I have never been part of a country club or tennis club, but I have frequented them for events or other special occasions. Recently, I checked out the Charleston Tennis Club with some coworkers.



"The Charleston Tennis Cub is the region’s premier tennis, pickleball, swimming and fitness facility! It is quietly nestled away on 25 acres of maintained grounds. Our beautiful, newly constructed Clubhouse features indoor and patio dining during the summer months ... The club boasts 11 outdoor tennis courts, 9 Har-Tru (clay) courts, 2 hard courts, and 6 dedicated outdoor pickleball courts... The Club also includes a beautiful heated 25 meter outdoor swimming pool with a diving well. Additionally we have a baby pool, snack bar, playground, shelter area, and basketball court," reads the website.



Of course, my visit centered on the Clubhouse restaurant - and specifically lunch. The menu is fairly simple, with some finger foods, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and quesadillas. I thought it was only fitting to get the club sandwich, which can just hit the spot some days. This was a solid version, which was not SO stacked that it's difficult to eat. It was maybe just a little bit dry, so more mayo would have been my preference. Fries were decent, but I liked the chips more. Housemade chips were a nice touch - extra crispy with ranch.



Grade: B

"Locally owned and nationally known, Cousins Maine Lobster brings authentic Maine lobster to neighborhoods across the U.S. by way of our food trucks, food halls & brick & mortar restaurants. As seen on Shark Tank, We bring our customers the most authentic Maine seafood experience by staying close to the source, proudly serving premium, wild-caught, sustainably harvested lobster from Maine, accompanied by our signature Downeast Maine hospitality.

Started in 2012 by real-life Cousins and Mainers, Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, Cousins Maine Lobster began with two things: A Food Truck, and a shared vision to extend the highest-quality Maine lobster to the lobster-starved masses. Growing up in Maine, lobster was tradition, and always a reason to gather family, friends and loved ones to share a special meal. After appearing on Shark Tank a few months later, Jim & Sabin partnered with Barbara Corcoran and began franchising, partnering with local owners and entrepreneurs to bring Maine lobster to over 30 cities across the country.

Since 2012, Cousins Maine Lobster has been continually featured on the most influential entrepreneurial and culinary programming, including Shark Tank, The Food Network, Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNBC, The Chew, the Cooking Network, and more. Voted best Lobster Roll on the West Coast by Tasting Table three times, Cousins Maine Lobster regularly appears in leading publications Inc., Entrepreneur, Saveur, Food & Wine, Zagat, Eater and many more." One of these famous food trucks made a stop in Charleston outside of Fife Street Brewing. I had heard about this business, and I was excited to see it come to my own backyard. Me, along with half the City of Charleston. I joined an already lengthy line at around 11:50 a.m. They opened at noon. At about 1:30 p.m., I received my food. A quick note on this: I am a huge supporter of local businesses. In fact, one of the reasons I even have this blog is to showcase those hidden gems across Appalachia. But, I am also a supporter of letting people enjoy what they enjoy. Something new, out of the ordinary, limited, etc. is going to be exciting to people and that's OK. I want to try the same food that Barbara Corcoran tried that made her invest in this company. It is an experience, and you can spend the other 365 days of this leap year supporting our local restaurants in town. You can support both. Starting with the menu, it has lobster rolls, soups, tots, quesadilla, tacos and grilled cheese. While waiting, I initially started with just an item or two in my head, but as time went on, my order grew to double the size to make the wait worth it. Here is what I went for:

Maine Roll: Our Maine roll features Maine lobster, served chilled with mayo, on a New England roll, with a lemon wedge. One of our two classic roll styles, the Maine Roll is a favorite of Mainers and purists alike.

Connecticut Roll: Our Connecticut Roll features Maine lobster, served warmed with butter and lemon, on a New England Roll. The second of our two classic styles, our Connecticut Roll is our most popular roll and often referred to as heaven on a bun.

New England Clam Chowder

Lobster Bisque The lobster rolls themselves are fairly small – maybe the size of a regular hotdog – so two was the perfect size. Both were topped with big hunks of fresh lobster, though I truthfully did not notice much of a difference in the two rolls, because the the butter or mayo were very minimal. Lobster meat is a touch sweet, which was delicious with the buttered bun. I didn't even mind the bite of shell I got. The clam chowder was hot, which was the main thing that attracted me to it in 30° weather. But, it was flavorful, and one of the better versions I have had. Creamy, flavorful and perfectly salty. The lobster bisque was thick and sweet and paired great with the oyster crackers I sprinkled on top to add a touch of salt. Plus, easily the best Whoopie pie I've ever had. I didn't even really think I liked them until this one. Overall, something a little different, and interesting to try.

Rise & Grind Cafe is a small bakery that has been doing pop-ups in the area leading up to their anticipated opening in Elkview.



Cookies, muffins, scones and more. They offer the sweetest treats perfect for breakfast or snack.



I first tried the s'mores cookie, which instantly spoke to me. The chocolate cookie with the marshmallow dollop also gave off some like hot chocolate vibes. I would not have minded even more graham cracker.



I also tried the blueberry streusel muffin, which was as beautiful as it was tasty. The extra textured streusel on top took the standard muffin up a notch.



Grade: A

"The Olga’s Kitchen odyssey began in the mid-1960’s when Detroit-resident and founder Olga Loizon returned to the Mediterranean to visit her family. She and her three small children wanted to reconnect with their Greek heritage. In the process, Olga would discover her legacy. A visit to the local market square inspired what would grow into an iconic Michigan brand. Here, Olga’s children first tasted souvlaki, a traditional Greek sandwich of meat and vegetables wrapped in fresh-baked pita bread. Her kids were hooked…and Olga was inspired. In her quest to buy an authentic vertical rotisserie to cook the meat, Olga was refused because women didn’t typically own businesses in the 60's. As we know, Detroiters don’t give up so Olga gave her uncle the money to buy the machine for her. Olga, her kids and her new vertical rotisserie were then on their way back to Michigan."



"Back home, Olga recreated the savory delicacy her children fell in love with in Greece with one important improvement—the bread, which Olga found grainy and dry. For two years, Olga rolled and kneaded, baked and balanced, tasted and tested, until finally, she had created the Best Bread on the Planet. Olga layered her secret recipe with seasoned beef and lamb, vine-ripened tomato, sweet onion, and her homemade Olgasauce®. The classic culinary delight known as the Original Olga® was born. Olga was now ready to share The Original Olga® with the world. In Birmingham, Michigan's Continental Market, Olga walked past a wooden shoe store that was closing. Its 10 x 10 space was perfect. After securing a loan at her local bank, the first woman to ever achieve that small feat, Olga was in business. Initially, no one knew what an Olga was so Olga handed out free samples to passersby. With one simple taste, Olga had transformed the “unknown and unwanted” Original Olga into the “celebrated and sought-after” classic now enjoyed by the masses. Suddenly, Olga’s went from a single 10 x 10 location to a chain of restaurants throughout Michigan serving Olga's, The Olga Salad®, Spinach & Cheese Pie, Peasant Soup, and everyone’s favorite, Olga’s Snackers®. Today, Olga’s Kitchen is owned by TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants and boasts over 25 locations and an expanded menu."



There is an express location in Charleston, available through an online ordering app. It appears to be based out of the Embassy Suites hotel. I ordered The Original Olga - Our signature blend of the highest quality beef and lamb, seasoned with select spices, broiled, thinly carved and finished in vine-ripened tomato, sweet onion, and Olgasauce®. This was like a gyro mixed with a wrap. I would have loved fresh lamb shaved from the spit, but this was OK - definitely ask them to go light on the onions, though. Chips were way too dark, but the dip with it was interesting - sweet and creamy.



Grade: C

I've been to the Shape Shop in a few different iterations - from their now shuttered Morgantown location to their food truck and, most recently, their Charleston location.



The Shape Shop is a healthy cafe that focuses on Weight-Watcher and diabetes-friendly foods, along with their own signature treats, like the Dippy Do.

"The Dippy Do is a lowfat frozen confection. In other words, it's a sweet, rich ice cream dipped in a chocolate coating on a stick without all the fat or guilt! Handmade in Charleston, West Virginia, Millie invented the Dippy Do in 1981. It's was originally called the 'Dip Stick.' The name was changed in 1985 and the rest is history."



"Millie Snyder is an award-winning author, inspirational speaker, and entrepreneur. She has been positively impacting people’s lives for nearly fifty years with her message of healthy living. With her message, she provides the tools for living a longer, healthier life, which produces growth along the way to become the best you possible. From September 23, 1969 to July 15, 2013, Millie was the president and CEO of Weight Watchers in West Virginia. Throughout her presidency, Weight Watchers expanded to 51 of 55 counties in West Virginia, ten counties in Northeastern Tennessee, five counties in Ohio, and two counties in Kentucky. In 1976 she opened up the Shape Shop Cafe, serving healthy, fresh, never-processed foods and treats, catering to all those in pursuit of nutritious fare," according to the website.



I tried their chicken tzatziki wrap, which included chicken, kalamata olives, feta, spinach and tzatziki sauce on a spinach tortilla. Served with a side of chips.



This is one of the better meals I've had from the Shape Shop. I would've liked a creamier sauce and salt. Of course, these are things that would make the wrap less healthy. So, it's a trade. Maybe dresding the spinach in a healthy fat oil would've added some more flavor.



Overall, though, not bad.



Grade: B

For about 20 years, the Red Carpet has been hosting "Soup Day." Held on the first Sunday in December, Soup Day consists of 20+ soups made by local professional and amateur chefs. Each bowl is $4, and there's a wide variety to choose from - including some you might not find anywhere else! I walked in aboit 15 minutes before the event was set to start (noon) and found a seat at the bar that had a sheet of paper that listed every soup available. I ticked off several soups before turning it over to the man in charge. I paid cash to him, but you can add it to your tab at the bar, too. They do take-out orders first, so I waited a while before I realized they don't call your name - they just stack them in a certain area. Mine were probably done for 20 minutes before I realized, so they weren't piping hot. Oh well. Here's what I got: Irish Stew Yugoslavian Fish Stew Italian Wedding Soup Matzo Ball Soup Shrimp Corn Chowder Pizza Soup Stuffed Pepper Soup

I've been eating soup all day! Which ones would you have selected?

Charleston went for quite some time without much of a craft beer scene. But then, within the last two years, we have had a handful of breweries open up. One of which is Charleston Nano Brewery.



"We're focused on brewing small batches of craft beverages on site. We appreciate the full catalog of beer styles, so we hope you'll always find something new for you on tap at Charleston Nano. We're also a family-owned business and we're keenly focused on being a family-friendly establishment ourselves. We plan on offering customers with kids a fun place to play board games and to enjoy our own non-alcoholic root beers. We want Charleston Nano to be a business that's involved in the community, focused on brewing education, and a great place for people to enjoy beer and each other. We want anyone to feel welcome at Charleston Nano!" according to the website.



The space is nice - not huge, but not cramped. It was cozy enough to be able to have a convo and relax. I ordered a flight and a snack.



Let's start with the beer. They have quite a few different styles and some very creative options that include flavors like pomegranate, ube and vanilla. I tried a few different sours - all of which I enjoyed.



For my snack, I enjoyed a homemade pepperoni roll and side of beer cheese. They even serve pepperoni rolls with jalapenos, too. My regular one was great, as is though. Certainly taste homemade and wasn't just thick bread. Flavorful.



They are located on the West Side - in Elk City. I think they sometimes get left out of the marketing along with the other breweries. But if we don't want them to leave, like some other Elk City businesses as of late, we have to make sure to support them.



Have you been?



Grade: A

The Noshery is a food truck that sets up at Olin's Day & Night Market. It's a little outside my area, so I was excited to check it out.



Once I arrived and looked ove the menu, the item that stood out to me was the "Blue Creek Special," which said it was "a local favorite originating at Maynor's Market" with ham, pepperoni, hot peppeer cheese, onion, mild banana peppers and tomato.



Maynor's Market was apparently a beloved Elkview store that was important to the community. And this sandwich specifically seemed to be a local favorite. My favorite part of this sandwich was that it was buttered and grilled, so it gave the cheese that gooey texture. I wouldn't have minded something to lighten it up, because these flavors were a bit heavy and dense all together. But, tasty? Absolutely.



Grade: B