I'm a big believer in eating the "house specialty" when at a restaurant. When you're at in a steak house, don't order the fish! Don't order lunch at a place that's well known for its breakfast! And when you're at a BBQ joint, DEFNITELY order the barbeque! With one exception...Bobby Q!
We visited their Biltmore location on date night, determined to try something different. Dr. Art Mollen has teamed up with the restaurant to design some healthy and bikini-friendly summer eats. As I continue to visit local restaurants in addition to making cakes and designing my own recipes, this was good news, as my hips and thighs could really use a break!
We arrived at sunset and the first thing I saw was the beautiful patio, full of foliage, misters and cozy seating. I knew THAT was where we had to sit. I had no idea I would feel like I was on a tropical vacation at a BBQ restaurant, but I immediately went into vacation mode when I sat down and started looking at the menu.
Their craft cocktail menu included drinks like the Pineapple Passion, the Q-Lada, a Lavendar Sour and a Raspberry Sangria. All of them looked delicious, but I had to narrow it down...I was trying to be a little healthier on this excursion, right?! I chose the Q-Lada first with light rum, coconut, pineapple and strawberry. It came ice-blended, in a curvy cup with toasted coconut on the rim and a pineapple wedge. I was immediately in heaven and found myself LICKING the side of my glass to get a mouthful of toasted coconut! SO GOOD!!!
My husband and I are big fans of the show Bar Rescue. Jon Taffer (host) always says that every good bartender should at least be able to make a few basic cocktails, the Old Fashioned being one of them. We love ordering these basic cocktails at bars and restaurants to see what kind of skills local bartenders have...and trust me we've had some really GOOD and really BAD Old Fashioned varieties. Bobby Q...BRAVO! You're on our GOOD Old Fashioned list!
But we weren't here just to drink (although we could have been). We WERE here to try different things on the menu, but we HAD to at least SAMPLE the barbeque! The Q-Rolls are the restaurants most popular appetizer and they were DELICIOUS! Super juicy smoked brisket wrapped up and deep-fried like an egg roll. It's served with a chipotle dip and plated with a touch of their roasted corn. These were so good, the juice dripped all over my dress when I bit into it, and I didn't even care (this is why I always wear black to restaurants)!
At dinner time, my hubby still wanted meat, so he opted for a medium-rare, wood-fired ribeye. Bobby Q's steaks are aged in house and hand cut daily, so everything is fresh and flavorful.
I had to go for the Phoenecian Q-Bowl, part of their summer specials and healthier menu. It was back to vacation and island time with some coconut infused Basmati rice, peanut sauce, garlic and herb infused lentils, mango salsa, fresh pineapple, avocado and toasted pumpkin seeds. This was all packed onto a fresh bed of baby spinach and plated beautifully. These dishes are designed to be nutritionally balanced as is (vegetarian style), but I opted to add some of their rotisserie chicken, just to get a taste of a bit more of their meats. This dish did not disappoint, nor did the pineapple passion that I ordered with my dinner. This was a STRONG drink with pineapple dark aged rum, coconut rum, coconut, pineapple and lime. It was served in a beautiful pineapple rind and adorned with dried fruit. It was delicious, but be careful with these...they go down REALLY smooth and quick. Don't let the pretty package fool you...these babies get the job done!
We were too full to order a dessert, but Emily, our sweet server brought us out a few of their freshly made donuts as we departed. There's nothing like a warm, fresh cinnamon donut. I wanted to go back for some warm apple cider and a scoop of ice cream, but my belly was full, and my mind was still focused on the tropical vacation that had just happened in my mouth! Thanks Bobby Q!
Note and Disclaimer: Restaurant reviews are NOT paid. At times restaurants do trade complimentary meals in exchange for photos and/or reviews, but those reviews are NOT expected by the restaurants to be positive. I choose however ONLY to document my positive experiences. If I encounter a meal or a restaurant experience that I don't think is a good one, I simply don't publish the result. This website is all about GOOD FOOD and GREAT PLACES!