On the last night of our awesome honeymoon, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner in Asheville, North Carolina. We ended up choosing to visit The Market Place . The reviews were amazing, but I was more impressed by its mission to create a menu with as many seasonal and local ingredients as possible. The prices were not extraordinary, and the menu sounded tempting.
When we arrived, it was clear that we should have made a reservation. We assumed that there might be a wait, but that we could easily waste a half hour enjoying a glass of wine while waiting. Yes, you can enjoy a glass of wine, but we enjoyed a full bottle before a table became available. It was totally our fault, and they were very upfront with us that it would be at least a 2 hour wait because they had reservations throughout the evening. We were in no hurry, so we grabbed a small bar table for two.
We decided to order a bottle of wine to toast our last day of traveling. They had several varieties of bottles of wine under $25, so we chose a lovely red and an order of edamame for a light snack. The wine was delicious, and the edamame was some of the best I’ve ever tried. The heaping bowl of soybeans were lightly tossed in a sweet glaze, making for a tasty appetizer.
Our table was available almost an hour early, and we had a choice of sitting downstairs or upstairs next to the balcony. We opted for the upstairs table for two, since it provided a great view of the musician that had set up to entertain about 30 minutes earlier.
We were immediately greeted with a single piece of warm bread with a plate of rosemary-infused olive oil for dipping. We ordered another affordable (and delicious) bottle of wine, and the tuna appetizer. It came out blackened and rare – and amazing! It practically melted in your mouth, and it was paired with a spicy sauce that gave our taste buds a little kick.
Next, we decided to both try something off of the “large plate” menu. My husband ordered the duck, which I immediately questioned. I’m not a meat eater, but duck seems like a menu item that could be a hit or miss. The server assured us it was delicious and cooked to a perfect medium-rare. I ordered the homemade mushroom ravioli with the butternut squash sauce, which she also said was one of her favorite dishes. When they came out, the presentation was beautiful but not over-done. The food, however, was over-the-top delicious. The duck was cooked perfectly, and the raviolis were fresh and flavorful.
The thing that stood out most about this restaurant – besides the delicious food and wine – was the laid-back atmosphere of the staff and guests. The servers wear jeans and button down shirts, and they were friendly and engaging. I never felt like I was in a super stuffy fancy restaurant, but the quality of food and service made you feel like this was a special treat.
It’s no wonder why the restaurant was so busy. We will definitely remember to make a reservation on our next trip to Asheville, NC.