There are so many incredible businesses in West Virginia - especially in the food arena. I love going to The Wild Ramp in Huntington to not only check out the outdoor farmers, but also see the vendor goods inside (and each some goodies from the kitchen!).
There are so many good products out there, I wanted to share some of my recent haul, including these hot sauces from Native Eats.
Holy Cross Monastery is a traditional, English-speaking men's monastic community of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, located in Wayne, WV. They make soaps and other products for sale! I also got some of this Panforte to try, which is like a spice cake with fruit.
It was interesting.
Ooh and Appalachian Botanical Co. has lovely lavender that you can put in a dresser drawer to keep all your clothes smelling fresh.
They also have their own honey and salt.
Sneak peek of some of the delicious things that come out of Harvest Kitchen.
This kitchen inside The Wild Ramp uses food from local vendors to create some delicious meals.
Scragglepop is a kettlecorn business that can be seen at events, stores and elsewhere in the area. They have a bunch of different flavors, but the traditional was available at the Wild Ramp, and I was excited to bring some home.
Wired Possum Coffee is a new coffee roaster in Hurricane, and I always like to collect some beans from local roasters. They roast in small batches and create interesting flavors.
Meet the Roaster: Our roaster, Daniel Schumacher, discovered his love of coffee while working the graveyard shift in 2006. Going to his favorite coffee shop in the evening before work helped put him in the right mindset for getting his job done well. Over time he’s visited shops and roasteries around the country, appreciating the craftsmanship and attention to detail they each bring from the bean to the cup. Upon moving to Hurricane in early 2020, Daniel decided to take his passion to the next level by opening Wired Possum Coffee.
Just a few more odds and ends - Toms Creek Smoked Chipotle Maple Syrup. This Wayne family farm grows produce in the summer and makes maple syrup in the winter.
Cedar Run Farm Maple Syrup is really popular in the area; In addition to their syrup, they also grow Christmas trees! Finally, Sugar Bottom Farm produces honey - plus other home and body products.
What are your favorite finds?
You may have seen the Twisted Grille food truck around the area, but did you know they now have a physical location in Barboursville? It's not huge, but there are a handful of tables for indoor dining, as well as TVs if you want to watch the game.
Specializing in breakfast, Mexican dishes, sandwiches, hot dogs, and burgers, the restaurant has a little bit of everything. But I thought it would be fun to be able to try a couple of their specialties in a breakfast burrito - a 10" tortilla stuffed with eggs, cheddar jack cheese and a meat of your choice. I went with the specialty pipeliner, which had sausage, hash browns and country sausage gravy added.
After a little bit of a wait, my burrito was steaming hot and ready to go. It was large and in charge and stuffed full of egg and other tasty bits. This was definitely heavier on the egg that the other components, which was especially evident in the edges where I tended to get a bit bite of tortilla only. Still, lots of melty cheese to bring it all together. Not bad.
Grade: B
Cacapon Mountain Brewing is one of the newest breweries in the state - and I might say, it's also one of the most beautiful.
Located in Berkeley Springs, this space has sky-high ceilings, tabletops, metal accents and lovely greenery all throughout. It is clean, modern, yet cozy.
When I went, it was not too busy - but that's also because we're in the middle of a pandemic. I put in an order for pork carnitas, which were garnished with white onion, cilantro, a lime wedge and came with a side of green or red salsa. These were more in a traditional vein and were tasty. I prefer mine with a heavy spritz of the lime.
Their tap list includes a helles, dry Irish stout, session IPA, hazy pale ale, Czech pilsner, Belgian pale ale and English pub ale. I went home with a growler of the Poor Tom - English Pub Ale - Brewed with Golden Promise malt and Goldings, Fuggle and Celeia hops for a light yet deeply malty ale with earthy and fruity notes from the hops and yeast. This was good - light and more malty than hoppy (which is my preference).
Have you been? What has been your favorite?
Grade: A
While passing through Ansted, I approached Dixie's Drive-In. This drive-in restaurant is named after the owners' late golden retriever. While the name "Dixie" is often associated with the Confederacy, I was happy to see cute drawings of the pup, rather than flags, adorning the building.
When I pulled into a parking space, it seemed like the restaurant was pretty busy - there were lines of people at the ordering and pick-up windows. It didn't appear they were offering carside service, which is a bummer because I think that's part of the charm of a "drive in" restaurant.
But as I approached the window to order, it was clear the restaurant is still "drive in" in concept - with milkshakes, sundaes, cones, and sandwiches, hot dogs, and burgers. I ordered a cookie dough sundae and after a bit of a wait, my number was called and the "Dixie Blast" (aka Blizzard) was in my hands.
They don't skimp, that's for sure. My cup was filled to the brim, and on this hot day, it hit the spot. It was melty before I left the lot, but you can't really go wrong with ice cream. Overall, a nice treat.
Grade: B
When I think of White Sulphur Springs, I tend to think of The Greenbrier.
But, lately, there have been some new businesses opening that are helping to set White Sulphur Springs apart from that standard association.
There's a block of buildings on Main Street that is now home to a couple restaurants, an event space, and a brewery with an outdoor beer garden.
My first stop at this complex was at The Local Cafe. This coffee shop has ice cream, as well as some grab-and-go sandwiches and salads.
I ordered the Appalachian Affogato, which is a scoop of your choice of ice cream and a shot of hot espresso over top. Typically, you'd eat this with a spoon, but since we were heading out of town, I got mine in a to-go cup and enjoyed this sort-of coffee milkshake. I like my coffee on the sweet side, so I was all about this combination.
I also tried an apple coffee cake pastry, which was okay. I arrived at the end of the day, so it was a bit more dry than I'd love. But, it would be perfect for dipping into coffee. If my coffee wasn't already floating in ice cream.
Have you been here yet?
Grade: A
There are quite a few Sam's Hot Dog Stand locations in southern West Virginia that serve up steamed buns, all-beef hot dogs, chili and slaw to make the iconic West Virginia hot dog. The most recent Sam's location that I discovered is in Point Pleasant. It's located in a small strip with a few other businesses. I actually didn't go inside, but rather went through the drive through. It was odd, though, that there wasn't a menu posted outside to order from.
I knew what I wanted anyway - the traditional WV slawdog. The bun was less steamed and more hard. Maybe stale? Maybe a previous toast? Either way, I like the steamed bun, and this one had a bit more slaw than I'd love. Overall, though, still a good version of a slawdog. Flavorful chili, good slaw consistency, not bad.
Grade: B
Main Street Grill in is a hidden gem in Romney. The Romney location is actually the second branch of the restaurant Main Street Diner, with the original being in Slanesville - but I haven't had a chance to visit that one, yet.
This space is really cool. From the outside, it looks like five different buildings that abut one another and have a specialty: soda shoppe, seafood, grill, steaks, pasta.
When you arrive inside, it's one large space. But the menu does reflect those various options - and even more than that, including "China Town Bowls," "Skillet Sensations," wings, wraps, etc.
We got started with a fresh mini loaf of bread and a dab of butter. Mmm-mmm. Buttery, full of gluten and just a hint of sweetness.
Then, my milkshake was delivered. This caramel milkshake was everything. Why isn't this in the standard lineup along with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry everywhere?
I ordered a crab cake so I could try something from the seafood section. It had some decent flavor, though I tend to love mine with a nice crisp crust on the outside. And giant chunks of white crab meat. The remoulade had a slight kick, which was nice.
For my entree, I went with "General Tso's Chicken" - Everything's on Main Street... Boneless breaded chicken breast tossed in General Tso Sauce with broccoli and rice. It's not every day you find a Chinese-American dish at a place that doesn't focus on that cuisine, so I was interested. And, it was very good. The meat was white and moist - no stringy or gristley bits. I also love long bites of broccoli. And then that sauce drips down in the white rice, creating my favorite part. Overall, a very tasty meal.
Grade: A
I have been to Berkeley Springs Brewing previously in their prior location, but since they have moved spaces and expanded, I needed to make another trip.
This brewery, located along Michigan Lane in Berkeley Springs, is especially unique because Berkeley Springs is known for its spring water. And, beer is all about the water. So, it has a great selling proposition for its beverages.
The flagship styles for Berkeley Springs Brewing include Cacapon Kolsch, American Amber, Berkeley Brown, Warm Springs Pale Ale, Stonewall IPA, Old Oak Stout, and Lover's Leap IPA.
They also produce Mountain Top Tea beverages, which are low ABV, low calorie, low carb with natural flavor (and many are gluten free) seltzer alternatives. Flavors include: Blackberry, Early Grey Tea, Green Tea Sour and Mandarin Orange Rooibos.
They even had a hard kombucha, which I took home with me on this particular occasion - just because it's different. I'm not sure I know of another brewery in the state doing a hard kombucha.
The space inside is large, with wooden beams and a huge, wooden bar. There is space for groups, but also lots of bar seating. So I ordered a snack as I took in the space.
The menu features everything from nachos and hummus to BBQ pulled pork and Belgian waffles. That's not to mention their specials, which on this day included a Cranberry-Walnut Brie Plate that I could not pass up. It was served with a large baked brie topped with cranberry and walnuts and served with pita bread.
I snacked on this all the way back to Charleston. The kombucha, of course, had to wait.
But both were delish. I really appreciate the creative approach to both the beer and food - to branch out and try some weird stuff. It's a fun departure from my regular rotations of beer.
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