Laughing Seed Cafe
40 Wall St
Asheville, NC 28801 USA
(828) 252-3445
- 4/18/2010
5/5 stars
So I'm trying to find relatively quick food on Sunday at brunch-ish. I'd been meaning to try Laughing Seed, they didn't have a wait, and I have *not* been eating enough vegetables lately.
Overall, the food was pretty good. I had the Sooner Sunday sampler. The flavors were strong and the food hearty., It's not bland mush, but it's also not the crazy concoctions like at Cafe Gratitude in the SF area. Good grits, much better than many I've had. Neat chips for scooping up left-over grits, guac, and gravy. I'm not at all a fan of tofu, but theirs was fun. A little curry makes it a tasty yellow scramble. That's kinda the downside to me, too. Some of the pieces were trying to be "replacements" for meat/egg dishes. I'm not vegetarian, so I don't see the need for that… But they still tasted great.
This cafe is atop Jack of the Wood, so they have Green Man brews on-tap. I have to remember that for some evening in Asheville… There also was a cocktail on the brunch menu that looked divine, but it also looked too potent for someone about to jump back on the road.
Service was *fantastic*. I was in a little bit of a hurry, and my waitress was always available. Other people seemed relaxed and unhurried, and I only saw them served and not pestered.
I hate giving five stars on a first visit, even with the Asheville bump. I fully intended on a four-star review promising a follow-up visit. But then… One waitress came over from across the cafe… She recognized my shirt, a somewhat stylized Dalek along with "Exterminate." Sometimes people don't understand and scoot away from me… But we shared a little fan-oid squee moment about the good Doctor. Any place with hearty food, great service, *and* a Whovian on staff will end up with five stars from me.