The Admiral

Excellent. Brought my wife to this unassuming gem years ago for a date night ans we had a blast. They had frog legs and other adventurous delectables then and now that our kids are 8 and 5, I like to expose them to exciting food and restaurants from time to time, so we brought them. Sometimes kids at nice restaurants are unwelcome, so I scheduled earlier in night for the patio (6pm). We showed up 10 minutes early but we were met with smiles and and open table. Beware, there is no "kids menu" here, nor child beverages. However, our waitress was very kind an whipped up some Shirley Temples for them to sip on to feel fancy. The food was amazing, we started with the cheese board and olives - gouda & bleu with crostinis, toasted nuts, and a gooseberry jam - castelvetrano olives in a citrus marinade with blood orange segments and zest. They were great together and the kids enjoyed both - although much to the parents satisfaction, they shied away from the bleu. Next we had the head cheese, oyster mushrooms and pork belly as well. The head cheese is exactly what you would expect (if you go for that sort of thing), a little fatty, but when smeared on the bready toast points it's quite good - only wish we had more bread as it's too rich by itself, but we had more food. The pork belly was the most composed dish, well browned and juicy towers of pork on a pool of nutty/earthy sauce with crumbles of Rye. My kids don't like mushrooms, but I always make them try it again when we go somewhere new, this time was a miss for them but a HUGE hit for me. Brown butter and hazelnuts gave them a crunch and a coating of glaze that left them AND my taste buds dripping. Finally we shared the gnocchi - I had to explain what they were and how they were made to my kids so they could appreciate the dish. Fantastic pillowy bites of goodness with ramp green pesto, tetragonia and parmesan. By far the favorite of the night by all parties. We finished with the whiskey orange chocolate cake and a semifreddo sundae. All of this in about an hour with great service and hospitality in between. Well done on all fronts and one of the best Asheville has to offer. Kid-friendliness: Brought our kids Shirley Temples when they found out there wasn't much else for them. Friendly and engaging, as we as patient with them when ordering.

This was my second time dining at The Admiral. It never disappoints and I highly recommend it. Great vibe and nice service and staff. They work with local farms and the menu impressed.

Would have expected a $60 ribeye to be a tender, premium cut of meat, not tough like a sirloin. The flavor of the food was excellent, but menu choices are limited, especially because the meals are pre-configured and substitutions are not allowed. Not allowing substitutions is very inconsiderate of people with health or dietary problems with the meal being offered. Can't say I want to go back.

Food was excellent and the service superb. A bit pricey, but worth it. ,

Hadn't been in awhile, was not disappointed. Service and food excellent like it has been every single time I've gone in the last 13 or so years. Truly remarkable to be consistently good for so long.