We meant to start this blog several months ago and then, well, one thing, then another - you know the drill.
But we just returned from a trip to the cabin and it reminded us that we want to make sure to record all of our amazing discoveries in the Nantahala area!
Even though the weather wasn't picture perfect when we last visited, we still found plenty to do as well as time to relax at the cabin.
We started off our trip with a great meal at Caffe' Rel in Franklin, North Carolina on our way to the cabin. They don't have their own website, and are tucked away on the side of a gas station, but don't let any of that fool you! You will want to make sure you pay a visit to Caffe' Rel if you plan on eating out while you stay at StarLite Cabin. It's an amazing French bistro in an unexpected place. We had Coquille St. Jacque (and fought over the last bite), an appetizer of Brandied Chicken Livers (my partner's favorite but not mine - I loved the sauce, though), and a yummy espresso creme brulee. They don't take reservations and you'll need to visit the ATM or bring a checkbook but it is worth all the trouble. This is food you don't expect to find in the wilds of western North Carolina - but don't just take our word for it:
Trip Advisor
Yelp
Chowhound
Urbanspoon
We relaxed on Saturday morning, just watching movies and cuddling as there were some storms in the area. But the weather brightened up so we took down the top on the Jeep and drove down the mountain toward the river and watched folks in the whitewater. Dinner that night was at a newish place in Andrews, North Carolina, Mi Pueblito Restaurante Mexicano. The food came out hot and quickly, and the beer was cold and plentiful, but that's typical of most Mexican restaurants. We'd eat there again.
Sunday we had to be in Spartanburg by 3pm, so we were on a schedule. We left the cabin early and explored some new mountain roads with the top down, again. I love that Jeep for the mountains! Swinging through Highlands, North Carolina, we were a little disappointed that Col. Mustard's wasn't yet open. If you've never been, it's an awesome store packed with jams, jellies, spreads, libations, oh, and, yes, mustard! You can sample just about everything before you buy, and you can spend hours there... We didn't have much time to stay anyway, so it was probably a good thing that we couldn't wander in.
