You'll Find The Best Chicken And Doughnuts At This Charming North Carolina Restaurant

Husband and wife, Paul and Sarah Klaassen, both left the high-end dining scene to do something they love while serving the classic comfort food they both enjoy. The two met while working as chefs at the Biltmore Estate and decided the small mountain town of Hendersonville was perfect for settling down, starting a family, and perhaps creating a chicken and doughnut empire.

Paul is a certified executive chef with over 15 years of experience in fine dining, including working at the nearby Bistro at Biltmore. Naturally, Paul is the fried chicken side, using a mix of curated skills infused with a down home touch.

This isn't your average chicken biscuit or sandwich. The perfectly fried chicken is crunchy yet lends to a tender inside. The biscuit is sized to fit the whole sandwich, giving you a taste of both during the dining experience. You can play it safe with a classic chicken sandwich topped with pickles and Duke's mayo. The 'southern' comes with pimento cheese and slaw. The BLT offers no shortage of juicy, thick bacon and garden-fresh tomatoes. My recommendation? You really can't beat the chicken biscuit, keep your eyes peeled on the specials menu as well. Some specials include chicken biscuits with a runny egg, generous helping of cheese, and of course, melt in your mouth gravy.

While HenDough might be a play on chicken and donuts, it's also a nod to the affectionate name many locals call Hendersonville - Hendo. While a chicken and doughnut combination might pop up occasionally, Paul didn't want to mesh the two like your traditional chicken and waffles. Instead, it's a place to pop in for a strong coffee and sweet donut come morning, or fill up on rich chicken sandwiches come afternoon. If you really want to...you can easily purchase a plain glazed and eat it alongside your fried chicken (or save it for dessert).

If you want to try the fried chicken straight up, you can order by the piece. Make sure to save room for sides...especially the gouda mac and cheese.

While Paul has the chicken covered, Sarah uses her pastry background to elevate the classic donut to something worthy of an Instagram picture. More than your classic donut, but perhaps a work of art, Sarah has been in the industry for over a decade and honed in on the rise of 'Insta-worthy' desserts. While some flavors remain a constant others rotate daily.

Classic flavors include creme brulee with thick dough encompassing a rich, creamy center. There's also the more cake-based espresso caramel or Nutella crunch. Right now they're even offering an 'eclipse donut' with a large dark chocolate center circled by orange curd and white chocolate. HenDough also nods to the local apple industry by featuring a stellar caramel apple crumb donut.