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This Restaurant Guide visits the mountains. Menu samples are from August postings.

Blowing Rock

Best Cellar (200 Shoppes on the Parkway Road, (828) 295-3466, ragged-gardens.com), is in Ragged Garden Inn.

Crab Cake ($9.95) is graced with lobster chive cream sauce. Oyster-Spinach Salad ($9.95, $6 with entree) uses crisp fried oysters, red onions, hard-boiled egg and smoked bacon, finished with warm vinaigrette. Veal Oscar ($32.95) is topped with jumbo lump crab and asparagus, ladled with bearnaise sauce.

Crippen’s (239 Sunset Drive, (828) 295-3487; crippens.com) is a personal favorite, made more attractive by recent renovations.

Wild Mushroom Saute ($10) combines portobellos, oysters, and shiitakes with Parmesan cheese. Chocolate Salad ($8) joins blackberries with bittersweet chocolate, almonds, and Reggiano cheese. Bittersweet Chocolate Infused Espresso Rubbed Tenderloin ($42) is made more decadent with Irish whiskey cream.

For the views, in addition to the creative cuisine, Restaurant G at Gideon Ridge Inn (202 Gideon Ridge Road, (828) 295-3644, gideonridge.com) earns top marks.

Seared Jumbo Scallop ($10) is enhanced with fennel and leeks. Candied grapefruit rind accents Roasted Asparagus ($10) with tarragon cream. Lamb Roman Style ($30) comes with gigande beans, artichoke hearts, and root vegetables.

Bistro Roca (143 Wonderland Trail, (828) 295-4008, bistroroca.com) is another, albeit more casual, favorite.

Wood-fired Mac and Cheese can be ordered plain or with bacon, chow chow, and heirloom tomato ($8). Pizzas ($10) and Burgers ($9-$12) are especially good. Rhubarb jus sharpens Southern Fried Duck Confit ($24) with horseradish mashed potatoes and toasted garlic beans.

Rowland’s at the Westglow Spa (2845 U.S. Hwy 221 S., (828) 295-4463, westglowresortandspa.com) occupies a historic home.

Eggplant Napoleon ($9) layers tomato, eggplant, and buffalo mozzarella, ladled with aged balsamic vinegar. Asparagus and goat cheese agnolotti ($12) is capped with a poached egg over wilted greens. BBQ Spiced Grilled Lamb Porterhouse ($36) joins wild rice, summer squash ragout, and tomato panna cotta.

Storie Street Grille (1167 Main Street, (828) 295-7075, storiestreetgrille.com) always satisfies.

Fried Green Tomato “BLT” ($8.50) assembles crisp pancetta, pimento cheese, Napa slaw and roasted red pepper emulsion. Asparagus “Fries” ($8) are decadently supplied with goat cheese ranch dressing. Bernie’s Meatloaf ($16) with parsley whipped potatoes and sherried mushrooms is a favorite.

Boone

The Gamekeeper (3005 Shull’s Mill Road, (828) 963-7400, gamekeeper-nc.com) is a rustic cottage, listed as one of Open Table’s top-ranked 50.

Shrimp and Zucchini Fritters ($12) are made mellow with goat cheese. Grilled Escarole Salad ($10) gains flavor from applewood smoked bacon. Pheasant ($28) is combined with goat cheese, leek flan, and local wild mushroom demi-glace.

Banner Elk

Artisanal (1200 Dobbins Road, (828) 898-5395 artisanalnc.com) is elegant. Bouillabaisse ($16) combines mussels, lobster, shrimp, and chorizo in saffron broth. Poached Pear Salad ($9) rests in arugula with gorgonzola cheese. Mahi Mahi ($27) is assembled with roasted corn, pink lady peas, apple-smoked bacon, Vidalia onion marmalade, and herb butter.

Louisiana Purchase (N.C. 184, (828) 898-5656; louisianapurchasefoodandspirits.com) has won multiple Wine Spectator awards. I often start with Shrimp Remoulade ($9). Blackened Fish Bourbon Street ($23) with sauteed crawfish etouffee is another favorite.

For pizza and Italian: Sorrento’s Bistro (140 Azalea Circle, (828) 898-5214, sorrentosbistrohome.com).

Asheville area

I judged the Western North Carolina Chef’s Challenge, where Knife and Fork (61 Locust St., Spruce Pine, 28777-2754, (828) 765-1511, knifeandforknc.com) barely defeated The Bistro at Biltmore (biltmore.com). I was impressed with both.

Another fantastic restaurant in Asheville is Curate (11 Biltmore Ave., 28801, (828) 239-2946, curatetapasbar.com).

John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 25 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420, or send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com. To find his recent columns, visit GoTriad.com.