Posted by Jimmy Crippen on January 11, 2012 at 2:27 pm

...“Prettiest Small Town in North Carolina”.We quickly dried off in front of the gas log fireplace and then braved the rain to walk across the street to our dinner spot, Crippens.

 

 

We were not expecting much in the way of fine dining on a backroad in North Carolina’s High Country but Lordy, were we in for a surprise. This is the type of hidden gem that food lovers travel miles for.  The talented, 29-year old, Chef Stan Chamberlain is already raking in rave reviews and a collection of awards, such as winning “Best Dish NC”  that focuses on the creativity of the entries and the ingenuity of how local ingredients are used. I’d give him extra credit points for his sense of humor, naming his unique entry “Tongue & Cheek” (braised & Grilled beef tongue and pork cheek).

 

 

The delightful owner, Jimmy Crippen, works the room like the pro that he is. When I asked him if he was also a chef, he laughingly replied, “Not me. I’m all about booze and schmooze.”

He and the Chef are also all about serving imaginative, sophisticated renditions of farm-to table food (the Country Fried Quail perched on a Sweet Potato Pancake, with a sauteed quail egg and meadowfoam honey is firmly entrenched on my Fave Top Ten Dishes of 2011 list) featuring organic local produce, and just about homemade everything-from bread to ice-cream. (Speaking of which, the Figgy Ice-cream, laced with huge pieces of the succulent fruit, was incredible.)

Almost every dish on the daily-changing menu called to us, and thankfully, Jimmy is happy to help with the tough decisions. When we were torn between the Wild Mushroom Truffle-oil soup (which we finally chose) or the Pan Roasted Wild Roasted Mushrooms on Parmesan Flatbread, Jimmy quickly grasped our dilemma and sent out a complimentary flatbread–that  was sheer heaven. The captivating, fungi aroma led the way, followed by the pure flavors derived from the tangle of mushrooms & cheese.

I wish I had known in advance that:

A.) the eight rooms upstairs were not only reasonably priced but also adorably furnished with restored hardwood floors, handmade quilts, rag carpets,  antique rocking chairs, wooden sleigh beds, and even the 1935 original cast iron, claw footed soaking tubs along with Rennai water heaters to keep your bath steamy hot for as long as you wish.

 

 

B.) they would have such a tempting wine list. We loved the crispy, fruity Saint Clair 2010 Sauvignon Blanc that Jimmy recommended and would have happily ordered another bottle if we only had to stumble upstairs for a good night’s sleep. One caveat: there is a lively piano bar in the parlor that cranks it up until 11-ish you won’t be going to bed too early.

PS. If you’re anywhere in the region this winter, Crippen’s will once again host the extremely  popular:  Fire On The Rock Chef Challenge , an Interactive “diner-judged” culinary competition, which sounds like a foodie dream come true.

Back