El Pollon is a new restaurant in Morgantown - but not new to West Virginia. In fact, they have an original location in Ranson, West Virginia - all the way over in the Eastern Panhandle.



This restaurant features Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, but has a variety of different options - from breakfast to wings.



"The Charcoal Rotisserie chicken "Pollo a la Brasa" is a cultural icon of Peruvian cuisine, which originates in the 1950s in the city of Lima. In October 2004, The National Institute of Cultural declare "Pollo a la Brasa" as " Cultural Heritage of the Nation." On June 23, 2010 is setting the "Day of Charcoal Rotisserie Chicken" "Dia del Pollo a la Brasa" to pay tribute to a cultural icon of Peruvian cuisine, the third Sunday of July each year. The Peruvian chicken coals has become part of the national cultural heritage."



I ordered lomo saltado - tender steak sautéed with onion and tomatoes, served with french fries and a side of white rice. This popular Peruvian dish is not found in many places around the Mountain State, so I was excited to check it out. 



The stir fry had delicious tender strips of steak and a nice sweetness from the sauteed red onion. I dipped my fries in the delicious, savory juice and it was tasty. It's really a straightforward dish, but the attention to seasonings and spices make it shine.

Grade: A

With a name like H.B. Snallygaster, this Bolivar store seems like it might be right out of a Harry Potter novel. However, it's just full of yummy food, delish snacks and lots of great local products.



Bolivar Bread is one of those local companies that has lots of great goodies at this store. I bought some granola as a gift and also found Joan & Joe Coffee, which is based in Harpers Ferry and roasts their own coffee beans. I can't wait to go back and check out their own coffee shop.



And I also got this perfect assembly of herb blends to make dips from The Cottage of Herbs. Yum!



But right here at H.B. Snallygaster, they have a small deli with sandwich, flatbread and soup offerings. 



I went with a simple ham and cheese sandwich, which was so packed full of ham that it was difficult to close it! They don't skimp, that's for sure. This version didn't have melty cheddar, but was instead a cool sub with mayo and white cheese.



Such a fun little store with a beautifully old soul - and some tasty food.

Grade: A

What is time? The last year has been a bit of a blur with the COVID-19 pandemic, and I'm playing catch up. But I didn't want to keep this delicious secret from you for any longer: Hamilton's Tavern 1840.



This Bolivar restaurant all the way over in the tip of the Eastern Panhandle is one of my favorite discoveries of the past year.



My actual visit was quick - I was just inside for a few moments to pick up a to-go order, but it is absolutely lovely. The decor is beautiful, with a combination of traditional features with modern touches - all in a robin's egg blue. It looks elegant yet rustic.



The menu features gems like deviled eggs, mushroom mille-feuille, pork wellington and seafood newburg. In my neverending quest to devour all things mac & cheese, I went with the seafood mac & cheese on this day - shrimp, langoustine lobster, old bay, and sharp cheddar cheese - fitting for an area bordering Maryland.

Creamy, indulgent and some nice baked crispies for texture - even green onion to give it a nice little kick to cut through the fattiness. Delish.



I believe the restaurant is moving to a new location, so it may be a perfect excuse to visit again, dine in and try yet another outstanding dish.

Oh, DiCarlo's. Best dang pizza in the world.



I went to visit one of the newest locations - in the Northern Panhandle - on one of the last snows of the year and I've been avoiding writing about it because I miss it so much.



If you're new here, DiCarlo's is an Ohio Valley-style pizza that has a crunchy crust and a sweeter sauce that is baked, and when that comes out, provolone is gently melted on top. I've been to every DiCarlo's location now, and there are some very mild differences between the locations. You can look back through the reviews to check those out. But also - I just like to have an excuse to eat more DiCarlo's, so I travel.



This location is in a shopping area, so parking is plentiful, and it has a more modern vibe in a small space. The menu is short - pizza, pepperoni rolls and drinks. That's fine by me. I put in an order for six pieces (usually the amount that fits in a box) with mushrooms. 



Oh my god. Is your mouth watering, too? The parking, the space, it's all a distant memory when the pizza is in front of me. Sure, the experience was fine. But this PIZZA. It's perfectly crunchy - but not too thick. It has sauce all the way to the edges so you get a full bite every time. And that fresh cheese. All paired with the umami flavor of the mushrooms? Chef's kiss. Perfection.



Grade: A

Southside Sliders, a Huntington-based food truck that serves up delicious mini burgers and sandwiches, recently introduced a twin food truck serving up cold sandwiches and ice cream: Southside Scoops. 



If you know me, you know ice cream is like my one true love. It can solve most of the world's problems. As I was snooping around on their Facebook schedule, I saw that both trucks were scheduled to be outside St. Francis Hospital in Charleston, so I marked it down on my calendar to check it out. 



When I arrived, I saw that the Scoops truck was out of commission - I guess it must have had some issue. But the door was closed, and a sign said to order next door at the Sliders truck. Luckily, they were still offering some of the goodies from the Scoops truck. 



It must've been a difficult morning for the crew, as they were a bit frazzled to make food from the Scoops truck and had to ask the owner on how to make certain items (which, to be honest, made me a bit worried) - but the worries were for naught. I got the Huntington Ham ($7.50), which has honey ham topped with a cream cheese and pepper jelly spread and arugula salad. A former coworker introduced me to crackers with cream cheese and hot pepper jelly - I'm not sure why I never thought to put it on a sandwich before because it was delicious. It was sweet, creamy, tangy, perfection.



Plus, I got a scoop of chocolate-peanut butter ice cream and a scoop of cherry cordial ice cream. I'm not sure if these are made in-house, but I know they were a perfect refreshing bite on a hot date. The chocolate had these ribbons of peanut butter weaved throughout. And the cherry was fruity yet rich. All in all, a really delish meal.



Grade: A

The Juice Box just opened in Hurricane and is serving up juices, smoothies, acai bowls and more. 



I just so happened to stumble upon their grand opening weekend when I saw a sign on the interstate exit. It's something new for the area, so I was excited to check it out.



The space isn't huge, but there is a little seating, counter area and refrigerated juices. The juice cleanses and super healthy smoothies aren't necessarily my thing, but those smoothies were calling my name.




When I saw the tropical smoothie had banana, pineapple, mango and coconut milk, I knew it would be perfect for a warm day. 



And, I was right. It was cold and sweet - but not too sweet. It was refreshing and didn't make me feel too guilty - like a DQ blizzard might. 



Either way, whichever your preference, I'm sure you can find something here to enjoy.



Have you been?

McHappy's Doughnuts has a few locations around the Mid-Ohio Valley, but their newest one is in Point Pleasant. And, it sure looks new.



The storefront has tall glass windows and a modern vibe. The cases were packed with all kinds of tempting sweets.



From mini cakes and eclairs to donuts and "pizza squares" from sister restaurant Napoli's, there were so many goodies to choose from.



I decided to try out a few different items: a cherry danish, a cookie and a banana nut dessert.



Everything was delish. The pizza square was not my favorite - maybe I'm partial to pepperoni rolls. But it wasn't bad. 



Grade: A

A meal with a view - that's the idea behind a new Huntington restaurant that's on the river, literally.



Pier One Landing has opened in the former "Schooners" location at the Guyandotte Marina. The barge had been unused for about 8 years before the owner of Fly In Cafe wanted to add another unique eatery to his repertoire. 



The floating restaurant has parking right near the walkway, which brings you down to sea level. Dawn and I went during opening weekend, and they were staffed to the max in anticipation of a big crowd. We were seated quickly and took to looking out on the river. It was a drizzly, misty day, but it was still fun to watch the river and occasional boat. 



The interior boasts an upscale sea theme, and the food isn't far off from that, too. The menu isn't huge, but it has a few standards - fish sandwich, fried oysters, mahi mahi tacos. I am intrigued by the lobster roll - but sans slaw. And the lobster mac will definitely be on my to-try list. 



For this first visit, though, I wanted to try the signature favorite: Pier One Big Fish - fried fish sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese and tartar sauce on a bun. I really love a good, fresh fish sandwich. But, they're not easy to come by. I've found that many restaurants in the area will serve those frozen, minced fish pieces if it's not their specialty. So, I was very excited about this.



The sandwich is large and in charge. The fried piece of fish was hanging off the edges of the bun. It was beautifully crispy golden that gave way to flaky white fish. Not too oily, not too crusted - a very nice cook on the fish. I took away half the lettuce and added more tartar sauce and *chef's kiss* I had a solid fish sandwich. A side of onion rings paired well - though I wish they had hushpuppies with honey butter. MMMmmm. Tell me what you're going to try!



Grade: A 

Nitro is home to the 24-hour Tudor's Biscuit World, so I had high hopes for its Gino's location. And, while it's not open 24 hours, it did not disappoint. 



On the menu for this day was a small pizza with mushrooms - which was great. The crust had some crisp on it - and not the soft, soggy bottom that often happens. 



And the wings! The golden BBQ with a homemade blue cheese was delicious. This was one of the best renditions I've had. A little tang, a little sweet, and then that zip with the blue cheese. Delish.

Grade: A