Located off Main Street in downtown Highlands, is a restaurant you will make sure not to miss. A tiny doorway leads you to a staircase to the first floor of Oak Street Cafe where a casual dining room playing Gypsy King music awaits you. A cheerful server greets you and seats you to your table overlooking the most popular street in town.
The menu is deceptive at first. You see is Hummus, Fried Green Tomatoes and Escargot…what is theme here? The menu has traditional American, European and Southern influences but everything is well prepared and authentic to it’s flavors. You order a glass of wine from a carefully selected wine list and contemplate your next move.
In the kitchen is a 25 year old chef who apprenticed with former Executive Chef of Oak Street Cafe, Mark Hibbs. Hibbs was nominated for the Best Chef of South East by Prestigious James Beard Foundation in 2009 and has left his legacy behind at the restaurant.
The signature Mushroom Bisque is acclaimed among the locals so you have to give it a try. Simple, light and flavorful, the mushrooms tease your taste buds while preparing your appetite for greater things to come.
Next is another uncomplicated Apple and Walnut Salad Mixed Greens, with sliced green apples, spiced walnuts, crumbled blue cheese and dried cranberries tossed in a mild vinaigrette. It is the perfect blend of sweet, tangy, smooth and crisp. It feels like the radicchio dressed appropriately for the occasion.
For entree comes Carolina’s favorite Shrimp and Grits. No southern meal goes complete without it so why should you leave before tasting the succulent sauteed shrimp resting on melt-in your-mouth creamy Cheese Grits drizzled with scallions, mushrooms and bacon swimming in a delicate lobster broth.
And if you are still not satisfied with the perfectly cooked dishes so far, the Chicken Kiev will transport you back to a home in Eastern Europe. Stuffed With cheese, Garlic Butter and Herbs Served With Julienne Vegetables and Roasted Potatoes. A chicken breast is stuffed with cheddar cheese, garlic butter and herbs, and fried leaving the meat juicy and tender, with a gooey cheesy interior that makes it wonderful comfort food.
A sweet ending is a must to round out this meal, so you get oh nothing fancy, just a good old Creme Brulee. It’s made home style and has just the right amount of burned sugar to crack with your spoon and is just plain delicious.
332 Main Street, Highlands, NC
828.787.2200
