohol was prohibited. Just ask a local about the peach bounce and applejack that could be found in the parking lot of Helen’s Barn, where music and dancing was offered from the 1940s through the 70s. Speaking of asking, it’s fun to ques- tion the servers at On the Verandah about their restaurant’s wine selec- tion. You’ll discover that they have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of their labels. This writer did a deeper dive into that wine program and discovered why the staff was so warm and attentive. It all comes down to the fact that owner/chef Figel treats everyone in the place like family. Every year, dur- ing the fallow winter months, he takes everyone on wine trips across the country – places such as Sonoma, Napa and the Willamette Valley. They visit vineyards and explore the opera- tions of dozens of labels. And they’re little vintners, not the major corporations that are wrestling control of the market in unprecedent- ed numbers. Figel and his crew built relationships with these operators, and he has stocked his restaurant with their vintages. From this vibrant and burgeoning restaurant scene emerged Highlands Food & Wine in 2015. In a three-day fete worthy of the city from which it was born, the festival attracts re- nowned Southern chefs, while cel- ebrating the Appalachian-based cui- sine of local culinarians.
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