So, here's something different: A restaurant focused on baked potatoes and the toppings that can go on them. But we're not just talking butter, chives and sour cream. We're talking macaroni & cheese, pizza toppings or even seafood.



Spudz Potatoes, located in downtown Huntington, offers about 20 different types of baked potatoes - from the standard to the extraordinary. There are a couple salads, a soup and a dip. But the main attraction is the baked potato.



I went for the Lil Lemont - which I learned is the owner's son's rap name - it comes with mac & cheese, extra cheddar, bacon and sour cream. Let's start with the good: The folks here are really kind, they're just getting started, and this is the biggest baked potato I've ever seen. It may be two together. And, I love the fun concept. 



Aside from the standard new-restaurant-opening-kinks, there is some room for improvement. My meal was cold.And to be honest, this isn't a total negative for me most of the time, but when it's macaroni and cheese, the texture affects the flavor and it just doesn't end well. The mac & cheese was also just kinda plopped on top, so it didn't really intermingle with the potato. It was of course made separately, but I was hoping that cheese would soak into the potato, creating a cheesy, buttery interior. Instead, it was actually kinda dry. I think with some tweaks, these two could sing in harmony as one cohesive dish. 

Grade: B

Coffee roasters are few and far between in West Virginia, so I'm always very excited when a new one pops up - wherever it may be! 



Sibling Coffee Roasters is located in Charles Town, though I first ordered coffee beans from them when they were located in Summit Point before the official opening of the coffee shop. 



The shop is centrally located right downtown, and it is absolutely adorable. A chalkboard displays the large menu of flavors. The walls are exposed brick, and they even have a nice selection of breads, pastries and other goodies. 



When I visited, it was cool outside, so a hot English Toffee Caramel latte sounded like perfection to me. And, wow, what a good choice it was. Of course, it was on the sweeter side, which is just what I like. It was delicious.



They also had quiche available, which is one of my favorite. breakfast options. It was a chorizo and cheddar, and it was a bit sharp for my taste, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. 



Next time, I definitely want to try some of those hot chocolate bombs. Yum!



Or one of the muffins. Because everything I've had has been tasty.



Have you been here yet?



Grade: B

In downtown Parkersburg, Maka Mia replaced my beloved DiCarlo's. I won't hold it against the pizza restaurant; instead, I'll go in with an open mind - and stomach.



I didn't realize they have more than a handful of restaurants, though I have been to the Ripley location. Some background:

"In 2006, an independent grocery store owner in Kentucky had an idea. He was looking to attract new customers and increase sales to current ones, while staying ahead of the larger supermarket chains. The plan was to use existing deli facilities and staff to create a unique food destination. The concept didn’t come together overnight. It took months of experimenting, baking dough, creating the best tasting sauce, and never settling for anything but the highest quality ingredients. This was important to the concept, because everyone wants a great tasting product and fresh ingredients, with the option to customize it. The next step included branding and marketing, which took more than five years of work, research and design. Today, Máka Mia is a fully registered, trademarked company. From full color counter fronts and outdoor signage to professionally designed digital menus and online ordering, the Máka Mia Team created a package ready to deliver big results in a few short set-up days. The final product is a signature pizza and hoagie concept with over 40 stores in five states, proving the Máka Mia concept a success. Check it out for yourself and see if you don’t agree that Máka Mia is the best tasting pizza you’ve ever had!?"



So, it's a franchise and by looking at the locations, it seems the product is available in grocery stores, food marts and grocery stores - plus a few restaurants dedicated to the name. 

The space has limited indoor dining - whether that's by design or due to COVID19 - but I had placed an order online so I was just picking up anyway. The space has some wood panel flooring, corrugated steel and basic decor. 



The pizza is above average. I like that the pizza sauce was a little bit sweet, and the dough was toothsome - not cracker thin but could actually get some bite from it. 



I also order pretzel bites with cheese, and these were decent, too. I don't see these on menus as often as I'd like, so it was nice little treat. Overall, decent flavors - nothing too different - but still a reliably good slice.

Grade: B

One family-inspired cafe in Berkeley Springs is offering breakfast and lunch, along with fresh pastries and specialty desserts.



Charlotte's Cafe is a midsize cafe offering a standard selection of breakfast items like pancakes and eggs, as well as lunch items like soup, salad and sandwiches. It's a lovely collection of offerings, but I was most excited about the house-made sweets.



The case at the counter was full of croissants, cinnamon rolls, and one of my personal favorites: bread pudding.



This giant hunk of bread pudding was not lacking in heft. And there was a lovely caramel drizzled over top, but the actual bread itself didn't quite come together as much as I would love. I want it to be one giant moist conglomeration. I do have years of bread pudding-eating under my belt, so I have a specific idea in mind when it comes to the dessert. But, this is a solid take on it.



Grade: B

Wing It, located in Weirton, focuses on - wait for it - wings! I went here a month or two back (when yes, it was still snowing) while at home visiting family. I ended up going here because they made it SO EASY. You can order right online, and they have a drive-up window. In the times of COVID-19, it's so simple and safe to get some dinner this way. 



So, I ordered a half pound of boneless wings in honey BBQ - a classic. And I picked them up right at the window. This was honestly a huge portion, and they had a nice crispy coating. The flavor left a little to be desired. I love honey BBQ, but this wasn't especially flavorful. I wish there was more or it was more bold - but that's on me. Next time, I'll try another.

Have you been?

Grade: B

Hallowbeans Coffee House, located in Ripley, has a year-round Halloween vibe. Much like its sister restaurant located downstairs and facing the street, I Scream Sundae, the coffee house is perfect for lovers of thrillers, gore and other creepy things.



If you know me, you know I can't do things that are gross. A hair will ruin my appetite. The site of blood can make me ill. And scary movies? Not my thing.



I'm happy to try interesting foods - frog legs, pig brains, escargot. I'll try anything once. But gross or unclean things? I cannot handle. So, when I stopped by the coffee shop, I wanted to bring my bet self and prepare for what I knew would be very exciting for some folks. 



So, the space is organized like a house with a handful of rooms. Each has a unique theme. And, the counter is straight ahead to order. This would really be a cool place to do some work since there are little nooks carved out for some space. That is, if you're into each of the rooms' themes. 



There's a room with some clowns, there's a room with some bloody gory meat on stakes, there's a room with creepy old pictures of people. 



I think it's creepy. I think little kids could be scared -- or they could absolutely love it if they're into that kinda thing. Either way, I took to the counter to look over the menu. 
 


But, first, I checked out Enchanted Eats. This gluten-free bakery line is sold at the coffee shop: cupcakes, pepperoni rolls, etc. There were a handful of different flavors. But the "White Rabbit" is what I went with, which is like a crisp blondie brownie. This wasn't bad - even though I tend to like mine more chewy. 



The drink menu has some more palatable names that don't elicit such strong imagery. 



Darkness, RIP, Ghosted, Creeper - these are all names I can deal with. But, of course, the one I was most excited about was the Camp Fire S'mores. 



The drink itself was OK. The flavors were there. But, I'll be honest, it was tough for me to put the imagery of bloody gore out of my mind as I drank it. I realize I'm a wimp and this probably doesn't bother most people - and many probably even like it! Which is why I ranked it higher for the quirkiness. 



Have you been?

Grade: B

In Cheat Lake where there has been some rapid development, there's a new coffee shop called Hillside Cafe and Taproom. Right now, they're focused on coffee, but "taproom" sounds promising. 



I was only passing through the area, but I really wanted to check this place out. So, I made haste to get here and arrived a little over an hour before they closed. Perfect ... I thought. 



The space is lovely - it always has been. It's a good size and has lovely wooden floor, modern lighting and some nice nook areas to study or relax. They also have their own branded mugs and coffee from Mountaineer Roasting Co. 



On this day, I think maybe they closed at 3 p.m. (don't quote me on that), and I strolled up to the counter, waited a few moments, and the woman working came over. I inquired about the paninis on the menu, and she said they stop serving food one hour before they close. I looked down at my phone and saw it click over to 2 p.m. on the dot. I looked at her and said - ah man, are you sure? Maybe just something small real quick? And she was unwavering - "nope." 



She probably didn't see it, but my heart sank in that moment. I understand closing the kitchen a bit early - sometimes that takes time. But, we're talking paninis and salads here. She probably didn't know - or care - that I just drove 3 hours to get there in the nick of time. But, that's neither here nor there. I went for a coffee drink and a pastry instead.



The frozen coffee drink with caramel was fine; flavors were a bit muddied - too much ice maybe? The pastry I had was pretty good. It was super rich, sweet and a nice crunch from walnuts.

Yet, I still had a sour taste in my mouth. I didn't exactly feel welcome there - and with so many good coffee options in Morgantown - I might go to one that has a bit more of a warmer welcome. 

Grade: B

Located in Hamlin, M&R Restaurant is a small, hometown restaurant that features home-cooking in a comfortable atmosphere.  



The restaurant has vinyl booths and well-loved country decorations. They have seasonal decorations and snacks at the counter for purchase.



The menu has daily specials and many local favorites: fried chicken, open-faced roast beef, shrimp dinner, etc. On this particular day,  I was so excited to try chicken and dumplings.



The fluffy biscuits are the base, topped with some pulled chicken and the little plump dumplings have that toothsome bite that just makes them so satisfying. This is a real, down-home comfort food. Adding the green beans and small potatoes rounded it out. 



What would've taken this over the top was maybe some fresh herbs on the dumplings to give it some freshness and color. Or even just a touch of lemon juice to wake up the green beans and cut through some of the heaviness.



Grade: B

Located in Weirton, Sweet Temptations offers specialty cakes and dessert items, as well as light lunch fare like sandwiches and soups. 



I had already had lunch, so I was in the market for some dessert. I did see that they were offering chicken salad, meatballs, hot dogs, chili and more.



On this particular day, they had cupcakes, some turnovers, cakes, and a handful of other sweet offerings. The little temptation that stuck out to me was a strawberry cheesecake. It looks like a little tiered cake. How adorable is that? 



The dessert was good - though the texture wasn't as creamy as I had hoped. And, overall, the process of ordering was a bit odd - no one was in there, and then when the woman arrived, she was curious how I knew about the place. After I ordered, I was blocked in trying to leave. But, they make a decent cheesecake.

Grade: B