A Night to Remember

Written By: Tricia Smith | Issue: September 2024 | Photograph By: Susan Renfro

Hello, I’m Tricia Smith, the partner of Luke Osteen, editor of Laurel Magazine.

In his restaurant reviews, I’m usually in the background – referenced as “my Sweetie,” “my dining companion,” and in one regrettable round-up, “my official mistress.”

But there’s one Plateau dining destination for which I throw off my designation as “food taster” and “collateral diner” and seize control of this space – Fire Mountain Resort & Spa’s Cloud 7 Restaurant.

Now I’ve covered Fire Mountain’s former restaurant twice before, prior to its purchase this year by Laura and Tom Puckett. I chose to review this exclusive space at the edge of Scaly Mountain because it’s such a precious experience.

Here’s what I said about our first visit:

“Of all the restaurants we’ve visited, all the varied menus, all the carefully appointed décor, all the wonderfully indulgent service, Cloud 7 is by far my favorite. It’s that very distance from the heart of Highlands that gives Cloud 7 its undeniable tranquility. You’re instantly soothed. The carefully landscaped grounds create a Zen state and the view from our terrace table (shaded by old growth oaks) revealed the ridges of five distinct mountain ranges. This was accompanied by the sound of water cascading down a beautiful walled fountain just a few feet from our table.”

So when Luke received this assignment to review Could 7, I knew it was time to once more assert my voice.

So first of all, let me address the ambiance, which is what drew me in so long ago.

Yep, it’s still there, as close to tranquility as we’re to get this side of Bali. The cascading water, the gentle breeze, the doe and her fawn nibbling on the downed apples at the edge of the property and the immense vistas stretching out forever. I could feel the cares of my hectic week slipping away within moments of being seated.

And – this is critical – we were greeted so warmly by our restaurant manager/server/concierge Philippa. She welcomed us with a smile that could crack ice and a sunny disposition that immediately made us feel like old friends, “insiders” in this fun enterprise atop Fire Mountain.

We ordered appetizers, Roast Beet Salad for me – Osage Farm baby arugula, local goat cheese, roasted beets and toasted walnuts. Exquisite! And I’m one of those people who believes that beets usually taste like dirt!

Luke played it conservative with the Cloud 7 Caesar, but his philosophy has always been that a carefully selected appetizer/soup/salad is a pretty good indicator of the kitchen’s attention to detail and the subsequent entrée presentation.

The kitchen got it right. Chef Pierre has clearly mastered Cloud 7’s concise menu.

We devoured (with as was much restraint as decorum required):

Chicken Francese – Springer Mountain chicken cutlets pounded thin and dredged in egg wash, served with a lemon butter and a white wine sauce; and Trout Picatta served with lemon butter caper sauce, Carolina gold rice, with toasted pecans.

(You’ll notice that I’ve emphasized Osage Farm vegetables and Springer Mountain chicken – the chef has obviously made a commitment to seek out the bounty of nearby farms. Hooray!)

And, though I often suggest to my patients that they cut back a bit on sweets, somehow it didn’t seem appropriate for us to turn down Vanilla Bean Crème Brule and Chocolate Heaven Cake with Espresso Cream. Thank you, Marjorie and Janet, for forcing us to make these sacrifices!