Southern Craft Restaurant & Bar in Parkersburg, West Virginia, offers a refined take on Southern and Cajun cuisine inspired by the owners’ years spent living in Louisiana The menu highlights made-from-scratch dishes such as gumbo, shrimp and grits, Cajun red snapper, and lobster mac and cheese, alongside decadent desserts like bread pudding with homemade rum sauce. The fettuccine arrives in a glossy, rich cream-sauce base, lush with lobster-bisque-like warmth but grounded by a subtle Cajun heat that lingers on the tongue. Generous lumps of crab meat are interspersed through the wide ribbons of pasta, offering pockets of sweet shellfish that contrast nicely with the velvety sauce. The texture hits well: the pasta is al dente, the crab firm but tender, and the sauce coats everything without feeling too heavy—just enough richness to satisfy without overwhelming. The jambalaya has a bold Cajun heat that lingers just enough to remind you it’s Southern-Creole, but it never overwhelms the other elements. The sausage adds a savory, slightly spicy punch, while the tender proteins and vegetables contribute mellow warmth and color. The dish is hearty and comforting — think home-style with a refined twist. Have you been? Grade: A

This rainy day has me reminiscing about a comforting meal I had recently in Huntington at the Gumbo Stop Cafe.



The cajun and creole restaurant is located at Heritage Station and helps fill a gap in our culinary scene, which I really appreciate. Serving po'boys, jambalaya, etouffee and more, the restaurant has so many tempting offerings that it's tough to choose just one.



It's a really small space, but bright with color and smiling faces. There are only a handful of tables in here, so takeout is a safe bet. I went with the muffuletta sandwich, which has layers of pistachio-mortadella, spicy capicola, genoa salami, mozzarella, provolone, house olive salad, on sesame seed Gambino's Italian bread. 



When I had the original sandwich in New Orleans, I fell in love. So I was excited to get a version locally. And, I think it holds up pretty well! The original version was almost like compressed - there's no empty space in that sandwich. Every bit is smashed down and full of flavor. This sandwich was a touch fluffier, which makes it a bit more difficult to get a bite of all the flavors at once. BUT, that's an easily solved problem: unhinge your jaw. Quality meats, ample olive salad and a good bread make this sandwich sing. I was happy. 



I also ordered some jambalaya. The top was much soupier than I expected, but once I dug my spoon down below the surface to get some of the rice and andouille sausage, mmm-mmm was it flavorful. I mixed it all up so all those juices helped moisten the rice. Scallions make everything better. 



They even have delicious desserts. No banana pudding on this day - but an incredible (pineapple?) cake with strawberries and whipped cream was juuuust delish. 



Go, and go now.

Grade: A

Ah, after a long first day of tasting bourbon (tough work, I tell ya), it was time for dinner back in Lexington! Bourbon n' Toulouse kept coming up in ranking after ranking after ranking - and it got the Brittany stamp of approval - so we ventured to this cajun and creole joint.

It's an eclectic group of diners - from businessmen to college kids. We ordered at the counter; I went with a 1/2 and 1/2 of chicken etouffee and black beans & caramelized corn. The chicken etouffee is their top seller, with its spicy roux base. The black beans and caramelized corn features red bell peppers in a light cream sauce and is vegetarian.

After a short wait, they call our name at the counter and walk up to fetch our plastic plate overflowing with food. We took it back to a table that was surrounded with what looked like a mini version of the French Quarter - beads and artwork abound.

The chicken etouffee had a good, fairly mild flavor with a kick of heat. It is a different kind of cuisine than what I'm used to eating, but it was tasty. Not one I typically gravitate toward, but I appreciate it for what it is.The corn was a perfect balance because it was sightly sweet, so the two went together swimmingly.

I enjoyed my meal, and before we left, I even got an "Ale 8," because I was told I absolutely must have one while in Kentucky. I actually didn't get a chance to drink it until a few days later (I kept it in the hotel refrigerator), but it wasn't bad. I'm not sure what to think of it. A mellower Mountain Dew, maybe? Like a diet or flat gingerale? Not bad, but considering I don't drink pop often, not something I'd go crazy about.


Grade: A

Cajun food in the middle of West Virginia? That's a first.



Gumbo's, in Fayetteville, claims to be West Virginia's only cajun restaurant. So, for dinner, Lisa and I stopped here after our day of skiing.

I've already talked about how much I love Fayetteville (I really do), and places like this confirm it. Cute, locally owned restaurants? Yes. Parking was right outside, and jazz music was playing from the speakers, which welcomed us into the restaurant.



The interior was home to what looked like reclaimed-wood tables, fresh flowers and mason jars.



We were hungry, so appetizers were a must. The Black & Bleu Shrimp sounded good - jumbo shrimp blackened and finished with blue cheese crumble? That's different.



Well, it's exactly what you'd think it would be. It was about six large shrimp with blue cheese sprinkled on top. I can't say this was my favorite combo. The cheese was just pretty overpowering for the shrimp flavor. I thought maybe there would be some more blackening spices or something to balance it all out. It wasn't bad, just not super great, either.



Next was my house salad. They had a nice selection of homemade dressings, like a creole tomato basil (which I got) and summer berry vinaigrette (which Lisa got). And it was really, really good. The dressing was like a slightly spicier French dressing. Delicious. Plus I loved the carrots, fresh greens and crisp onions.

My main entree was shrimp and grits, because I'm on this never-ending quest to find the perfect dish. And these, well, they were pretty good. Its presentation is gorgeous, alone, with tons of fresh green and red peppers, onions, bacon, shrimp, sausage and grits. While it looks beautiful, there were definitely too many peppers. BUT once I got to the shrimp and grits, it was all good. It had this nice kind of smokey flavor, and the shrimp were plump. Pretty good.

Lisa got the gumbo, which is basically a mixture of all the seafood ever in a thick sauce with rice. It's not the most photogenic, but it's one of those comfort dishes. ALSO, the BEST PART: Lisa found a PEARL in her oyster.

How cool is that?

We both also got dessert. I went for a guinness cheesecake, while Lisa got an apple dumpling.

My dessert was not bad, but the chocolate was dark and pretty bitter. Meh. I mean, cheesecake can't be bad, I don't think. But this wasn't my favorite.

So, Gumbo's is good in my book. I could go for some more seasoning on the appetizer, a sauce or fruit that complements the cheesecake better - for my tastes, of course. Just a few little things I'd have done differently, but I liked my meal overall. I like the idea of this place, and I think it may be the only place in the state to get cajun food.

Grade: B