Charleston's favorite donut shop is back open - in a brand new brick-and-mortar location.



Vandalia Donut Co., which had a food truck two years ago in the area, can now be found on Tennessee Avenue in the trendy Elk City neighborhood dishing out delicious donuts under a slightly different name - The Vandalia Co. 



Right now, they're still in a soft opening phase where there is no dine-in and they're open Thursday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Expanded hours and a new menu is coming this summer. 



When I visited, there were three donut flavors: The Number 42 - Scratch-made buttermilk donut rolled in cinnamon sugar. Why the name? It took 42 tries to get it right. 



Hummingbird Cake Donut - The Number 42 with pineapple, whipped cream cheese, toasted pecan, and coconut drizzled with salted caramel banana cream sauce.



Nutella Crunch - The Number 42 topped with whipped Nutella cream, drizzled with Nutella ganache and sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts. 

I think you can tell from the photos alone that these were dee-lish-ous. But the 42 is just a classic and it's the basis for all their specialty ones. The hummingbird just screamed spring to me. And the Nutella? *chef's kiss* - so good. I already can't wait for the next specialty flavors - and to just hang out here.



Grade: A

'Tis the season for all things ramps. The garlicky, wild onion makes an appearance in early spring and fades out in May. Local restaurants often take advantage of the wild leek by incorporating it into dishes.



Ridge View BBQ has made a name for itself with its ramp burger. But there is another burger nearby making waves: The Mountain Mama. This special from The Burger Carte in Smithers features a steakhosue burger with ramp aioli, smoked gouda, bacon, fried green tomato, lettuce and onion. Unfortunately, they were out of fried green tomatoes when I ordered mine, but it was still quite tasty. The ramp aioli is pretty mild, but the raw onion helps drive that flavor home. All in all, some great flavors here. 



And, I can't forget the ramperoni rolls from Books and Brews. I made a pilgrimage to Buckhannon to get some ramperoni rolls from The Donut Shop - especially ones with hot pepper cheese. But this pepperoni roll from Books and Brews brings the flavor locally. They infuse a ramp aioli - not raw ramps - into their famous pepperoni rolls, and even add it on the side as a dipping sauce. Definitely punches it up a bit!

Have you had either?

I've mentioned before how exciting it is that during this time of quarantine when more folks are spending time at home, we are seeing a surge in home bakeries and other sort of cottage kitchens. That's how I found A Guy And A Girl Catering. 



This local catering company offers a ton of options - from catering events to seasonal offerings to just a few options. The latter is what appealed to me. I didn't have a huge event to cater, but I did have a hungry tummy and a curiosity to check this place out. 



They have a number of sweets, but they also had two of my favorites: macaroni & cheese and pepperoni rolls. Let's start with the pepperoni rolls - these are definitely some of the better pepperoni rolls I've had. It has a healthy topping of garlic and parmesan that gives it a ton of flavor. Plus a nice marinara dipping sauce. 



Do I need a giant pan of macaroni and cheese? No. Do I want one? Yes. This is probably a pretty good crowd-pleaser since it's pretty straightforward. I doctored mine up a bit with some more melty cheese, a pinch or two of sugar and some cream. *chef's kiss*

"If you don't want to go out and buy cookies, worry no more! You can have high quality cookies shipped or delivered to your door. Classics and new creations that are as sweet as their name."



That is Cookie Crush Creations' motto. The Charleston-based business has some fun cookie flavors you can order - plus you can even do a subscription box full of cookies! 



These are the flavors available:
Classic:
Chocolate Chip
Peanut Butter
Sugar
Oatmeal ( chocolate chip, white chocolate chip, raisin)
White Chocolate Macadamia
Snickerdoodle
No bake Chocolate Peanut Butter
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Specialty:
Chocolate Fudgy Peanut Butter
M&M Peanut Butter
Toffee Cookies
Kit Kat Cookies
Malt Ball Cookies
White Chocolate Citrus Oatmeal
Lemon Zest Sugar
Orange Creamsicle Delight
Butterfinger
S’more
Fruity Pebble
Reese Cup Cookies

I ordered a dozen with: Smores, fruity pebbles, reese, butterfinger, KitKat, and toffee. The toffee is my favorite - and they all come with this drizzle on top. Have you tried them yet?

Crepizza is an amalgamation of a couple restaurants rolled up in one. You may be familiar with the previous Creperie Cafe locations in Kanawha City and in South Charleston. OR maybe Pizza Barbarosa in South Ridge. The owners of those previous locations have combined those concepts into one new restaurant: Crepizza (get it?).



Crepizza features both crepes and pizza. Plus pastas, calzones, sandwiches and desserts. I wanted to try something from both aspects of the restaurant, so I went with two orders: a calzone and a crepe. 



The calzone was stuffed with carbonara flavors: ham, bacon, mushrooms and alfredo sauce. I was in love with this. Everyone knows I love a good carbonara pasta, and having it all wrapped up in a calzone was a new take on the dish that I enjoyed. You get the creamy, the smokey, the salty - all delicious.



Then, for dessert, I went with a strawberry and nutella crepe. With to-go orders, you definitely get that sort of sog factor that may not have been there otherwise, but that didn't affect the flavors of sweet, rich nutella with the fresh berries. Classic and delicious.



Grade: A

General Steak & Seafood, located on Quarrier Street, is like an expanded version of Joe's Fish Market.



The once-fish market now has a meat counter, as well, and the famous Yugoslavian Fish Stew is still a staple.



So, walking in, you have a fresh seafood counter to the right. A meat counter - all sourced from Buzz - to the left. And a few cooler items straight ahead. 

Folks here are super attentive and willing to help. I had no idea what I wanted to get, really, so I looked up and down the coolers a bit. I have to give a shoutout to Becca for being the absolute best. She immediately welcomed me as soon as I walked in (so I wasn't standing there awkwardly trying to figure things out), she let me have some time to browse, she was right there when I had questions and helped me pick out the best filets. Plus, I think there's something to be said for seeing another woman there - it's comforting when I was the only other woman there.



I ultimately went with the filet mignon (how can you say no when seeing these beauties??), plus some crab cakes, then crab dip and tartar sauce. Becca gave me a tip for the crab dip - while you CAN enjoy it cold, try it warmed up with some hot bubbly cheese on top. Yum. Everything was delish.



Grade: A

An off-the-beaten-path burger joint with a wrestling theme: It's what's for dinner.



Squared Circle Burgers is a new wrestling-themed burger restaurant on Campbell's Creek Drive. The space itself is what you might expect - some basic tables and chairs with wrestling belts and memorabilia on the walls. 



The menu focuses, of course, on burgers: 

The Lariat – $8.00
(1/3 pound beef, cheese, BBQ sauce, ranch, onion rings, and bacon on Texas toast)

The Bruiser – $8.75
(1/2 pound beef, cheese, burger slaw, pickles, and ketchup between two grilled cheese sandwiches)

American Dream – $9.00
(1/3 pound beef, cheese, bacon, fries, and a fried egg on Texas toast)

Latino Heat – $8.25
(1/3 pound beef, cheese, Jalapeno slices, and burger slaw)

F.B.I. – $8.00
(1/3 pound beef, provolone cheese, three mozzarella sticks, marinara, and tomato on Texas toast)

The Macho Man – $8.50
(1/3 pound beef, muenster cheese, honey mustard, crispy onions, lettuce, and tomato)

The Samartino – $8.00
(1/3 pound beef, provolone cheese, fried pepperoni, marinara, and parmesan cheese)



I ended up going for "The Bruiser," because it's a burger between two grilled cheese sandwiches! It comes with 1/2 lb. beef, cheese, burger slaw, pickles and ketchup. 



Dawn and I got our sandwiches to go and ate outside the restaurant to enjoy our meals. And, I enjoyed this far more than just a "shtick" - these flavors really worked together. This big, messy, cheesy burger was balanced with a cool, tangy slaw and that light, buttery toasted bread pulled it all together. I'm here for it.



Grade: A

When I saw Wild and Wonderful Kettle Corn in Kanawha City, I had to go check it out. They have a small food trailer, and they set up in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot on Fridays during the fall. I got a small bag of each: White cheddar, pumpkin spice, kettle corn and caramel. Some made for gifts, but my favorite was kettle corn. I think I discovered kettle corn too late in life. The sweet/salty combo has my name written all over it. Surprisingly, I don't love caramel corn. Kettle corn is the way to go here.

Gourmet Fast recently opened on the East End without much fanfare. But when I saw it available on a delivery site, I hit "add to cart" real fast.

Located on Ruffner Avenue, Gourmet Fast features a variety of "gourmet" dishes that have that homecooked vibe. Think oxtail, crab cakes, curry chicken and wings. There are also sandwiches, salads and desserts. 



This hidden gem has some really tasty dishes. I went for a variety of snacks so I could try a little bit of everything. First, the shrimp and grits because I can never NOT order these. Maybe a tad soupier than I prefer, but the flavor was on point.



Next, the garlic and parmesan mashed potatoes. Personally, I think all mashed potatoes should have garlic and parmesan, and these are the reason why. The potatoes are delicious with the slight sharpness of parmesan and the depth of the garlic. Yum.



Then, I tried the sweet mac & cheese. I looove a sweet mac & cheese, and it's hard to find locally. This is a solid version, but I wouldn't have hated some more cream to make it that more luscious.



Potato salad is often reserved for picnics, but I'm happy to have it any time - especially versions that have egg, chive and mustard. Yum.



Finally, I had ordered a banana pudding, but they were out. So, an apple cobbler was subbed instead. It was tasty - heavy on the cinnamon but perfect for a fall treat.

Grade: B

If I could afford it, my regular diet every day would be a charcuterie board. I love snacking, and cheese may be my favorite food group. Paired with fruit, pickles, and other fun nibbles, it's perfection on a plate - or board.



I just learned of KSBoards in Charleston and put in an order as soon as I could. I ordered a small munch box, which included meats, cheeses, spreads and fruit. There are a few different options - like brunch or other snack trays - but this one had me written all over it. And look how cute the little utensils are! 



Ordering was super easy - simply go to the Facebook page, open the Google form, select what you want, receive an invoice then pay! They even did free contactless delivery - which was perfect. 



The Bonne Maman preserves were delish, plus there were crackers, salamis, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, a creamy spread, these cute leaf cheeses and more cheese, olives, pickles, nuts and chocolates! It was so, sooo good. What's your favorite addition to a charcuterie board?

I really love the Capitol Market during any season. But it truly shines during the fall. And since fall is winding down, I figured I need to share my love before the season is over. 
You can check out who is at the market under the "fall" section here on the website. And here are some sights from a recent visit! 

Bostic Greenhouses


Casto’s Produce


Debbie’s Corner


E & E Greenhouses




Gritt’s Farm


Highland Greenery

John Crihfield Farms & Greenhouses

Legacy Farms

Marvin Edwards


Robbie’s Produce