A little while ago, I visited Smoke House BBQ in Glenville. They described themselves as "Family style restaurant with Southern Pit Style Smoked BBQ, home made sides, home made sauces and dressings, Burgers, Hotdogs, Wings, Grill Chicken & more!" 



It was a busy weekend, so I ordered to go: a pulled pork sandwich and a side of corn nuggets. The pulled pork sandwich was fine - a few fatty bits that I avoided, but fine overall. The corn nuggets were fun - not something you see on every menu. Plus they're a bit sweet and fried and also a savory, so you can't really go wrong. Overall, a decent meal.

Grade: B

The Ranch is one of my new favorites in West Virginia.



Located technically just outside of Summersville  in Canvas, The Ranch restaurant is located on the Good Evening Ranch, which also includes rustic cabins, campsites, a restaurant, bar, horse stables, riding arena, playground, hiking, biking, ATV trails and more.



It's a beautiful drive through the countryside, wrapping around hills and past pastures. But then you arrive at a building with a smoker going outside, and you know you're in the right place. 



The dining room looks out over part of the farm, so it's a nice view to enjoy while eating. The menu features BBQ entrees from the smoker, as well as steaks, pork chops, chicken, seafood, salads and some fried apps. 



To start, I received some biscuits with a variety of condiments. I love options. There was a butter, a cinnamon brown sugar butter, and a preserve. It was fun to try each. 



For my entree, I went with a fillet and a blue mushroom crust.



Oh, my goodness. 



The steak was cooked perfectly. The bleu cheese and mushrooms are some of my *bingo* words that I always order when I see them on the menu. I love the combination of earthy and funky and creamy. Then, there's a hasselback potato with flaky sea salt. And a mac & cheese with a short, thick rigatoni noodle topped with parmesan. Honestly, one of the best meals I've had in some time. Everything from the ambiance, to the view, to the food, was great. Next time, I just need to save room for dessert.



Grade: A

Oinks BBQ in Buckhannon is a new restaurant focusing on pulled pork, chicken, ribs and brisket.



"Smokin' low and slow for that perfect flavor that pairs wonderfully with our homemade sides. Come in as hungry strangers and leave as family with your belly full of BBQ!" 



They also have a handful of sauces - hot, sweet, mustard. I got one of each to go along with my meal.



That meal? Pulled pork sandwich with cornbread, slaw and macaroni & cheese. The sandwich is served on grilled Texas toast, which is not something I've seen often. So, starting with the slaw, it was a mayo based as opposed to a vinegar base. I liked the crisp of the red cabbage, though I wouldn't have minded it more chopped up.



The sandwich was piled with pulled pork, which was tasty. The buttery bread makes me crave a cheese or something, unlike other buns where the bread is mostly an afterthought. Here, it's a crucial part of the experience. I shoveled bites of mac & cheese - which I wish was a bit creamier - into my mouth between bites of the sandwich for a pretty decent flavor overall. 



Grade: B

Birds are chirping, rain showers are pouring, and spring is just around the corner. This time of year always has me looking forward to cookouts. And, there's one place in Morgantown where you can get all the tasty food from a BBQ - but without the work. 



The Backyard BBQ in Cheat Lake is currently doing catering only but hopes to reopen in the spring with the same menu they had previously, which featured hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches, and ice cream. 



I was really hyped for their special, which was a burger with fried green tomato and pimento bacon. Unfortunately, they were out of it. So, I instead went with a single burger since it was already on my mind. 



The space here is kinda nice - rustic, but outdoors with a nice view and a bit set back from the hustle and bustle of Morgantown. The burger was not bad - a little more charred than I'd prefer, but fairly thick and with your choice of toppings.



The macaroni & cheese was good - more of a white cheddar with lots of pepper. Not my personal preference, but I can appreciate it for what it is. Not bad.

Grade: B

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: White Sulphur Springs is a really cute town.



It's usually overshadowed by The Greenbrier's presence, but there is really a lovely downtown with a wine shop, brewery, bakery and nice shopping. 



I'm sad the small Jamaican restaurant is no more, but a new BBQ place has taken its spot. 



Road Hog's Barbeque, located at 687 Main Street East, has the moniker: Nothing to hide, sauce on the side. I think that's pretty cute. Like, yes, the BBQ may be good enough to not need sauce. But I still like the option. 



You'll find your standards on the menu: pulled pork, chicken, brisket, ribs and even turkey. And my favorite part of any BBQ restaurant is the sides. Here, you'll find okra, onion rings, baked beans, tater tots, mac & cheese and more.



On this visit, they were doing a special taste event where they were promoting three sister businesses. So I opted for their soft pretzel bites with Big Draft Brewing beer cheese dip. The beer cheese was thick and could make anything taste better.

Potato salad was straightforward. Mac & cheese was pretty tasty - a nice, thick white cheddar sauce. The brisket had a pretty thick fatty layer that I'm not a fan of. I like mine more lean - the texture of that fat cap is not my favorite. It wasn't bad, but I wish every single strip wasn't half fat. I did try each of the sauces; I like that the apple is reminiscent of apple butter in a way. Carolina is vinegary. I went middle of the road with "Bold Hog" for a bit of tang.

Grade: B

Hangover BBQ has brought delicious BBQ to Wheeling.



"We are all about BBQ smoking all of our meats low and slow on our 500 gallon smoker. Offering southern cuisine, daily specials and some damn good BBQ. Dry rub only on the meats and homemade sauces on the side. We also have the best craft ice cream sandwiches in town thanks to Leona's. Plus Wheeling’s first Kombucha Bar provided by Neighborhood Kombuchery!" 



I was able to visit this great BBQ spot some time ago and was so excited to finally check it out. 



The restaurant was located upstairs, so I climbed up and looked over the menu once I got inside. They make homemade rubs and Texas-style BBQ.



I wanted to try something different, so I opted for bratwurst with macaroni & cheese and macaroni salad (give me all the macaroni!). 



I had the jalapeno cheddar bratwurst, which had some slight heat, but was not overpoweringly so. It was flavorful, and I tried it with all the different sauces they have.



Atomic 79 (spicy mustard), Appalachian (creamy horseradish), Pioneer (traditional BBQ), Apple Butter (sweet). I enjoyed all of these for different reasons - depending on the vessel. But I went for the pioneer primarily for this one.



The mac & cheese was pretty good, as was the macaroni salad. Love that slightly crisp browned edges of the macaroni that has been baked beautifully.



Something you don't see often: homemade noodles! Is there anything better than a thick, chewy noodle? I don't think so. These came with cabbage and potatoes, and it was glorious. It's hard to find good, homemade noodles, and these were just as good as the BBQ.



And, there was even dessert.



Leona's ice cream sandwiches, based in Pittsburgh, are stacked in a cooler off to the side.  They have quite a selection of artisan flavors. And s'mores are one of my favorite things of all time - so the "chocolate marshmallow/graham" was calling my name.



These are not tiny little desserts. It's a giant sandwich with a perfectly crumbly top and thick ice cream sandwiched between the two layers. It is so, so good. And just topped off the whole experience.

Grade: A

Phat Daddy's on Da Tracks is an open-air BBQ joint located on the West Side of Charleston that is Black owned. They're still in their opening phase, but they are serving consistently so my friend and coworker Hannah and I went to check it out.



The restaurant has been sharing their progress vis their Facebook page - from a simple structure to a more sprawling space brightly colored in red and yellow. 



At the register, there is a menu, which consists of items like philly cheesesteak (chopped cheese), fried fish sandwiches, steak or shrimp bowls (which have a baked potato and broccoli), plus more traditional BBQ items like brisket and ribs are coming soon.



I ordered a "chopped cheese," macaroni & cheese, and tater tots. I usually don't got for a philly cheesesteak, because I've had many that are full of fat or gristle or lack flavor and are full of grease. Let me be clear: This "chopped cheese" is one of the best I've had. Every single bite was full of flavor - tender meat, creamy cheese, perfect bread, and some texture from peppers and onions. You have got to try it.



The mac & cheese was good - it was more like milky, rather than cheesy? So very creamy and peppery. Different, but tasty. And the tater tots were standard - I'd love to kick them up with a cheese sauce or something.



Go support them and fill your belly with yummy food.

Grade: A

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