Mountaintops

Though your Mountain Times staff is composed of starving journalists, we are sometimes able to bypass the Captain’s Wafers and Melba Toast to enjoy a hot, decent meal. And once we’re through with our Cream of Wheat, we sometimes eat out. Here are some of our favorite menu items.

Caroline Monday: Stuffed French Toast at Melanie’s Food Fantasy

I will be forever in debt to my friend and former coworker, Angie, for introducing me to the stuffed french toast at Melanie’s Food Fantasy.

On one of my first weekends here in Boone, she an I went to the farmers’ market and then to Melanie’s for breakfast. Angie recommended the stuffed french toast and we both ordered it. As I recall, I was so excited about the dish I declared my love to the waitress when she brought our food.

The stuffed french toast is composed of whole-grain toast stuffed with raspberry coolie (it’s like jam) and raspberry cream cheese, and topped with bananas, strawberries, whipped cream and syrup. It’s very decadent and, fortunately, Melanie’s serves all of their breakfast dishes for lunch, as well.

Melanie’s also caters to one of my pet peeves. I try to avoid drinking soda, which usually leaves tea and water as my only options at most restaurants. Melanie’s doesn’t even serve soda and offers a wide variety of hot teas and organic juices.

But, don’t go to Melanie’s if you’re in a hurry. All this goodness does not come without a wait.

Jason Reagan: A Priceless Selection

Choosing the perfect Watauga meal is a tall order. There are so many delicious choices from casual to four-star. In my four years in the High Country, I’ve only sampled a portion of our many eateries. Being the parent of two tweens often means your dining choices are dictated by family harmony rather than culinary superiority. Here is my amalgamated, dream meal.

Appetizer: Tortilla chicken dipping rolls from Cafe Portofino (with the spicy sauce)
Soup: Lemon-chicken from Mr. Original’s Gyros
Drink: Green tea from Espresso News
First course: Assorted croissants, and bagels from Stick Boy and Boone Bagelry
A Little Something Between Courses: Black beans and rice from Canyon’s (at sunset, of course)
Second Course: Nori rolls and sushi from Angelica’s and Makoto’s
Third Course: Kung Pao chicken from China Wok (or Spicy Beef from Hunan)
Final Course: Duck Leg confit from Casa Rustica
Dessert: Key Lime Pie and a latte from Higher Grounds
Heartburn medication: Alka-Seltzer from Boone Drug
Crane to haul me to the sofa: Boone Rent-All
Seeing me being hauled from this gustatory tour de force by crane: Priceless

Frank Ruggiero: Joe’s Italian Philly at Joe’s Italian Kitchen

Talking with sports broadcaster Mike Kelly of WATA fame, who is also a fellow Chicagoan, conversation eventually meanders to the point of fine Chicago cuisine – Vienna beef hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches. Note that beef is involved in both. Beef is wonderful, and though I’m told it’s what’s for dinner, it’s also ideal for lunch.

Kelly and I currently have a beef with the lack of decent Italian beef everywhere but Chi-town. The traditional sandwich includes sliced roast beef, bell peppers and a top-notch gravy in which they soak.

Unfortunately, such a testament to the art of sandwich artistry is not available in Boone. But leave it to Joe Cafaro of Joe’s Italian Kitchen to come up with quite the acceptable substitute. Arguably one of the best sandwiches on his menu, the beef is seasoned with garlic, olive oil and Joe’s secret spices before entering the oven for an aromatic roasting. Afterwards, it’s cut in sections and placed in the deli section to cool. Once an order arrives, the beef is sliced and cooked in butter with fresh bell peppers and onions to be thrown on sliced Italian bread, covered in homemade marinara and topped with provolone cheese that melts on contact.
Finish up the meal with a few scoops of pistachio gelato, and that’s amore.

Melanie Davis: Italian Won-tons at Cafe Portofino

When I choose a restaurant I tend to lean more toward atmosphere and worry about the menu later. Fortunately, I have found the place in Boone for me. Cafe Portofino has exactly what I am looking for.

My perfect dinner there starts with Italian Won-tons. A genius must have concocted this recipe. Italian sausage, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses wrapped into a pouch, basted with shaved garlic and basil and then flash-fried. Granted, fried sausage and cheese may not be your first choice, but I highly recommend trying them dipped in garlic ranch.

I am a fan of strong, spicy flavors, so my entree of choice is the creamy puttanesca. It is fettuccine with fresh tomatoes, garlic, capers, calamata olives, crushed red peppers and “secret spices.” This dish has a definite kick from the peppers, yet it is cream sauce, an excellent combination.

Top it all off with a slice of dark chocolate almond cheesecake, and I am one happy customer, off to the back to shoot a game of pool. The billards tables are what initially drew me to Cafe Portofino, then I discovered the menu. Now, I am there once a week.

Jeff Eason: The Dream Lunch

If I could build my ideal lunch from restaurants in the High Country, I would start with a plate of onion rings from Pepper’s. I don’t know of any other restaurant that makes its onion rings by hand, and once you’ve tried them, you’ll never go back to the frozen kind. Then, I’d order a Philly chicken sub (hold the mayo) from Mr. Original’s Gyros. It has chicken, cheese, Greek peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and sauteed mushrooms and is large enough for two meals.

Although I usually wash down lunch with sweat tea (with lemon) or Diet Coke, for my ideal meal I’ll get a chocolate-coffee milkshake from the Hill Top Drive-In.

Other favorites include the flatbread and homemade pimento cheese appetizer at Vidalia, the Jamaican turkey sub at Our Daily Bread, the chipotle barbecue wings at Murphy’s, the chicken tacos at Woodlands and the Cosmic Karma veggie pizza at Mellow Mushroom.

Sherrie Norris: Mako-Band-Pepper’s

Naming my favorite meal from a local eatery is a tough assignment. Too many great places to eat in and around Boone. Considering my past affiliation with the food business and current identification as “the food lady of The Mountain Times,” I am often asked the same question – and it’s also hard because I have many friends in the business and their food is soooo good. Let’s imagine that I could eat at a place that would serve me a Japanese-style barbecued turkey sandwich, it would surely be called Mako-Band-Peppers – since Makoto’s, Bandana’s and Peppers are among my favorites.

However, if I have to choose the best “casual” experience, it has to be the Jean Lawson and all the trimmings at Pepper’s: turkey breast, marinated mushrooms, onions, green peppers and pepper cheese stuffed into a kaiser roll! The ultimate “dessert to die for” and an institution in itself is Pepper’s carrot cake that has made people smile for over 30 years. Jack, Lisa and their gang go the extra mile. OK, so what about the great taste of barbecued anything at Bandana’s, everything Japanese at Makoto’s . . . you get the message. (Omelettes at Sunrise, Apple-achian Panini at Melanie’s, salad bar at Peddler . . . and if we were in Blowing Rock – it has to be Storie Street Grill’s anything) See, it’s just too hard. They asked the wrong person this time, and I’m not even eating out much these days.