Teriyaki Madness is a chain restaurant that has just recently launched two locations in West Virginia. There is one in Fairmont and another opening in Beckley.



But the Barboursville location just opened, and I was excited to check it out - because as you know, Asian flavors are some of my favorites.



I first became really interested in chicken teriyaki when I was visiting the Pacific Northwest. Chicken teriyaki is charbroiled chicken thighs in a sweet soy sauce and usually paired with some veggies and rice.



It is super common in the cities and can be found in all sorts of shops. And, here, you can't really find anything quite like that. But a good chicken teriyaki is a perfect late night snack or couldn't even be a healthy meal.



Teriyaki Madness is a chain restaurant that features chicken teriyaki, of course, but also eggrolls, wontons, fried rice and other goodies. First I ordered some fried rice, but the texture was a bit too mushy for me. I think it steaming inside the container didn't do it any favors. So, I switched gears and opted for the chicken eggroll, which was pretty tasty. It paired with a nice little sweet sauce and the texture was not lacking



We also ordered some of the cheese wontons, which were fairly small and pretty crispy so there wasn't a ton of filling inside, but I still enjoy the flavor and might order the larger size next time.



Finally, the main entrée was a bowl of sautéed veggies, white rice, and both teriyaki steak and chicken. I really enjoyed the steak and the chicken, and it was super filling. And I really enjoyed the white rice to go with this; I think that it helps the flavor of the proteins stand out while adding just a nice little textural component. I generally really like the veggies that accompany a dish like this, but in this case they were not super flavorful and did not seem super fresh. So I think a little bit more seasoning could really help out in this case. Overall not a bad meal and one that could definitely satisfy a craving in a pinch.

Grade: B

I came across this mini donut truck in Barboursville recently, and I was excited to check out what they had to offer.



O Goodness Mini Donuts offers teeny tiny donuts by the dozen with both classic and specialty flavors: cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, glazed, peanut butter lovers, maple bacon and fruity pebbles. 



I threw caution to the wind and ordered a dozen. You can split the dozen into two flavors, so I went with peanut butter lovers and fruity pebbles. 



I actually really liked the texture of these little guys. They had an ever so slight chew that was really satisfying. And the toppings, of course, took them over the top. It's kind of a fun experience to eat a bowl of donuts with a fork - plus fruity cereal and peanut butter candies. It doesn't really get much better.

Grade: A

I have seen Scragglepop Kettlecorn in shops or events in the area, but I had no idea they had their own space in the mall in Barboursville.



"A lifetime of being unhappy with the popcorn that was found in holiday tins and local events, owner Dale Scragg sought to change that with his own kettlecorn creation, Scragglepop. After 13 years, Dale found the recipe to cure his popcorn unhappiness by creating a kettlecorn that is gluten-free, has zero trans-fat and uses no peanut oil. He created a snack that is better for you, more flavorful, and will never be stale, unlike the popcorn that you normally find in holiday tins and in the chip aisle at the store."



The kettle corn comes in a few different varieties, like chocolate, caramel apple, blueberry vanilla and more.  I tend to like the original flavor because it still has the integrity of the popcorn flavor - just ab it sweeter. Which is your favorite?

I used to LOVE love General Tso's chicken. And maybe it's a change in my preference or a change in quality over the years, but I just cannot deal with the chewy, stringy chicken that is so often found in the dish. 



So when I went to China One in Barboursville, I gravitated toward one of my new go-tos: garlic shrimp. I placed an order online and went inside to pick it up. 



Because the restaurant is located in a plaza, parking is easy. There was a little line at the window when I went inside, but it moved quickly. Everyone was there for takeout. 



The garlic shrimp was not bad - a little mushy, but that's not atypical. Lots of green pepper in the veg mix, but I loved when I got a crunchy bite of broccoli or mushroom. The crab rangoons (c'mon, these are a given) were a bit overly fried for me, but they are my preferred fold-over shape. The eggroll was average.



Overall, a fairly standard Chinese takeout meal.

Grade: C

Dog Haus Biergarten is a chain that focuses on hot dogs with a German vibe. 



They just opened a Barboursville location, so I went out of my way one day to check it out. And lots of other folks had the same idea because it was quite busy. The interior is pretty straightforward - lots of high-top seating and basic art. 



All of their dogs, sausages and burgers are served on grilled King's Hawaiian rolls. They have some unique creations - some California-inspired, some Texas-inspired, some Mexican-inspired, etc. 



I went with a to-go order: Old Town - smoked bacon wrapped dog, caramelized onions, chipotle aoili, pickled jalapenos and cotija cheese. I also ordered a cheeseburger slider, mini corn dog and chili cheese tots. 



Let's start with my absolute favorite - this little cheeseburger slider. It has mayo, white American cheese and caramelized onions. It's so simple but perfectly executed.



I wish I would've ordered 5 more of these sliders.



The mini corndog was OK - just a bit too *much* for me - too much breading, too greasy, not my jam. 



The hot dog was good. It's not the traditional hot dog experience, but it's like a whole other flavor experience completely. There's a little sweet, a little funk, a little heat and a good quality dog. 



Finally, the tots. I love that they separated out the chili and cheese for the to-go order so they didn't get all soggy. I self administered too much chili, I think, but I enjoyed the cheese and especially the scallions. 



Grade: A

I recently discovered a small, but mighty, group of Al's New York Pizza loyalists.



Located in a Barboursville plaza, this restaurant was hard to catch while open.



But once I did,  I knew I had to try a straight-forward pizza. With mushrooms, of course. 



I can see why folks enjoy this pizza. They're pretty thin slices, a nice sweet sauce and a generous coating of cheese. I don't love the crunchy, dry crust at the edges, but I get the appeal. Overall, a pretty decent pizza that is maybe not my top, but I wouldn't be mad at it.

Grade: A

Uncle Bill's Pub & Grill is not a restaurant I hear come up in conversation often. Maybe it's because they're more of a sports bar that caters to a regular crowd.



The restaurant is set back a bit off the main road in Barboursville and is adorned with flags flying outside.



Inside, the walls are red, there are 18 beers on top, 8 big screen TVs, darts and a small menu. They have specials on a chalkboard, which definitely caught my attention.



I ordered some "Bill's Balls," which are round dough balls stuffed with a filling. Ham, Italian, reuben, cheese and buffalo are all available. 



I went with cheese, and they were pretty good - I don't think you can go wrong with dough, cheese and marinara. But I do love getting the slight crisp paired with the cheese before being dipped into the marinara. That arrangement really does change the flavors.



I also had the meatballs, which has that "from the freezer section" flavor and texture - not my favorite. The pretzel bites in cheese weren't bad, though. I think it's fairly on par for what I'd expect from a bar and grill - though I do think the "balls" are a bit more fun. 



Grade: B

You may have seen the Twisted Grille food truck around the area, but did you know they now have a physical location in Barboursville? It's not huge, but there are a handful of tables for indoor dining, as well as TVs if you want to watch the game.



Specializing in breakfast, Mexican dishes, sandwiches, hot dogs, and burgers, the restaurant has a little bit of everything. But I thought it would be fun to be able to try a couple of their specialties in a breakfast burrito - a 10" tortilla stuffed with eggs, cheddar jack cheese and a meat of your choice. I went with the specialty pipeliner, which had sausage, hash browns and country sausage gravy added.



After a little bit of a wait, my burrito was steaming hot and ready to go. It was large and in charge and stuffed full of egg and other tasty bits. This was definitely heavier on the egg that the other components, which was especially evident in the edges where I tended to get a bit bite of tortilla only. Still, lots of melty cheese to bring it all together. Not bad.

Grade: B

There's a certain void that a smoothie can fill. It's light and refreshing and can be more healthy or more indulgent depending on the ingredients.



At the mall in Barboursville, there's a new smoothie spot: Green Revolution. They have smoothies, smoothie bowls, salads and avocado toast. Many of the options have some feel-good, healthy ingredients. 



I went for a strawberry-banana smoothie - a pretty standard, solid option at most smoothie places. This one was made with yogurt and no added sugar, so it still had the same great flavor without the additional sweetness.



Does that make it a bit more bland? Maybe. Does it make it more guilt-free? Yes. And they even have a paper straw to be environment-friendly. But, man, it sure does get yummy and difficult to use after a bit.



Have you been? I'm curious about the avocado toast! 

Grade: B

There are three Fat Patty's locations in West Virginia, and this Barboursville one is the final one on my list to try.



Fat Patty's is a much-beloved Huntington-based restaurant that all my Marshall friends love. They are known for their burgers, but they have sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads, too.



Dawn and I visited on a Tuesday, which is "buy one, get one" night for burgers. So, I flipped to the burger section of the menu to see my options.



And I went with the "Vampire Killer" - Enough garlic to kill Dracula himself. Beef patty + pepper jack cheese + lettuce + tomato + onion + mayo + ketchup + mustard. I subbed the pepper jack for bleu cheese, because that's my favorite for burgers. Plus sweet potato fries! Overall, a solid burger.



Grade: B