Curate in Asheville, North Carolina

On our way back from Myrtle Beach, we only had time for one meal in Asheville and we made it count.  Curate is an amazing tapas bar in the downtown area.  Absolutely a 5 star option in you're in town, and probably the best tapas I've had anywhere thus far.  Check out some of their offerings below.

Curate is in a part of downtown Asheville a lot like NuLu in Louisville.

Now you're up to speed.

The atmosphere is actually pretty comfortable.  We were seated in the back where it was a little less cramped than the front area seen here.

The stylish decor in the back.

This beer was a collaboration with the nearby Wicked Weed Brewing Company.  Quite good.

Part of the menu.  Two people can realistically eat and drink for about $40 plus tip.  That would be three food items and two beers, which was enough for two hungry lads.

Pincho muruno - lamb skewers in moorish spices with homemade pickles.  Pretty incredible.

Bocadillo catalan.  A sausage sandwich with boldly sweet and spicy flavors.

A sauteed spinach salad with apples, raisins and pine nuts.  Loved this as well.

Bella Notte in Lexington, Kentucky

Another of our preferred dining options in Lexington, and long overdue for a review, is Bella Notte.  Of our three trips there together so far, our most recent (February 8th) was our favorite.  Probably a top 5 dining experience for us.  The food and service were impeccable.  I won't bother making specific recommendations from the menu because they do everything well.  Here are a few pictures.

Their bread is amazing.

This was the second time we've ordered their caprese salad.  Exquisite.

These scallops were their daily special, and we couldn't resist.

Best scallops either of us have ever tasted.  The pasta and sauce were superb as well.

Creme brulee.  A longtime favorite of mine.

Cleansing the palate: home cooking photo highlights from 2014

Here are a few photos from our kitchen in 2014 that haven't been posted to this blog previously.

Blueberry French Toast

Pico de gallo

Spinach artichoke dip

Worcestershire turkey burger

Smoked salmon crostini

Kung pao chicken

Figs

Gyro

Spinach salad with candied pecans

Turkey sliders

Baked rosemary chicken

Osaka Japanese Restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky

Marie and I love Japanese food and our favorite place for sushi as well as all-around dining experience is most certainly Osaka.  We've only been twice but it was truly in a class by itself both times.  It isn't the fanciest restaurant you'll ever visit, but for us, that's a plus.  The service is impeccable, the food is beautiful, and we haven't had a bite of anything that was less than delicious.  Here are some pictures from a dinner there in December; I hope we can go during the day some time and get better shots.

Gyoza.  We love these.

No matter what sushi rolls you order, you will not be disappointed with the artistry or the taste.

They brought a special treat out for dessert both times we ate there - the first time, a small coffee-flavored cake.  The second, fresh pineapple!

Havana Rumba on Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky

Havana Rumba has a well-deserved reputation in Louisville.  Their take on Cuban food is flavorful and colorful, the prices are reasonable, and the service is excellent.  I'd recommend the place to anyone.  Here are some pictures from our lunch on January 19th.

This is the Douglass Loop location.  It shares the building with Graeter's Ice Cream.

Plantain chips and guacamole.  So good.

My lunch - Vaca Frita.

My dad's sandwich.  I might order this next time.

Marie got pork and cassava.  Everything was excellent.

Just a quick shot of the bar before leaving

New Year's Day Lunch at Shaker Village

Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky is one of the most idyllic settings around.  Their restaurant is excellent, too.  The food, atmosphere and service are all as good as you'll find.  I'd highly recommend it for a holiday lunch (as we did, on New Year's Day) or any meal on any other day, for that matter.  Here are some pictures of the food and the restaurant.  The only thing not pictured is the Shaker Lemon Pie we had for dessert - maybe the best part of the whole meal.  We enjoyed that when we got back to the parking lot from hiking some of the trails at their preserve.

The restaurant is one of many beautiful old buildings on their grounds.

Looking back toward the front door

In the dining room

Holiday decorations on the walls

The lunch menu

Marie making her decision

Delicious "corn sticks," one of the free appetizers they bring out

Another free appetizer - cole slaw!  Some of the best I've tasted.

My entree - chicken croquettes.  They were amazing.  The corn pudding on the side was even better.

Her entree - chicken salad with a deviled egg and fresh fruit.  We loved this too.

Looking across the hall at another dining room

Who doesn't love a spiral staircase?

The Queen's Raspberry French Toast

This is nothing more than my usual (extremely buttery, eggy, sugary) French Toast recipe, but with some fresh raspberries and whipped cream on top!  I cook it mostly by feel, but I'll do my best to give some useful instructions.  This recipe makes 4 slices.  Scale up or down as necessary.

You will need:

- 4 slices of Pepperidge Farm French Toast Swirl Bread (other varieties like Cinnamon Swirl work well too, obviously)

- 3 large eggs

- 1/3 cup of milk

- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

- 4 teaspoons of brown sugar 

- 1/3 stick of butter

- real maple syrup

- a handful of fresh raspberries

- whipped cream

- one large flat-bottomed pan (big enough to fit 4 bread slices at once)

Instructions:

1) In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon.  Mix well by stirring with a fork.  

2) Transfer bread slices one at a time to the egg mixture, flipping once to coat thoroughly, and transfer them to the pan.  Be gentle, as the bread will be soggy (this is good though!)

3) Cut the butter into small pieces and disperse them in the pan around the bread.

4) Cook over low-medium heat, adding brown sugar to both sides of the bread as you do.  Also add any remaining egg mixture to the pan.  This will make things even tastier, trust me.

5) It's up to you to decide how crispy you want your toast.  You certainly want to cook long enough that the bread is no longer soggy.  It should hold up well when you flip or transfer it.  I like to let the edges get a little browned, but still leave it moist.

6) Serve with maple syrup, berries and whipped cream.

Also note - we almost always cook breakfast sausage patties (Purnell's specifically) along with our French Toast.  The tastes are really complementary.

Here are some pictures!