I went home recently for Father's Day, and in my family of three, whoever's day it is that we're celebrating, that person gets to choose where we have dinner.

So, my dad chose Chinese. I wouldn't say the Northern Panhandle has a a wide selection of Asian food. Growing up, we didn't have any options for that until a small take-out shop opened up in Follansbee during high school.


Before then, our only options beyond local diner food, fast food or Italian were Pittsburgh, really. I remember going to work with my dad one day and eating lunch from a Chinese street vendor. It was the first time I ever had an eggroll, and it was my first exposure to any sort of ethnic cuisine.


Which, I think, is why Chinese food remains my favorite. And the fact that I didn't grow up with that variety makes me interested in trying as many new places as possible.

Just dropped a little knowledge on ya.

So the Imperial China Buffet is relatively new at the Ft. Steuben Mall. I want to say it came in when I was in high school? I guess that's not relatively new anymore. But the mall in Steubenville was the closest mall to us, and even though it was kind of sad, we would go in high school if we didn't feel like traveling the extra half hour or so to Pittsburgh's mall.

This Chinese buffet is good by the area's standards. There is decent variety, with a couple different islands, and they have the basics like General Tsos, Coconut shrimp, crab cheese rangoons, lo mein, etc.

They even had some basic sushi rolls.

There wasn't anything that was exceptionally prepared, though I did have a half-dozen stuffed mushrooms. And I really think it's a good option in the area. And, it might even be better than some of the places I've been to in Morgantown.

If you're looking for a Chinese buffet in the area, it's probably the best bet.

Grade: B

After reviewing at least a dozen Chinese buffets, you'd think I'd have this down to a science, right? Well, the truth is, a Chinese buffet is a lot like a fast food joint. You can expect the same kind of food across the board, but the quality differs.

Main Tin is in South Charleston near a cluster of other restaurants, and it's only the second Chinese buffet I've heard about in Charleston. I stumbled into it by accident, actually.


The front of the restaurant looks like a simple take-out place. But behind that is a buffet restaurant. While most of the basic offerings were there, they were not necessarily the most fresh. Maybe we caught them at a bad time.

But it's fine. It's good for what it is. I'd be happy if there were more offerings, more fresh offerings and if they had something a little different, too. A girl can only have so much General Tso's, believe it or not.

Grade: C

A Chinese buffet is a guilty pleasure for everyone - admit it. They're disgustingly delicious. Full of calories and dripping in thick, flavorful sauces. They also have that kind of ick factor of it being a buffet. But alas.

The only Chinese buffet that I have discovered so far is one at the Kanawha Mall. My friend Matt and I were feeling some Chinese on this particular day and traveled across the river to sink our teeth into those troughs of food.

I think there were about three rows of islands full of sauce-drenched chicken, beef and pork. Fried egg rolls, chicken, and crab rangoons are also aplenty.

It seemed fairly fresh - they brought out a few new bins while I was at the buffet. They have a sushi portion, but I'm a little more hesitant to say that it's fresh as well. All in all, it is pretty good, but I think some more options, some fresher options and some made-to-order options would be killer. For what it is though, not bad. I enjoyed my go-to General Tso's, as well as the egg rolls and the crab rangoons.

Grade: B

When I was in Charleston briefly, a friend took me to Little India for some of the best Indian food I've ever had. It's right on Washington Street East, so pretty visible - even a non-Charlestonian like me could find it with ease.

I was told they had an awesome chicken tikka masala, so I said yes please! It's like my benchmark of Indian food. It's like the General Tso's of Indian food. I also got an order of vegetable pakoras. The menu is full of appetizers, tandoori/vegetable/chicken/goat dishes, seafood, rice and desserts. Quite a selection.

The owners are a family who are passionate about bringing Indian food to West Virginia - which is great. We need it. Their head chef is from Goa, India, and specializes in North Indian, South Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine, as per their website. Authentic, delicious cuisine right in the heart of West Virginia? Absolutely.


The interior of the building is fairly casual with some Indian flair on the walls. They have an upstairs lounge, and lunch and dinner buffets. My visit was between lunch and dinner, so no buffet was available then. But when all our food came out, it was like our own private buffet selection.

My chicken tikka masala was a tender pieces of chicken marinated in a tangy creamy tomato-based sauce with ginger, garlic and other spices. It came in a large pot separate from another pot of rice. I think this tikka masala was considerably sweeter than other times I've had it, but it made it more rich and delicious. We ordered some naan, too, which helped sop up every last drop of deliciousness.

The pakoras were tasty and added another element - that fried, crunchy element. There were a few sauces on the table and I chose a sweet one to pair with the vegetable fritters. It's like an exotic homecooked meal. It certainly wasn't the comfort food I grew up on, but it still gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

If you're from Charleston, you're probably thinking "duh," but if you aren't, definitely give it a go. I can't wait to go back.

1604 Washington St. East, (304) 720-3616, www.littleindiawv.com.
Lunch Buffet: Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from noon until 3 p.m.
Sunday Buffet: Noon to 8 p.m.
Dinner Hours: Monday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Grade: A

Helvetia is a small Swiss village up on a mountain in West Virginia - population 59 in 2010. It's an isolated community settled by the Swiss in 1869 and is known for maintaining the traditions, food and culture of Switzerland.

One popular tradition is Fasnacht, which is a festival on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday where the community burns Old Man Winter. It's similar to Mardi Gras and has roots in the Swiss Winterfest, but contains lots of crazy scary masks to ward off Winter. It's received national attention and has been something I've wanted to do for years.


I finally went. And in addition to the open mic music, browsing the local shops and museum, the parade and square dancing, there is an awesome little restaurant - The Hutte. They were doing a buffet that Saturday for the festival. But, by buffet, I mean they give you plate with a variety of food. There are no second-helpings, though. For $17, you got their Swiss Sampler Plate: sausage, Hutte chicken, bratwurst, parsley potatoes, green beans, saurkraut, cheese, homemade bread, peach cobbler and a drink.

They also had some beer from Mountain State, which is pretty cool. And the food was so awesome. The potatoes were seasoned to perfection, as were the green beans. The chicken was a curry-pineapple flavor with a chunk of pineapple on top. Excellent. The chunk of cheese had a nice little bite to it, and the bread was so good. Sausage and bratwurst were both perfection - cooked perfectly, just the right amount of seasoning and not too heavy.

I have to give the sauerkraut its own piece here, though. I generally hate saurkraut. My parents made it every new year's, and I couldn't even stand the smell of it. It was sour and made my lips pucker and was just not pleasant.

However.

This sauerkraut was slightly sweet. It had a pickle on top for a little salt and bitterness. But I ate every last bite. I couldn't believe it. It was slightly sweet but tangy and a light crisp to the bite. Just marvelous.

The peach cobbler was probably my least favorite. It wasn't bad, but I was just blown away by the flavors of the main meal.



Yes, it is a little pricey. But where else in WV can you get this kind of authentic Swiss food? Probably nowhere. And it's quite amazing to see this tiny, tiny town get flooded with a ton of people for this festival. It's a small place that you probably wouldn't know existed, as its fairly isolated. But if you ever get the chance, definitely take a look.

Grade: A