Taste Test: Vidalia – Boone, North Carolina

By Marla Milling Published August 26, 2013

vidalia a foodies delight in north carolina — Image used with permission by copyright holder

I don’t normally want to buck etiquette rules to lick my plate at the end of dinner, but that’s exactly what I wanted to do while dining at Vidalia in Boone, N.C. While I had heard from locals about how good the place is I still wasn’t prepared for the flavor explosion when I savored a plate of pecan herb breaded North Carolina trout topped with lemony celery and green Napa cabbage slaw. It’s normally served up on a heaping mound of stone ground grits. Even though I’m a southern girl, grits just aren’t my thing, so they gladly substituted some amazing mashed potatoes.

This small, cozy foodie paradise located near Appalachian State University is the creation of Chef Samuel Ratchford and his wife, Alyce. He’s really keen on using locally grown produce and meats as much as possible and has a flair for creating dishes that keep the house packed with appreciative diners. Fast service – not especially, but this is a slow food dining experience.

Recommended Videos

Located across the street from the Watauga County Courthouse, the space offers intimate seating at tables and on barstools around the open kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work.

Some of the other choices include creole battered southern fried chicken served with waffles, pan sautéed lump crab cakes, and sesame coriander tuna. There’s a decent wine list and tantalizing desserts. Make sure to save some room to try one (or do as I did and share a couple of different treats with friends). The choices change nightly, but feature homemade ice creams (one is called Captain Crunch and delicious), apple turnover, creme brulee, tiramisu, and a chocolate praline tart.

Vidalia is located at 831 W. King Street in Boone, North Carolina. Visit them online at www.vidaliaofboonenc.com

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Marla Hardee Milling is a full-time freelance writer living in a place often called the Paris of the South, Sante Fe of the…

Food & Drink

Miller’s got a beer-pouring fireplace just in time for the in-laws

A sudsy setup inspired by a winter hearth

Miller Lite YuleLager.

Miller Lite is taking the whole drink in front of the fireplace thing quite literally. Today, the macro brewer released YuleLager, or a beer-pouring fireplace inspired by the famous yule log. Now, folks can have a good nightcap drink before a beer-dispensing pretend hearth.

What's included? For starters, an LED screen playing an 8-hour loop of burning wood. You also get a pouring contraption meant to look like a chimney withe a custom tap handle. What's more, there's audio mimicking crackling fire sounds, spare beer storage, and hooks to hang stockings.

Food & Drink

Long black vs. Americano: Which coffee packs more punch?

For coffee drinkers with a refined palate

Americano coffee on a wooden table

When it comes to coffee, everyone has their own personal preferences, and they usually stray from their normal order. But that's not always the case. Even coffee drinkers who generally prefer black coffee's bold, slightly bitter taste will occasionally feel the desire to change their coffee orders.

Black espresso drinks, such as the long black or the Americano, deliver an even stronger taste than plain black coffee. While the long black and the Americano contain just water and espresso, the preparation for the long black vs. Americano espresso is entirely different. Here's what you need to know about each beverage's differences in taste and preparation.
What is a long black?

Food & Drink

Laws Whiskey House is relaunching two limited-edition finished whiskeys

Jusr in time for the Holidays, Laws is releasing two popular whiskeys

Laws Whiskey House

Colorado-based Laws Whiskey House has been crafting high-quality, award-winning whiskeys since it opened in 2011. Just in time for the holidays, the popular distillery is relaunching two of its most popular limited-edition expressions: Honey Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey and the Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey finished in a Cognac Foeder.
Honey Cask Finished Straight Bourbon Whiskey

This whiskey begins when raw, unprocessed honey is added to Four Frain Straight Bourbon barrels. Afterward, the same barrels are filled with more Four Grain Straight Bourbon for more maturation. This creates a complex whiskey known for its flavors of candied orange peels, herbal tea, ripe berries, honey, and classic bourbon aromas and flavors.
Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey finished in a Cognac Foeder