We are on vacation, a much needed one. Even though I had just gotten out of my walking boot and am still limping, I insisted we get away.

Our destination? The high country of North Carolina where we have come for most of our 44 years of marriage. It is like home away from home to us.

Since you are now aware of our love for good food, you won’t be surprised that this is a big part of any get away for us, whether we’re cooking in or dining out. We love local food.

We enjoyed an amazing fish and chicken restaurant on our way North. It is right off I-95 in the town of Brunswick. The place isn’t fancy; It is set in an old Waffle House. The food is authentic Georgia cooking at its finest in the humblest of settings. But when it comes to good food it’s the heart of the chef that matters. If they love what they do, we’ll usually love what they cook. Jay’s Fish and Chicken is no exception.

Last night we enjoyed the other end of the spectrum when it comes to dining out. It is our favorite high-end restaurant—Artisanal Restaurant in Banner Elk, NC.

The atmosphere is classy but comfortable. The service is impeccable. The food is like this blog title states—fine art that tastes as good as it looks.

This meal was special as we were celebrating Tom’s birthday. When we told our server she brought us complimentary champagne to toast the night. A nice touch!

An added bonus was meeting one of the owners, Anita Green. Her husband, Bill, is the Chef. We found out he is a native of Banner Elk and started in a humble location in 2009. Realizing where they are now is a result of his skills learned at the Culinary Institute of America—another favorite restaurant we enjoyed years ago on my birthday. Maybe I’ll share that in an upcoming post.

Now for the food—We had a three course Prix fixe menu. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

What a feast for the eyes and the palate. We enjoyed everything about this night, but mostly the fact that we have still each other to celebrate such events.

As the sun sets on this evening, we are thanking God for another year of life.

Bon Appetit!