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Restaurant Review: Crippen’s

Written By

Constance E. Richards

Photographs by

Matt Tierney

Every town has that indomitable restaurant where you know the cuisine will always impress, and you’re bound to run into a friend at the bar. In Blowing Rock, that place is Crippen’s, and the friend that’s always around is the ever-gregarious owner Jimmy Crippen.

Though this local institution, set in the main floor of this country inn, pours gloriously sweet and refreshing cocktails with playful names like Rang Around the Rosy and Ginger Spice, the cuisine is what garners awards. Think Chocolate Steak—but we’ll get to that soon enough.

Our meal begins with an outstanding sweet-vermouth, toasted-almond portobello soup, rich with essences of the forest. Then, the bittersweet chocolate-infused, espresso-encrusted grilled beef tenderloin illustrates Chef James Welch’s playfulness in the kitchen. The rich meat is served with pistachio goat cheese au gratin and French beans. Perhaps even more delicious is the pecan-encrusted Alaskan halibut over wilted, organic arugula with goat cheese, marked by a tangy fusion of roasted red pepper coulis and tomato balsamic vinaigrette. This plump, well-seasoned filet is moist with the slightest golden crust.

For dessert, the Warm Chocolate Decadence, molten lava cake with white chocolate anglaise, is a favorite among regulars. But for this summer’s eve, I choose the house-made honey and cinnamon ice cream—at once velvet and satin on the tongue. It’s so good you may just book a room upstairs to eat here again the next night. Before you check in, stop at the bar; the Basil Gin Gimlet makes a great nightcap.

Sunday, October 11, 2009
Life, Travel, In this Issue...

Ain’t no mountain high enough

Blowing Rock, N.C. worth the hike


IF YOU GO

Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock
North Main Street
Blowing Rock, N.C.
800-243-8652
www.chetola.com

Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant
239 Sunset Drive
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-3487
www.crippens.com

The Blowing Rock
Highway 321 South
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-7111
www.theblowingrock.com
Admission: $6 adults, $1 children 4-11
Open (fall) 9 a.m.–5 or 6 p.m., depending on weather

Grandfather Mountain
2050 Blowing Rock Hwy
Linville, N.C.
www.grandfather.com
Admission: $15 adults, $7 children 4-12
Open (fall) 8 am – 6 pm daily

Appalachian Ski Mountain
940 Ski Mountain Road
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-7828
www.appskimtn.com
Open for season Nov. 20–Mar. 14

Blowing Rock Visitors Center
7738 Valley Blvd.
Blowing Rock, N.C.
828-295-4636
www.blowingrock.com
For information about dining and shopping

By Pama Mitchell

The North Carolina High Country encompasses six mountainous counties in the far northwest corner of the state. Bisected by the Blue Ridge Parkway, the area boasts some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Appalachian Mountains, several ski resorts, and a lively college town—Boone, home of the 16,000-student Appalachian State University. But the heart of the region is Blowing Rock, a town of about 1,500 full-time residents happily situated closer to the parkway than any other burg along its nearly 500-mile length.

STAYING IN STYLE

Blowing Rock has charms for visitors in at least three seasons per year, with fall and summer being the most popular. The town has the range of accommodations you would expect in a mountain resort area, from historic inns in the center of things to cute motels along the perimeter. At the top of the list for beautifully landscaped grounds and spacious guest rooms, Chetola Resort sits on 87 acres of rolling hills and itself has quite a range of accommodations, from hotel-like rooms in the Bob Timberlake Lodge to large condominiums with full kitchens, whirlpool tubs and private patios. The family-friendly Chetola Resort will expand its services later this fall by opening a new, full-service spa adjacent to the recreation area.

After using the indoor pool or well-equipped fitness center—or jogging along paths around Lake Chetola—guests can gather at the Headwater’s Pub to enjoy live music while quaffing North Carolina microbrews or a favorite cocktail. Then slip next door for dinner at the Manor House Restaurant, where Executive Chef Michael Barbato dishes up some of the freshest mountain trout you’ll ever taste along with innovative fare such as vegetable paella or crab and artichoke ravioli. 

For a different Blowing Rock experience, stay in town at Crippen’s Country Inn, a nine-room bed and breakfast just two blocks off busy Main Street. The 1920s-era building was transformed by the Crippen family from a boarding house into a casual gourmet restaurant topped by two floors of well-appointed guest rooms, each with a private bath. There’s also an adjacent two-bedroom cabin. Owner Jimmy Crippen makes sure every guest has a good time, whether you’re trying a signature cocktail in the lounge, tucking into Chef James Welch’s specialties—such as pecan-crusted Alaskan halibut or chili-rubbed rib-eye with Jack Daniel’s peppercorn sauce—in the convivial dining room, or getting ready to sleep it all off upstairs in an antique bed.

GET OUTSIDE

Once you’ve settled on where to rest your bones, get ready to partake of the main reason people come here—to frolic outdoors at 4,000 feet and higher above sea level. No matter your fitness level, you’ll have chances to appreciate the area’s natural highlights—the Blowing Rock, Linville Falls, Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway that connects them.

To see the town’s namesake geographic phenomenon, drive a few miles outside town and several hundred feet higher in elevation. Operated as a privately owned tourist attraction since 1933, the Blowing Rock affords a spectacular view of Grandfather Mountain and the Johns River Gorge, 3,000 feet below. The Rock got its name because the walls of the gorge have formed a flume that makes strong winds flow straight upward, so that small dropped objects can blow right back up.

Later, head to the Blue Ridge Parkway—an entrance is less than a half mile from Main Street—and go south toward Grandfather Mountain, which is about 15 miles southwest of Blowing Rock on the Parkway. At almost 6,000 feet, it’s one of the highest mountains in the Blue Ridge chain and by far the most accessible of the southern Appalachians. In addition to the joy of appreciating the mountain vistas along the way, you’ll come across trailheads that range from fairly level paths around lakes to more demanding hikes along steep hills.

SHOP, EAT AND SEE A SHOW

Back in town after an invigorating day, look into the dozens of interesting shops along and near Main Street, highlighted by an especially nice choice of women’s clothing and accessory stores along with galleries, home decor and antiques shops. For a town of its size, Blowing Rock has an impressive line-up of restaurants. Local favorites include the don’t-miss-it Village Café for wonderful breakfasts (every day except Monday) and the eclectic, foodie-oriented Storie Street Grille, both on Main Street. A little bit outside of town, another popular dining destination is Bistro Roca, known for its creative cuisine and fascinating wine and microbrew beer offering.

Top off your visit by catching live music at one of the bars or cafes in town, or during the summer season, get tickets to a play at the Hayes Performing Arts Center. The Appalachian Ski Mountain resort’s season runs from Thanksgiving until early April.  Various festivals and special events dot the town’s calendar at almost all times of year, including December Christmas celebrations, Winterfest in January and the Blue Ridge Wine Festival in April. SP

Fire on the Rock contest sparks a first-ever tie

Winning chefs in the 2009 Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge received trophies last week. Jimmy Crippen, organizer of Fire on the Rock and Rita Davis, 2009 festival chairwoman visited each restaurant to congratulate the individual chefs and their cooking teams.

Chef Michael Barbato, second from left, accepts his Fire on the Rock trophy from Jimmy Crippen, far right, and Rita Davis, far left, as an unidentified member of the cooking team looks on. Photo submitted	Chef Chuck Nelson, second from left, receives his trophy at The Inn at Crestwood from Jimmy Crippen, far right, and Rita Davis, far left, as an unidentified member of the cooking team looks on. Photo submitted
Chef Dominic Geraghty, center, with his team at Hound Ears receive a co-champion Fire on the Rock trophy from Jimmy Crippen and Rita Davis. Photo submitted	Chef Bill Greene of Artisanal and his cooking team receive a co-champion Fire on the Rock trophy from Jimmy Crippen and Rita Davis. Photo submitted

Fire on the Rock is an Iron Chef style cooking competition in which local Chefs must prepare dishes featuring a secret ingredient before a live audience and on stage at the Hayes Performing Arts Center in Blowing Rock during the Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival.

Dishes are judged by a panel of food industry professionals.

This year’s judges included John Batchelor, food editor of the Greensboro News and Record, Susan Dosier of the LKM firm and former food editor for Southern Living and Natalie Brown, the Assistant Food Editor for Southern Living. Judges were joined by a fourth judge for the finale, Carla Hall of Bravo’s Top Chef.

This year’s event featured an unprecedented tie in the grand finale, with Chef Dominic Geraghty of Hound Ears Club and Chef Bill Greene of Artisanal both finishing with 255 points. Both chefs in the finale had to prepare dishes with blue crab. The blue crab, like all the secret ingredients, was harvested in North Carolina.

The eight chefs who made it to the Hayes Center stage began their journey in a series of preliminary competitions at Crippen’s Restaurant in March. The two co-champions had come to the Finale as the highest scorers of four heats during the Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival. Chef Michael Barbato of The Manor House Restaurant at Chetola Resort won his heat, a battle featuring greens. Chef Chuck Nelson, of The Table at Crestwood, also won his heat which featured striped bass as the secret ingredient. Two of the restaurants with chefs in the Fire on the Rock Chef Challenge are also competing in Best Dish North Carolina: The Table at Crestwood, Chef Chuck Nelson, and Crippen’s Restaurant, Chef James Welch, continue the promotion of the area’s great restaurants to the rest of the state.

Crippen’s Country Inn, Restaurant presents unique dishes, holiday atmosphere Tuesday, 04 December 2007 Appalachian State University students are lucky, especially during the holidays. Visitors travel from all over the state to experience what Appalachian students have at their fingertips—a real-life version of those Christmas villages people put up on their mantles, known as the town of Blowing Rock. Nestled among sweet shops and novelty stores iced with tiny Christmas lights is Crippen’s Country Inn and Restaurant - the perfect place for any special holiday occasion.   Winner of the inaugural 2006 Best Dish in North Carolina contest held by the N.C. Department of Agriculture for their unique watermelon salad, Crippen’s is also well known for the bittersweet chocolate-infused espresso crusted grilled beef tenderloin.   Jimmy Crippen and his wife Carolyn have owned Crippen’s Country Inn and Restaurant in Blowing Rock since 1994. A holiday meal can be had at Crippens Country Inn and Restaurant, located in Blowing Rock off Sunset Drive. Photo by Bryan Tarnowski Crippen was in the right place at the right time when he met his good friend, and now head chef, James Welch, 17 years ago. Today, Crippen runs the front of the inn while Welch presides over the kitchen. On Saturday night, I experienced a beautiful dinner at Crippen’s accompanied by impeccable service. When we first arrived and checked in with the hostess, Jimmy Crippen himself greeted each of us.   As I remembered to mention our reservation, he replied he already knew who we were.   The menu at Crippen’s varies from night to night, offering an array of soups, salads, pastas, desserts and chef’s specialties. I ordered rosemary and garlic marinated grilled tenderloin of pork with goat cheese-chive mashed potatoes, zucchini and rosemary-zinfandel sauce for $24.50, while my boyfriend selected marinated and grilled breast of chicken  with black beans, tomato salsa, chili-lime sour cream and fried plantains, also for $24.50. The presentation was neat and interesting; the plantains were much like curled banana chips, giving the dish a decorative touch. The meal itself was delicious.   From the sheer size of the portion, I worried that I would want a to-go box. However, I didn’t need that to-go box.   Throughout our meal, Crippen walked around the restaurant, genuinely interested in his guests’ dining experience.   In tandem with a warmly lit dining room, the enthusiasm of Crippen and the staff gives the restaurant an intimate and cozy feel ideal for special occasions.

Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant: Still Cooking With “Passion”

Story by David Brewer

Since January 1995, Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant has been a fixture on the Blowing Rock dining scene, receiving praise not only from loyal customers, but also from newspaper and magazine critics in North Carolina and as far away as New York.

Relying on a menu that brims with inventive takes on what owner and chef Jimmy Crippen calls “modern American cuisine,” the restaurant and several dedicated employees have made it to their twelfth year of operation.

“Here I’ve been sitting and thinking that we’re the new kids on the block,” said Crippen. “Passion is 100 percent of what this is; it’s all about having a good time.”

While a number of establishments have come and gone during the restaurant’s tenure on Sunset Drive, Crippen insists that the feel of Blowing Rock has more or less remained the same.

“The biggest change in town has been the quality of food,” said Crippen. “Everybody has stepped it up.”

In addition to Crippen’s wife Carolyn and executive chef James Welch who have been at the restaurant since day one, head waiter John Holder has worked at Crippen’s for eleven years, while sous chef Andrew Oliver has been on board for eight years.

Fortunately for Crippen and staff, dishes such as the famous Bittersweet Chocolate-Infused Espresso-Crusted Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Pan-Seared Maine Sea Scallop Sandwich and Cornmeal-Dusted Pan-Seared Fresh Softshell Crab have kept mouths watering and the reservations coming.

Crippen, who was admittedly skeptical over the initial offering of the chocolate steak on the menu, removed the item after a short run. However, like any smart restaurant owner, he listened to his customers when they revolted against his decision to remove the one-of-a-kind delicacy.

“So many people complained about him taking it off the menu that it’s never left since,” said Welch, creator of Crippen’s signature dish.

Hosting theme dinners and working in conjunction with the festivals in Blowing Rock over the years, Crippen and his staff are busy as ever trying new tactics to take advantage of their facility at all times. Last month, Crippen’s tackled its latest and greatest idea: a live cooking show.

Inspired by their participation in the Blue Ridge Wine Festival’s Fire on the Rock Chef’s Challenge, Crippen decided to take the idea of a live cooking show and employ the skills of his right-hand man. His brainstorm led to the creation of Live With Chef James.

Stationed behind his custom-built portable kitchen, complete with burners and a mirror so guests can get a bird’s eye view of the cooking process, Chef James prepares dishes taken from Crippen’s extensive menu, while chatting with guests about ingredients, techniques and tricks of the trade. The show, which is scheduled to run throughout the summer, takes place on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m.

Another recent development that has the Crippen’s staff excited is the news that they have been picked as finalists in the North Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Best Dish in North Carolina contest. Contestants in the inaugural contest are required to prepare dishes using ingredients gathered from here in North Carolina.

One of five finalists, Crippen’s is hoping to take the top prize with the North Carolina Flounder and Watermelon Salad. “I think it would be a great push for the High Country,” said Crippen. “We’d love to take the medal on the first round.”

While tourists and seasonal residents make their way up the mountain, Crippen’s is gearing up for a busy summer season. In addition to being open for dinner nightly, Crippen’s is available for all occasions including private lunches, meetings and showers.

For a look at the menu or to read reviews of Crippen’s Country Inn & Restaurant, click to www.crippens.com. The restaurant is located at 239 Sunset Drive in Blowing Rock. For reservations, call 828-295-3487.

Blowing Rock is a destination unto itself. It features eclectic artists, musicians and restaurateurs. All right, the town center does have its share of touristy offerings, pricey children’s apparel and Kilwin’s fudge, but there is so much more to it.

In its compact yet bustling downtown, Blowing Rock offers world-class restaurants including Glidewell's, the Speckled Trout and the standout, Crippen's Country Inn and Restaurant. Crippen's is the brainchild of Jimmy Crippen, a former North Miami boy and his longtime business partner, Chef James Welch. I was quickly greeted by Jimmy the moment I set foot on the front porch of the historic structure that houses his restaurant. With bountiful energy and a firm handshake, Jimmy was eager to tour me around the facility.

Crippen's is in a historic 1931 structure

"This house was established in 1931," Jimmy announced, as he whisked me by the stocked-bar and lounge area which was probably the house's living room. "C'mon up this way," Jimmy said, while motioning me to come up to the second floor. "Visitors can check in for the night in these renovated rooms." Crippen’s Country Inn has elegant rooms which are spacious, comfortable and beautifully appointed.
“We kept as much of the original structure as we could,” Jimmy pointed out as we came down the stairs. “But as upgrades were made, workers found bits and pieces of dishes near the front porch.”

Next up was the kitchen where Crippen’s chef and staff were working with locally grown organic produce and meats. Jimmy quickly ushered me to the dining area in the back where I dined for the next 90 minutes.

The Crippen’s menu is large and diverse. From Spicy North Carolina Tomato Bisque, Corn Fried N.C. Oyster Nachos to Horseradish Crusted Oven Roasted Maine Salmon, Crippen’s delivers choices that I never knew existed. The most unforgettable offering here is the “Chocolate Salad.” The “Chocolate Salad” is a mixture of mesclun baby greens with fresh raspberries, goat cheese, Reggiano Parmesan cheese, toasted almonds, shaved chocolate and black pepper-Dijon vinaigrette. It would be an understatement to say that this salad packs a punch. If shaved chocolate is not your thing, try the Grilled Escarole or Portobello Tempura salads.

Appetizers are plentiful in this five-star restaurant. The “North Carolina Shrimp Martini” contains shrimp in vodka and dry vermouth with mushrooms, cucumber, lemon and crispy fried tortillas. Another amazing appetizer is the Pan Seared Maine Sea Scallop Sandwich which has arugula, tomato and brown butter vinaigrette.

If the choices are dizzying, do not fear. Every server in this establishment steers you in the right direction. Add in the mellow atmosphere and being in the North Carolina Mountains, you know that you’re in heaven on earth. When it came to my entrée selection, my waitress narrowed it down for me: the Award Winning Pecan Crusted Oven Roasted Alaskan Halibut. The delectable dish comes with wilted organic arugula, goat cheese, roasted red pepper coulis and tomato balsamic vinaigrette. The wine pairing? Tiamo Pinot Grigio 2006 white wine. This crisp fruity selection went well with the moist fish.

With the salad, entrée and complimentary foccaccia with white bean spread and hot chili dipping sauce, I managed to get dessert into the visit: Peanut Butter Pie. Even though cream cheese is in the mix, each bite is just right, not tangy as I expected.

If you’re adventurous, Crippen’s offers Everglades Frog Legs Tempura with Sliced Cucumbers and Soy-Ginger Vinaigrette and another rare treat: 7 ounce Imported Japanese Kobe steaks.

Blowing Rock: Crippen's Restaurant At Crippen's Country Inn

Crippen's Restaurant is a hidden gem – a fine dining restaurant with a casual atmosphere located at Crippen’s Country Inn in Blowing Rock, NC. The menu changes daily, featuring a variety of homemade breads, soups, fresh seafood, prime meats, game meats, seasonal homegrown organic vegetables and homemade desserts and ice creams. All of Chef James Welch’s sauces are made from his own stocks. His talent rests in vinaigrettes, sauces, marinades and a creative ability to combine unusual flavors and textures.

The restaurant's sophisticated cuisine is one of the reasons people stay at Crippen's Country Inn. The spacious dining area offers a surprising amount of intimacy despite the crowds. You may begin with a shrimp brûlée, pan-roasted with blue-spot prawns, or a crispy duck confit with spring rolls and peanut-ginger dressing. The chef's specialties round out the main courses: chili-rubbed grilled rib-eye steak, and sesame-seared yellowfin tuna. Reservations are extremely important; the restaurant's closing hours often reflect the number of reservations it receives for the evening

Crippen’s Restaurant earned Five Stars from Greensboro News & Record’s food critic in September of 1995, just nine months after opening. They have consistently kept that status for over twelve years! Dishes are visual works of art as well as culinary ones and Crippen’s has been included in North Carolina’s Historic Restaurants and Their Recipes by Dawn O’Brien. The book includes a recipe for their signature horseradish-encrusted salmon.

Owners are Jimmy and Carolyn Crippen, formerly of Mark’s Place in Miami and the Sheraton Bal Harbour Resort. The Crippen’s run the front of the Inn while Welch has full say in the kitchen. Jimmy Crippen says “the food is the number one reason people come here” but the Inn also features nine Guest Rooms and Deluxe Guest rooms and a private Cottage for romantic or weekend getaways, and includes breakfast, complimentary wine and cheese, fresh baked cookies and complimentary beverages.

Crippen's Restaurant
239 Sunset Drive
Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(877) 295-3487

Rave Review Restaurant Report: Crippen's

Posted: Sep 19, 2006

Food alone worthy of drive to mountains

News Bulletin

November 07, 2008

North Carolina Pork Council Continues Support of the American Cancer Society

Back by popular demand, the extraordinarily talented chefs of the North Carolina Pork Council’s Chefs Advisory Board provided an encore presentation at the 2008 Raleigh Roundup on November 7th, 2008. The Raleigh Roundup is an annual fundraiser hosted by The Red Sword Guild to benefit the American Cancer Society. “We have all felt the impact of cancer. Some of us on the NCPC board have been personally affected. When the Red Sword Guild came to us in 2005 to ask us to support the debut of the Raleigh Roundup, we wanted to collaborate with them to raise funds for research and education in an effort to eradicate this horrible disease,” said George Pettus, NCPC president. “As an industry and as individuals, we have a responsibility to support these worthwhile causes and help our community. We are proud to have had the opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society and promote pork as part of a healthy diet.” The North Carolina Pork Council sponsored the event for the third consecutive year at the request of the Red Sword Guild because of its success in 2006 and 2007. And once again, in 2008, the fabulous food headlined the event. The “Pork Promenade” featured 15 amazing pork entrees by some of the state’s most inspired and creative chefs. These outstanding chefs donated not only the food, but their time and talent to prepare and serve wonderful pork dishes for the almost 1,000 guests. The North Carolina Pork Council also provided a $1000 prize to the chef who received the most votes in a ballot contest for the “People’s Choice Award.” This year’s winner, James A. Welch, Executive Chef of Crippen’s Restaurant in Blowing Rock prepared “Vietnamese Marinated North Carolina Pork Tenderloin with Macadamia Rice, Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy and Coconut-Cardamom Mushroom Sauce.”