Absolutely wonderful experience all round. We had the devilled eggs (life changing) and the steak tartare (delicious) and the scallop quenelle which was some sort of religious experience. For our mains we had the poached shrimp vichyssoise and the pork belly with some of the most delicious beans I’ve ever had. The wine was great. The service was stellar. Literally don’t have a bad word to say. We loved every second of this incredible dining experience! We have no pictures of the food to add because it was all too delicious to even stop to take a photo.
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What a great dinner! We had the deviled eggs, the steak and two desserts! Service was amazing and food extremely satisfying!
From the pastries for the table to start through to the delicious entrees, best meal on this trip to Asheville. Excellent service. Full service restaurant. Need reservations. Can't go wrong.
This is by far one of our favorite Asheville restaurants. Always the freshest of ingredients and wonderful flavors. The vibe is a neighborhood restaurant with upscale food.
I had one of the best meals I have ever had in my life at Vivian. I had the pork belly - then we shared an order of carrots and the buttermilk rhubarb pana cotta. It’s a meal I’d drive back to Asheville (12 hours round trip) to enjoy again. The service was outstanding - personal, warm, and friendly. Ambiance was just exactly what we wanted. Cannot wait for our next visit.
We've heard really great things about Vivian and came in for my partner's birthday dinner. Definitely get a reservation, as they are quite busy. The service was fantastic- our server was attentive and ready to give any information we wanted about the dishes. Their cocktail menu and beer selection is creative. The menu has a range of small bites to main dishes….we ordered 4 shareable plates- the deviled eggs were great, the oysters were great, the salmon tartare had little flavor and the scallop quenelle was very disappointing. We ordered two desserts that were fantastic. Overall, I would not return for a meal- the tab was over $100 and we were hungry within an hour of eating. The portions are tiny and pricey. I would return for a cocktail and dessert, as it seems this is where they really shine and the prices are fair for drinks and desserts.
Everything we had here was delicious, we especially liked the salmon tartare. The desserts were a little too big for one person.
We went here for a date night and had the smoked oysters, deviled eggs, poached shrimp, and steak. All of which were phenomenal. The wait staff were awesome too
I finally got a chance to have dinner at Vivian. I liked the vibe and the staff. I was more ambivalent about the food. This small restaurant is in the location of the much-missed Junction restaurant on Depot Street in the RAD. Vivian has some old-school appetizers, such as beef tartare, scallop quenelle and smoked oysters. I had the oysters ($14 for four oysters). Tasty, but why not just serve fresh oysters on the half shell? Entrées change but include a 14 oz. ribeye steak with a very full-flavored red wine sauce ($42) and seared Maine scallops (around $32 I think). On the evening I visited, the scallops had been replaced by seared shrimp, so I went with the steak. It's an interesting take on beef, covered with carmelized onions and loaded with rich, dark sauce. Main courses are priced from the $20s to $40s, and appetizers are mostly in the mid-teens. The staff is friendly. Vivian has a nicely selected, if somewhat expensive, wine list (though, oddly, you can't get a glass of Cab or even Merlot) and not-too-expensive craft cocktails. There's free street parking and also in a lot across Depot Street. Currently Vivian is only open three evenings a week plus Sunday brunch, so reservations are usually a good idea.Currently Vivian is only open three evenings a week plus Sunday brunch, so reservations are usually a good idea.
Delicious three course meal for three at $200 with tip (no alcohol but many fancy NA drinks). Space is hip industrial with a nice, calm kitchen view. Attentive service by the team. Excellent food including awesome steak (with house made sauce), multiple seafood options, and a few additional main items. Extensive drink menu, if interested.