Chicken pot pie
The Crunchy Clucker
Y'all know I love a good drive in restaurant, so imagine my surprise when there was one in Parkersburg I had no idea about.Davis Drive In is a small building, housing just the cooks cranking out tasty treats. A few seats are located outside under a covered porch, and a large parking area extends beyond the building.
Drive-ins are so cool because they harken back to an era that just helps define "Americana." They were popular when dining out wasn't, and I feel like a large part of their existence is reliant upon the experience - enjoying a meal with your family or friends in your car, listening to your favorite songs.
Davis Drive In has standard drive-in fare: hotdogs, hamburgers (and a pizza burger!), BBQ pork, fries, and some other fried sides - like green beans and cauliflower. There are also a number of sweet treats: milkshakes, Coke floats, banana splits and sundaes.
The almighty hotdog is a good way to take the temperature of a drive-in. It's likely one of their top sellers, so it's a good judge. I pulled into the parking lot, backing in so I could see the menu from my car, and before I knew it, a young gentleman was at my car window ready to take my order. I got a dog with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. I handed over cash.
After just a few moments, a young girl delivered to my car a hotdog in a sleeve, my bottle of water and change from my order. The hotdog became nicely steamed in that sleeve, and everything just kind of blended together in this soft, savory snack. The bun soft, the hot dog was boiled, the slaw was mild but had a hint of sweetness, and the chili added some richness. This was a pretty good dog. Plus, it's a cool experience for something a little different in the Mid-Ohio Valley.Grade: A
The Davis/Thomas area has a lot of really great restaurants, but I learned of a new one on the most recent 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list, which was released by the Division of Tourism.
Parking is available along the main street. I walked in to see the large counter full of meats, cheeses and sides. Looking through the menu, I found the "fan favs" section, which, as you can guess, are their most popular items. "The Girl's Dream" caught my eye with turkey served warm with Swiss cheese, grilled onions and house chipotle aioli on a bun.
The woman behind the counter was friendly - a bit spunky - but welcoming. There wasn't really seating available when I went here in the evening, but I've read that during the day they use the neighboring restaurant's seating. That's a pretty cool local biz deal.
It's quaint, it's basic, and it's straightforward - just how you'd want a deli to be. After a few minutes, my finely crafted deli sandwich was ready to go. I paid, took it back to the car and let the smell of warm, oven-roasted turkey and sweet red onions overtake the space.
I didn't have high expectations for a deli sandwich, but this was very, very good. It is packed full of deli slices, grilled onion and the sweet/smoky sauce pulled it all together. It was a really satisfying meal. I also had potato salad, a cookie and a pickle spear to accompany it. Chocolate chip cookies aren't my favorite, but I liked the potato salad and the pickle. Really, a solid meal when you just want a good grilled sandwich. Yet another great addition to this small community.
Grade: A
West Virginia has a few locally owned, independent grocery stores that sell local products, and my good friend Lisa is doing some research into them. While talking with her, I was inspired to seek some nearby ones out and encourage folks to support them in my upcoming column for the WV Gazette-Mail.
The Highlands Food & Farm was one of the first on the list. Here's some info from their Facebook page:
Funded through Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and Tucker Community Foundation. In-Kind support provided by Tucker County Convention & Visitors Bureau, WVU Extension Service and Tucker County Development Authority.
The Highland Market opened with the help from a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant. Inventory will fluctuate, depending on availability, but wholesome goodies have consistently been on the shelves. We’ve been offering a constant flow of farm fresh eggs, dairy and goat cheeses, seasonal and greenhouse produce and are seeking a wider variety as much as available. Frozen vegetables are in stock as well as frozen grass-fed beef and pasture-raised pork, lamb and chickens.
Other items include fresh breads, granola bars, honey, maple syrup, soups, hummus, granola, coffee, organic spice blends, jams, mustard, pinto, kidney black beans, polenta, spelt, millet and rye flour. We also now stock items from Frankferd Farm Foods on a monthly basis. These items include non-homogenized milk, butter, organic yogurt, and other goods that are otherwise unavailable (ie organic Tamari, organic grains and unsulphured dried fruit); please call for availability. The search will continue as we acquire more items to provide full diet ingredients.
We NOW accept EBT (Food Stamps)! We also accept local checks, cash and Credit/Debit (minimum purchase of $15).
One of our goals is to help local producers, while helping residents and visitors eat more nutrient rich, unprocessed foods. Because of this, we deal with many individual producers and, in most cases, 70-85% of the purchase price returns to the farmers!
The shop is quite lovely! They have meats, cheeses, coffee, honey, syrup, breads and a some grab & go items made from ingredients from local farms.
So, I picked up some raw milk cheese from Spring Gap Mountain Creamery because I had never tried ti before. I got the gouda, and it's definitely a bit stronger than I anticipated. But, not bad.
And, I also got these bleu cheese and spinach wontons from the grab & go portion. They included Firefly Farms' bleu cheese and a handful of other ingredients from local farms. How cool is that? These, I'm sure, are even better warmed up and toasty, but I popped them in my mouth before I could actually get home. So tasty!
Yes, I love the idea behind local groceries. It's a small store that genuinely cares about the products they're putting in their community. Our farmers are being supported -- we have all these folks right in our community, yet we're buying products from super far away. Plus, it's healthier for us, and we're helping our local economy. Win, win, win, win.
So, I visited Blackwater Brewing Company a while ago when I wrote a piece on the brewery for the magazine. I met with Lincoln and fell in love with not only his beer, but also the inventive dishes he was churning out.
So, I was surprised when I learned of "Barrels Brewhouse" taking over the restaurant portion of the business. Barrels Brewhouse is a sister restaurant to "Bricks and Barrels" in Charleston, which I dined at during Restaurant Week last year and became a fan.
It's definitely a touch upscale with tall barrel tables, wood-paneled walls and TVs on every wall. The music was quite loud, and the place as empty - save for the handful of staff hanging out when I entered. Since I had my pick, I took up a larger table over by the window. I had a number of different servers bring menus, list what's on draft and question what I was taking photos of. I think because there were so many of them and only one customer, they had all their attention on me -- and toting a giant camera attracts attention.
The menu is quite different with lots of great options: truffle tots, pimento cheese fries, burgers, and some entrees like chicken, shrimp & grits, and bourbon & brown sugar flat iron steak. Some really nice options that are classics but with a modern twist.Well. I ordered the pimento burger, which is a custom-blend burger topped with housemade pimento cheese and bacon. I also upgraded my side to truffle tots - white truffle oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic aioli.
Wow. I mean, wow. The burger was perfectly medium done. And the pimento cheese just oozed out overtop the burger, creating this cheesy, sweet, spicy layer of goodness. Crisps bacon on top for some salt and texture. Piled into a bun. It's pretty simple, but it's indulgent. Think of a thick, juicy burger and ask yourself, 'self, how could this be better?' Add southern favorite pimento cheese to it. That's how. I'd be lying if I said I didn't add a little ketchup, though, for some extra sauce. The tots were also quite good with the truffle oil, but some extra would've been even better. If you're gonna go all out, GO ALL OUT, amiright?
I'm curious to see if the local community turns out for the restaurant, because it has a more commercial appeal - flashy items, but tasty ones. I enjoyed my meal, and the staff was very friendly. I think a little time, and once word spreads that the food here is good, it won't look quite as empty.Grade: B
This hippie store on Davis was just too cool to pass up. Wild Ginger and Spice has mood rings, leather-bound journals and a bevy of spices, herbs and loose-leaf teas.
So, I just thought it was a cool option for anyone interested in getting their hands on some crystallized ginger or maybe some organic cinnamon sticks. Or cacao nibs!
Then, there's stevia, tarragon leaves, chipotle peppers and habanero peppers.
Not your thing? What about Earl Grey, English Breakfast or Forever Fruit Herbal Tea? All organic.
Have you been? What have you purchased?
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