BOCELLI’S ITALIAN EATERY, WAYNESVILLE, NC

We were all understandably nervous about eating Italian in a mountain town in western North Carolina.  So I made a scouting trip to check the place out before we committed.  One of the owners proudly told me that Bocelli’s won first and second place in a 13-restaurant cook-off, even beating out our favorite restaurant, Chef’s Table.  Both of Bocelli's winning dishes were available on their menu.  Further, she explained, everything at Bocelli’s is homemade and fresh and they work hard to please their customers.  The place was full.  Who am I to argue with success?  Besides, the place had a charm, inside and out. 

Our party of four arrived to another full dining room, and people looked happy.  We couldn’t wait to order. 
For me, it was the #1 winning Yellow Tail Snapper topped with fresh seasonal fruit chutney, served over risotto with a side of squash and zucchini.  If the chutney hadn’t been quite so sweet, and if the fish hadn’t been so smothered with it, this dish would have been enjoyable. 


Mandy opted for Chicken Cacciatore with marinara-sauced spaghetti and said it was just okay.


David ordered Chicken Florentine Bocelli (boneless chicken breast, spinach, artichokes and feta cheese served over creamy fettucine florentine).  It had absolutely no flavor, so we asked the waitress to bring some freshly grated Parmesan.  It helped a little, but the dish was still disappointingly bland.  There was a lot of pasta, but very little chicken.


Guy decided on Beef Ravioli served over penne bolognese with tomato cream sauce.  There was too much sauce, not enough raviolis, though both the sauce and the raviolis were good.


All four of us left disappointed.  For folks that are not from areas where good Italian restaurants reign, this restaurant might be a good choice.  For us, it was not.  Our trip ended on a low note.  We said goodbye to Waynesville and headed home the next morning.  On our next trip, we plan to stay in Asheville where restaurant selection shouldn't be a problem.

THE CHEF’S TABLE, WAYNESVILLE, NC

Waynesville, NC, has been surprisingly enjoyable.  A short drive from Asheville, this little  mountain town has some decent restaurants.  We ate a simple but well-prepared steak dinner at Bogart's the night before.  On this day, we had a delicious and very reasonable breakfast at Clyde's, followed by an amazing lunch at Trust, a little eating place in Hot Springs where the chef seems to be practicing for a place on Top Chef.  On-line reviews led us to the Chef's Table for dinner, a small downtown restaurant that could easily be in Asheville, or for that matter, New York.  Two eating areas are separated by the bar and kitchen.  I love that you can see what the chef is doing.

Our meal started with house-made bread served with house-made hummus instead of butter.

The hummus had a coarse mash.  Instead of putting Tahini in the hummus, the chef used black sesame seeds.  It was delicious, as was the bread.

The menu is simple and focused, and we quickly made our choices.  We all skipped the appetizers and went straight to the entrees.  I ordered one of my faves:  shrimp and grits. 

The shrimp were large and succulent, the sauce was divine and the grit cakes were crispy on the outside and creamy inside.  The asparagus was such a nice accompaniment and cooked perfectly.  Absolutely heavenly.

Guy opted for clams and pasta.

He never came up for air and proclaimed it the best clams and pasta he’s had.  Quite an endorsement coming from a 100% picky-eater Sicilian.

Mandy and David (my daughter-in-law and son) wanted Chicken Marsala.

They both loved it, especially the house-made wide pasta.


We were all full, but I just couldn’t think of leaving without trying the Godiva chocolate cheesecake.  Silky smooth, with a chocolate crumb crust, white chocolate and chocolate ganache garnish and caramel sauce, this was some dessert.

We each had a few bites and Mandy and David took the remaining half home.  The cheesecake was totally amazing and worth $8.00.

Chef’s Table is reasonably priced for the quality of the food served.  Service is excellent.  Our server was very attentive and totally tuned in to our wants and needs.  We’ll definitely head back there next time we are in the Asheville area.  If you go, be sure to call ahead for reservations.  They fill up quickly and this is one place you don’t want to miss.

DINNER AT BOGART’S IN WAYNESVILLE, NC

On the way back from Orangeburg, SC, we stayed in Waynesville, NC.  Waynesville is an interesting little mountain town outside of Asheville, 3,000 feet high, lying between the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains.  I asked the owner of the Best Western Smoky Mountain Inn, where we stayed, where we could get some dinner.  After several days of driving and medical tests, we were tired and just wanted to crash.   She referred us to her favorite eating place, Bogart’s, where she said we could get a great steak dinner for $13.99.  A short 5-minute drive took us to the red barn that was already crowded with patrons, though it was not yet 6PM.

Bogart’s is a colorful place, and the bar is a popular destination. 

We were in bear country, and stuffed bears hanging over the exposed rafters reminded us of that.

Though the restaurant was packed, we were seated quickly, and our orders were taken right away.  Bogart’s has a limited menu and an efficient delivery system.  The $13.99 rib eye is 1/2” thick, so we opted for the filet mignon, a 7-oz. steak which is about 1”, more to our liking.

While we waited for our orders, we gazed at the bear just overhead.

Our salads arrived first, with dressing alongside in a cup.  The salad was very fresh and had bacon and cheese on top.  No complaints there. 

The bread was similar to what’s served at the Outback Steakhouse.  

Our steaks were cooked perfectly and not over-charred. 
My sweet potato was super-huge and delicious.

Our meal was a simple one, no gourmet sauces or special combos of flavors, but it was perfectly executed and very satisfying.  This is a restaurant that I would return to.  Service is great, ambiance is colorful, food is very reasonable and good.  The sun was setting as we left, and we headed back to our motel for a good night’s sleep.