Louise's Kitchen — Restaurant in Black Mountain

Y'all! 🤩 what a gem! 💎 Back Story: We were traveling through NC & wanted to stop for a nice brunch someplace along the route. We anticipated having to take a detour into Asheville, but instead found Louise's, not only on I-40, but less than a half mile off the interstate. I wouldn't be surprised if this place had a line around the building 99% of the time, but our service was superb! First impressions : Circle the block till you spot someone leaving & steal their parking spot. You order from the hostess stand on the porch, choose your seating & they'll miraculously find ya. The ambiance : we agreed to sit outside since it's a beautiful spring easter morning. They offered inside, porch or yard seating. I was a tad chilly in the shade, so when I spotted a table under the pergola, & jumped on it. I wish I had peaked inside. Drinks : We each had a megamosa. Highly recommended. Hubby went traditional with the OJ but I got the mango& pineapple. These came out within a few minutes of us sitting down. Perfect size in a pint mason jar for this occasion. Food : the big boy burrito looked mighty good but I was feeling some down home biscuits & gravy. Hubs got the burrito & I wish I had. It was a loaded, hardy breakfast burrito with the best sausage we've ever had. It was advertised as Chop Shop sausage out of Asheville. The biscuits & gravy were a little disappointing. The biscuits themselves were incredible, the gravy had a tad too much oregano, maybe another herb, for my taste. It was still a delicious dish, but I wouldn't get it again without a side of sausage to help balance out the seasonings. It was a large helping with 2 biscuits & an ample amount of gravy. Overall:...

Came for lunch for the first time. To me, the best part of Louise's Kitchen is the old house ambiance. The Tea in Jars is good too. That's where it ends for me. Service was friendly, but makes you feel rushed. Basically a "What do you want, here it is" experience. I do realize that there's a pandemic, and probably just a Lunch procedure, and I am all for a safer environment for Restaurant Staff. However, ordering at the street before being seated wasn't exactly appealing at all. It was raining and we had to basically hurry up and pick something without being able to sit down and actually browse the menu. Seating within the inside of house is cramped due to the small rooms, and voices are amplified, so don't expect to have a private conversation. I thought the food would make up for the uncomfortable dining experience...as this being a popular/highly rated place. Sadly, it was just average for me. I opted for lunch instead of breakfast. My Philly Cheesteak was unremarkable at best. Reminded me more of a "Steak Um" with peppers. Salad was fresh, but basic. Black Bean Salad tasted like canned black beans served out of the can. Not a great first impression. I have had some great dining experiences in the Black Mountain area. However, L.K. left me feeling like I just had lunch at the local...

This was our 2nd visit thus far, with my Fiancé ordering the BIG BOY BURRITO both times. || On my 1st visit, I got the FRENCH TOAST, which was AMAZINGGG! I'm a sucker for an All-Day Breakfast Menu, especially one surrounded by so much hype, and fortunately for me, it superceded my expectations && did not disappoint. - On this visit however, I decided to take a chance on one of their more Brunch-ish items, the BLT. It was hands-down one of the best BLT sandwiches I've ever had, and easily one of the larger (or most stout) ones too. And it may seem trivial to some, but personally, I really appreciate them providing you with the option of customization, whether it be by offering you your choice of bread via a small selection of various types (I believe 3-4?), or simply be through the act of your Waitress reading over your order aloud with you, just one last time. || Those may seem like minute silly characteristics to take note of when visiting a restaurant, and I'll agree that they absolutely are for the typical customer, haha - But when it comes to being an eater as basic and picky as I am, those small and quirky details hold a lot of weight for me && my overall experience. Therefore - I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Louise's to any and all, and will most definitely be returning in the...