Royal Restaurant is a beloved institution in Keyser. The family restaurant has been around since 1904 serving up diner favorites and breakfast all day.
When I was seated, I saw some groups of folks who seem like they had probably been coming here for years and had made lots of memories around this place. They had regular orders and inside jokes, and it was a real feel-good gathering space. The interior is well-worn and well-loved but clean and simple.
I mixed both breakfast and lunch by ordering a cheeseburger and a side of home fries. Plus a topping of cheese and onion.
The burger wasn't bad, but a little extra done for my liking. The potatoes had ample cheese, but I was hoping they would be a little bit crispier. Standard mom and pop fare that is filling, for sure.
Grade: B
I think I've been to about 100 Rio Grande restaurants in my lifetime so let's add one more in Huntington. I kid, but it is a pretty common name for Mexican-American restaurants, and I distinguish this Rio Grande by noting that it is on 5th Avenue.
I placed a take-out order for lunch, which included chips and salsa, and the enchiladas suizas, which came with grilled chicken, tomatillo sauce and queso.
It wasn't really a looker of a plate, but that could be in part because it was to go. it seemed pretty on par with other Mexican-American restaurants in the region. Salsa was thin, but I enjoyed the flavor, even though it could use a bit more spice. The texture of the enchiladas in the sauce left something to be desired, but they were full of grilled chicken that was seasoned well and it's hard to beat the cheese dip.
Grade: B
"New Heritage Distilling, LLC focuses on making delicious apple brandy! Distilled from cider provided by our friends at Winchester Ciderworks, we just love the flavor the apples yield once they are distilled and oak treated. We couldn't be happier to be making brandy in Canaan Valley and the beautiful mountains of Tucker County. Following the renovation of an old 1970's gas and service station, the site not only lends itself, but is perfect for distillation. We are in the heart of Davis, WV and sit right on the Blackwater River with gorgeous views."
I was literally driving around the corner in Davis West Virginia when I saw a small sign that said distillery. I followed the sign around back to see New Heritage Distilling. It is like a garage space, but fairly open for its moderate space with samples, merch, and more to check out.
This new-ish distillery is producing apple brandies in a variety of styles and flavors like: VicBob’s Apple Jack, VicBob’s Oaked Apple Brandy, VicBob’s Maple Syrup flavored Brandy. and Maple Syrup Moonshine.
"Our Brandies - We start with fermented cider we get from our friends at Winchester Ciderworks in Winchester, VA, which is about 6.5% ABV. We distill the mash in our 135-gallon column still to get our base, which is our clear Apple Jack. Then, we add that clear brandy with charred white oak spirals into ultrasonic machines, which break down the cellular structure of the wood and infuse that color and flavor in about 3 weeks, to make our Oaked Apple Jack. We take that oaked apple jack, and add a touch of local WV maple syrup to smooth off the burn on the back. The subtle maple flavor is more of an aftertaste in our Maple Syrup Flavored Apple Brandy. Each batch is proofed to 80 proof using limestone spring water we get from our friends at Still Hollow Distillery in Job, WV.
Our Maple Syrup Moonshine - Unlike anything you've tasted before! We ferment local WV maple syrup with yeast, which takes about 2 weeks. Then distill the maple syrup mash, oak that moonshine using the ultrasonic system, and proof it to 80 with the limestone spring water."
VicBob's Apple Jack Brandy - clean & clear apple flavor
VicBob's Oaked Apple Jack Brandy - smooth & oaky with a nice burn clean
VicBob's Maple Syrup Flavored Apple Brandy - not too sweet, easy on the burn
VicBob's Maple Syrup Moonshine - made with Preston County maple syrup
I loved every single one of these. They all deserve a spot on my bar cart. Which ones of you tried?
I am always happy to travel to Shepherdstown whenever I can because I know that good food will be in store.
Kome Thai & Sushi Bistro serves up both Thai cuisine, and Japanese cuisine, with a variety of entrées for each.
"The chef/owner, Kenny, personally selects and designs the very unique and special menu items and specialties. We use only the freshest ingredients including authentic spices from Thailand giving each dish its unique qualities. We work closely with distributors to make sure our seafood and sushi are freshly imported."
I ordered a few small plates so that I could sample a few things. I went with the crab puffs, which came with a yellow curry and cucumber relish. I liked that this was some thing a little bit different, but I do wish the entire was a bit more moist. Plus, I went with an always reliable California roll with some spicy sauce on top. Fresh, comforting, and expected.
My last app of thr trio was fun, simpler a veggies, which were all tasty. Overall, a tasty lunch, and I look forward to trying other items there.
Grade: A
Here's my latest column from the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
When you read the words “chicken & dumplings,” what kind of dish do you envision?
Does the dish feature a thick, creamy broth made by simmering chicken with vegetables and herbs? The dumplings are soft and pillowy, made by dropping spoonfuls of biscuit-like dough into the simmering broth. The dumplings cook in the broth and absorb its flavors, resulting in a rustic and hearty dish that highlights the light and fluffy irregular shaped dumplings.
Or, does the dish feature flat, noodle-like dumplings instead of the fluffy dumplings? The dumplings are rolled out and cut into strips before being added to the chicken broth.
West Virginia is at the cross-section of Appalachia that overlaps both the traditionally southern-style chicken & dumplings and the Pennsylvania Dutch-style chicken & dumplings.
That means it’s possible that images of both of these dishes popped up in your mind. At least, that’s the case for this Yankee West Virginian.
And, of course, there are myriad variations with regional twists and preferences - like serving the dish over mashed potatoes or using Bisquick for quick and easy drop dumplings.
History often credits the Great Depression with the creation of the dish in an effort to stretch a dollar - and chicken carcass. Others may credit French-Canadians, and yet others the Germans.
What is more likely is: Early Appalachian settlers from England, Scotland, Ireland and other parts of Europe brought their culinary traditions to the region, which have adapted and evolved over time.
Many cultures have their own version of a dumpling. Poland has the pierogi. China has the wonton. Italy has gnocchi. Japan has gyoza. Nepal has the momo. India has samosas. Jewish groups have the matzoh ball.
Dumplings are a universal comfort food language. And, the southern United States and northern United States have different preferences.
Early cookbooks help trace the dumpling’s lineage - from Mary Randolph's The Virginia Housewife’s (1836) recipe for "meat dumplins," which is a meat pie pastry that is boiled, to Lettice Bryan’s The Kentucky Housewife’s (1839) recipe for “Suet Dumplings,” which states paste should be rolled out and cut into small squares, or made into small round balls and cooked with the meat with which they are to accompany.
“Bryan's recipes seem to straddle the line between dropped dumplings (boiled balls of dough) and rolled dumplings (pastry rolled and cut into thick, flat, wide noodle shapes). These emerged after the Civil War as the two most prominent forms of dumplings in the U.S. Both of them later were incorporated into recipes known as chicken and dumplings, and they define the primary difference between the Northern and Southern variants of the dish,” according to website Serious Eats.
West Virginia straddles the Mason-Dixon Line, which is often the cultural marker of division between the north and south. And its position as the northern-most southern state and southern-most northern state is reflected in its foodways.
Chicken and dumplings has a long-standing history in the Appalachian region, where it has been a beloved comfort food for generations - no matter whether it’s made with rolled dumplings or dropped dumplings.
It is still a practical and filling meal, often adapted to make use of readily available ingredients. Appalachian families often raised their own chickens and grew their own vegetables, making chicken and dumplings a staple dish.
The specific variations of chicken and dumplings found in Appalachia vary from family to family and community to community, reflecting the diverse cultural backgrounds and regional influences.
Chicken and dumplings continue to be cherished in Appalachian cuisine, passing down through generations as a way to connect with the region's culinary heritage and foster a sense of comfort and connection.
Capitol Market hosted a brand new event this weekend called the Steak Out.
Ribeye steaks from Johnnie's Meat Market and veggies from outdoor growers were grilled to perfection.
The baked potato bar was amazing - tons of delicious toppings good for both the steak in the potato: caramelized, onions, compound, butter, plus Parmesan cheese and sour cream.
I can't forget the grilled bread, butter, and JQ Dickinson Salt on the table, as well.
Watermelon salad with feta and salt.
And plenty of local beers and wines from The Wine and Cheese Shop, live music, and complementary aprons.
And for dessert, a berry trifle. Whatta meal.
Every I-79 road warrior is familiar with Flatwoods. It's often a midway point for travels and has easy access to gas and food.
Usually, that food stop for me looks like a quick drive-through meal because I'm on a schedule. But I've always been curious about the China Buffet nearby.
It almost serves as a focal point for the whole plaza - or maybe that's just me because I've been curious. It is a decent size inside, too, with several rows of offerings greeting customers as soon as they walk in.
I got a to-go box and sought out my go-tos. I love a stuffed mushroom and crab rangoon. I also am a fan of imitation Krab. Plus any sweet and sticky chicken entree is finding its way onto my plate.
For everyone else, though, there is beef & broccoli, soups and fried rice. Plus the American clasics like mozzarella sticks, salad, fruit, and fries.
I was happy to see a lot of the classic Chinese-American dishes, as well as others that added something different. Overall, standard buffet fare that imcluded some of my favorites.
Grade: B
One of my newest favorite restaurants in West Virginia isn't a restaurant at all. It's a food truck. Country Thai on Wheels is the modern reincarnation of the previous Country Thai restaurant in the area. Pornsawan Jumpated posts on her Facebook where her food truck is going to be each day, and she usually sells at lunch time until she's sold out for the day.
She usually offeres a handful of items each day, but you can never go wrong with anything that's on the menu. Here are just a few of the items she has offered recently:
Chicken curry with potatoes (Masaman curry)
Spring rolls
Dumplings
Pad Thai
Chicken Panang
Jalapeño Rice balls
Chicken Satay
Sweet & Sour Ribs
On the day I visited, I got a combo of pad thai, chicken curry and a spring roll. It was the perfect combination of home-cooked comfort food with fun, new interesting flavors. I also love that you get to try a little bit of everything as part of a whole meal. Don't sleep on this delicious food.
Grade: A
The Davis/Thomas area is one of my favorites in the state. But it is small, so there isn't a ton of new business there often. So, when I saw the Riverfront Wood Fired Pizza open, I wasted no time placing an order.
The space is lovely and cozy, but I took mine to go so I could spend some time outside. They offer crowd, favorite pizzas, like pepperoni, margherita, buffalo, chicken, veggie, and the one that instantly caught my attention: the spaghetti pizza.
"Fresh house made spaghetti red sauce, meatballs, spaghetti pasta and mozzarella cheese." Listen, I don't disagree with you that it's a little bit gimmicky. But, explain to me why this is actually delicious. There's overlap between pizza and spaghetti as it is, so just doubling up on the carbs made this and even more delicious pie to me. Kind of fun, kind of different, and definitely a new texture. But still, really tasty red sauce good quality mozzarella = a pretty tasty pie.
Grade: A
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