Riverside Cafe is a bar and grill in Winfield that I think most. would consider a dive. Kinda dark, kinda loud, filled with locals. 



I went with my friends Liz and Dwight; we pulled up these like Adirondack chairs that were more fun to lounge in than try to sit and eat. We were off in the newer section of the building, which was nicer, but loud and hard to get the attention of someone to serve us.



But when we did, I ordered the Riverside Sampler with hot pepper cheeseballs, pretzels with beer cheese, and bang bang shrimp - which were really just breaded cocktail shrimp.



I typically enjoy all these things individually, but they were pretty average individually. The shrimp were a bummer, and I typically like the cheese balls with a bit more heat. And the pretzels were fine - the beer cheese was average too. In general, I think the flavor could've been bumped up on all of these. But, not bad.
  
Grade: C

You'll never find the hidden gems if you don't sometimes take a risk. Sometimes that risk may be stopping at a Mexican restaurant attached to a gas station in Winfield, West Virginia. 



Roxy's Tacos, also known as Eliz Tacos, serves tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas and dinners. There are a handful of tables in the restaurant area, but I imagine most folks go for carry-out. I don't know why but steak fajita nachos were calling my name.



And, these were pretty good! They had some great seasoning and a nice helping of veggies. I wouldn't have hated some fresh herbs or something on top to bring a bit of freshness. Or even a unique sauce. But all in all, not too shabby.

Grade: B

A new BBQ joint opened up in Winfield, and Dawn and I made our way over there to check it out.



Mo Betta BBQ, located at 12474 Winfield Road, sells pork, chicken, beef and brisket. You can purchase them by the pound - and they're listed at market price, which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine - but you can also get the BBQ as part of a combo, sandwich or platter. 



I went with a platter so that I could get two sides, which is often my favorite part of BBQ! Brisket, loaded potato salad and macaroni & cheese. Plus a garlic parmesan cornbread muffin and honey BBQ sauce on the side.  



The potato salad was great - it had lots of flavor with a little bit of kick. The mac & cheese was average - but thick and creamy. The brisket was good, though I would have preferred fewer fatty pieces and more bark. But that's personal preference.



They also have some desserts that look amazing, but we didn't partake on this visit. Have you been?



Grade: B

As I get the craving for Chinese, I'm making my way way through new restaurants in the Kanawha Valley. Next on the list is Asian Wok in Winfield.



The restaurant is still closed for indoor dining, and they have a large plastic covering at the front where you pass through your payment and receive your food. I had called ahead and placed an order for honey chicken and an egg roll. They were out of a few other things I wanted to try - like whatever "chicken balls" are. 



The honey chicken was pretty standard in flavor - sticky sweet, which I enjoy with the savory chicken. I only wish the breading had stood up and remained crispier. But had I eaten it there, it probably would've done so. 



The eggroll was solid and standard. Heavy on the cabbage and not as much on the protein, but nice and crisp on the outside.



Grade: B

It's getting cooler outside, which means food trucks will be few and far between. But I managed to make a trip to Winfield to check out Jimmy Krack Korn. 



Their main draw may be their kettle corn or pork rinds, but they also have a whole menu of sandwiches.



When I saw "homemade meatloaf sandwich," I was instantly sold. It's one of those comfort foods for me that I also just think is delicious if done right. Right, in my mind, is with a sweeter tomato sauce, super moist with onions and breading and just *chef's kiss* delicious. 



I watched as the cook took two slices of bread, buttered them and put them on the griddle. While the bread got all buttery and toasty, a slice of meatloaf sizzled on the griddle as a piece of cheese gently melted overtop. 



The result? A hot, cheesy, messy meatloaf sandwich that was both comforting and satisfying. 

Grade: A

It's time to try the Tudor's biscuit favorite of my vegetarian friends: The Dottie.



Winfield is home to a new-to-me location, so I made my way to their Tudor's Biscuit World. It looks more modern than many locations, with a single level and brick exterior. The menu is standard - they all are. Let's talk about the biscuit.



The Dottie has egg, cheese and hashbrown - no meat. So each individual part here is crucial. And, this is when I learned that a really crispy hash brown just completely changes the sandwich. This all is pretty dense and carby, so I ended up adding some ketchup. But my mind has been changed on the hashbrown. It totally changes the sandwich. If it's cripsy, it's delicious. If it's soggy, don't bother.

Small-town dairies are my favorite. And Winfield Dairy Freeze is no exception.

The Dairy Freeze has burgers, BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs, and other sandwiches. Plus a variety of fried sides like potato skins, french fries, onion rings, fried mushrooms, broccoli bites and more.

But the real star for me, as always, is the ice cream. They have a version of the blizzard called "Kandy Koolers."

I went through the drive-thru (!!) and ordered a medium Oreo Kandy Kooler.

The medium is not only huge, but there are real, huge chunks of Oreo in it! I can't wait to try the other flavors.