on the pretty patio.
Let’s agree that Asheville has a world-class food scene.
Constant entries in new restaurants, new trends in food and new-wave cocktails. When it comes to food, Asheville is vogue, and we love it.
But if you’d like to take a side step to a slower pace with an old-world feel then head to South Asheville to the Black Forest. From the moment you walk up the steps you’ll be charmed by a long-ago nostalgia. This family owned German restaurant opened in 1983 (now with its second owner), is still in the original old stone house, and has managed to maintain the feeling of an old German village home.
40 years later, they’ve grown from the original little house into a meandering restaurant that takes you far away from Asheville. It now has six dining rooms — from large for events, to small for more intimate occasions — two kitchens, a pretty patio for dining outdoors and a separate lounge with beautiful vaulted ceilings. The décor is rich in warm wood and collectables. Original hand-painted German murals decorate every room. It all comes together to create a layered tapestry that sets the stage for a different dining experience.
I spent an evening with the manager, Shawn Penland, who spun the history of the people and food that makes The Black Forest. George Ettwein, the second and current owner, started as a dishwasher when it first opened…he was just a kid! Listening to tales that went back many years, this is truly a family owned business – one that consistently wins for Best German Food in the yearly Mountain Xpress, Best of WNC.
But on to the food!
The Black Forest is run by a very tight crew that prides itself on from-scratch original recipes. There’s nothing like homemade bread, and my meal started off with an assortment of freshly baked breads. About the time the bread arrived I was sampling an excellent red Spanish Grenache wine. It was clear that Shawn knew his wines and enjoys picking the best for a unique and wide assortment — it’s not a typical wine list.
For authentic German food such as knackwurst, bratwurst, schnitzel and braten, don’t go anywhere else, but the impressive menu offers so much more. For example: Pecan Encrusted WNC Mountain Trout; Black Forest Chicken (chicken schnitzel topped with red wine cherries and sour cream); Spinach and Roasted Garlic Ravioli. The menu offers German, Italian and fresh seafood; steak, roasted duck, sandwiches and salads.
I loved the distinct flavor combination of the Wild Mushroom Salad: greens and Gorgonzola, apples and candied walnuts, cooked mushrooms, then drizzled with a warm, fresh balsamic vinaigrette. I sampled several small dinner entrees from the menu that night starting with a Rham Schnitzle — pork topped with sautéed mushrooms and a paprika cream sauce. Tender, rich and surprising, it was a favorite. Also Sauerbraten — a deeply marinated beef, braised and topped with a tangy ginger sauce and sour cream (no knife required). There was a slow-roasted tenderloin pork chop reminiscent of a Sunday dinner, and menu sides of German potato salad, red cabbage and sauerkraut.
With Shawn as the guide I was lucky to try some extraordinary wines (remember? He knows his wines, when you go, trust him!), but the evening wouldn’t have been complete without a German Riesling, and it was the best I’ve ever had. The meal ended with a fabulous scratch-made Carmel Custard for dessert, similar to a Brule. Excellent.
The next time you head out and are considering trying a new restaurant, why not try a restaurant with decades of staying power — an original ‘local’? I promise you’ll enjoy an evening that won’t feel ‘trendy’, but rather the history of recipes’ past, in a time-gone-by atmosphere.
The Black Forest Restaurant
2155 Hendersonville Rd. Arden, NC 28704
(828) 687-7980
Mon-Thur, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fri-Sat, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sun, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.