The foods from the sun drenched shores of the Mediterranean Sea are among the healthiest, most appealing and most delicious found anywhere in the world.  This is because the emphasis is always on freshness and versatility, with an eye for color and balance in each dish.  The deep secret, of   course, is in the choice and subtle use of the extensive varieties of spices, herbs and oils that come from this fertile region.

Many hundreds of years ago, the fame of these delicacies began to spread, and great ships began to ply the beautiful deep green waters of the Mediterranean brings these goods to the rest of the world. In the northeastern corner, where Europe and Asia meet, there is a strait of water called the Bosphorus.

There traders could sail from Asia into the heart of this golden land, up through a narrowing called the Dardenelles, directly to the Red Sea. There sits the ancient, holy city of Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, and its great harbor--the Golden Horn.

Built by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine, and expanded by the sultans of the Ottoman Empire, the city and its Golden Horn became the hub of the lucrative trade between Europe and Asia, bringing the  mysteries of Eastern spices and silk to the West, and sending forth in turn, the sumptuous goods of the Mediterranean.

To this day, the name Golden Horn still brings to mind the lushness, fertility and vibrancy associated with the lifestyle and cuisine of the Mediterranean Sea--the crossroads of the ancient world.

We are proud to be able to bring some of the wonders of the Golden Horn to the people of Asheville. It is a great pleasure to serve a cuisine with such a flavorful history, and our hope is that you find pleasure in it as well.