Feasting And Frolicking At Biltmore Estate

Photo from our 6th floor room.  All photos by: Melissa Arditti

The next morning, we were up early and ready to start another exciting day.

Heading downstairs, I contemplated what I would have for breakfast. After such an amazing meal the previous night at The Bistro, I was still quite full. Our server started talking about the breakfast buffet and so when “smoked salmon” was heard, my dad said “I’ll have the buffet!” Tempted, but not hungry enough to make it worth our while, my mom and I ordered off the menu.

So we had an egg-white artichoke quiche, which was so flavourful and light. I really like the idea of using egg-whites as opposed to the whole egg, at times. I chose hash browns as my side and my mom substituted the carbs for grilled tomatoes.

Entering, this is what you have to look forward to as a “morning” view in the dining room.  Formal yet relaxed.

Here is the buffet. Take your pick. There’s smoked salmon, fresh fruit, sausages, bacon, yogurt, waffles, an omelette station and freshly-baked sweet treats galore. I’d consider this “brunch” for sure.

My favourite photo that we’re going to get framed of my parents in the beautiful Biltmore lobby, as we were waiting to find out when the next shuttle bus would arrive.

After breakfast, we took the shuttle bus to the Estate Gardens again. Rain was in the forecast and so it was a short trip, but still lovely as ever, as you can see.

Heading back, we went for a late lunch and attempted to eat light with 2 chopped salads and a cobb salad. Portions were great, everything was fresh with mixed greens, corn, and I just love broccolini! We were fortunate to be able to have lunch with Leann Donnelly and she shared with us more about the history of Biltmore and her love of Biltmore’s twist on a grilled cheese sandwich.

One thing that is quite special here is the afternoon tea. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was going to be starting shortly after we had our lunch. There was no way I could eat another bite, but it is surely something to try out on a future visit with such a selection of high quality loose leaf teas, scones and sandwiches, just like they do in England.

Dinner time, my dad tried a bison burger for the first time. He didn't have it with a bun or any toppings (sure, now’s the time to eat light!) so I don’t have a photo to share because it was just a piece of meat on a plate with a side salad, as he requested. However, he said it was very different than regular cow beef, and significantly lighter. So a nice switch once in a while.

I was feeling a tad English after emailing my best friend from the UK and telling him all about my adventures of the day. So I had fish and chips (minus the chips, I asked for grilled vegetables).

My mom tried the grilled tuna which she enjoyed a lot. It is meant to be medium-rare, so that was something new to learn. On the side were some tasty zucchini sticks.

As we were eating, we heard some lovely music from this modern elegant trio!

To end our amazing stay at Biltmore, we tried the creme bruele with a biscotti. We shared just one. Perfect amount of sweetness, I loved the subtle burnt caramel flavour and the biscotti was made to dip into the rich and creamy custard.