The Cold Spot is a wing & beer spot with three locations in West Virginia.

There's one in Charleston, one in Glen Jean and one in Nitro. The last is the only one I hadn't been to, so I gathered up some of my friends to go check it out.


It's a bit rough around the edges - with some awkward parking and a convenience store looking as though it's the entrance - but once inside, it's like any other bar and grill.

They are known for their wings, so my eyes went directly to that section.

Of course, there are spicy sauces like "toxic." But I went with 6 boneless "BBQ gold" and six boneless "Sweet BBQ."

Now, usually a "sweet BBQ" is a safe choice. But this one was just OK - their sweet bbq sauce doesn't have a ton of flavor to me.

But the BBQ gold was fantastic.

It had some sweetness and some tang. Definitely a keeper.

Oh, and the giant beers don't hurt. What's your favorite wing flavor here?
 

Well, it won't be long before I've tried every Chinese takeout joint in the entire Kanawha Valley.

Golden Wok in Nitro has a lunch buffet and some tables for indoor dining, but I called in my order and picked it up.

What did I get, you ask? Honey chicken. Crab rangoons. Steamed dumplings.

The chicken wasn't all white meat, but it was very crispy which made it delicious.

The rangoons are super crisp, but the interior was delicious so I ate the cream cheese portion.

And the steamed dumplings seemed to be filled with pork, which was new, but tasty nonetheless.

Sometimes just homemade, comfort food is what hits the spot. And Kathrine's Cafe in Nitro does just that.


The pub has a gambling area, but the front seems mostly dedicated to diners. So, Dawn and I looked over the menu before making a decision.


She went wit ha burger, which they claim is the best in town. I went with a chicken and cheese quesadilla... and pasta salad! 


It was made with love, and you can taste it!

Local favorite Cali Tacos moved to Nitro recently, so I figured that would be a good time to revisit.

Previously, I visited when they were in St. Albans, so I was excited to try it again.

My friend Tom and I looked over the menu as we snacked on chips and salsa.

And, we ordered a side of queso because you have to have queso.

And, we also ordered some Mexican Street Corn - which was more citrusy than I've had before.

For my entree, I went with the Santa Cruz Quesadilla, which was filled with shrimp, lump crab meat, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. Plus sides of rice and a small salad.

Tom went with this gigantic burrito covered in queso - which looked delicious.

What's your favorite thing here?

Shima's Family Restaurant, located in Nitro, serves a variety of food: from Asian-influenced to burgers.

While I love a good homestyle meal, I was intrigued by the offerings under the the Asian-inspired section. There was a teriyaki, and then a teriyaki AND fried rice under the name "Hiroshima," because of it's dome shape, I suppose.

It's a deep-fried rice ball with teriyaki sauce and chicken outside and inside. I love a good teriyaki.

And then these "crab puffs" are like giant crab rangoons that you can order singly. Have you been?

Diehl's is a place that I've heard about for a long time. It's had a secure place on my "to try" list for - I think - before I even moved to Charleston. It fell to the wayside after I moved back to Morgantown, but recently my editor at the magazine I freelance for asked me if I had heard of it. Of course, I responded. He then asked me to do a story on it. Perfect.


Diehl's embodies everything Nitro. It has photos and memorabilia from local heroes and athletes hung on the walls. Cap guns, pieces of history and others decorate each wall here. It feels like home. But I'll save that for my article.

I ordered the roast beef and gravy. It came with two sides - I went with mashed potatoes and sage dressing. Plus rolls. Keith Diehl, and his son Aaron, brought us out some cole slaw and green beans, too. Nice fellows.

This isn't my typical dish, but when in Rome. The roast beef was killer. Super tender and moist and flavorful with the gravy. The sage - IS FRIED STUFFING. I MEAN. C'MON. So tasty. And mashed potatoes - homemade and thick and creamy.

If you want to get a good feel for this area in terms of the culture and history, while also getting a full belly of homecooked food, look no further.


Oh god. And graham cracker pie. It was like this pudding, with graham cracker, whipped cream. So good. I can't wait to try go again.


Grade: A

Let's keep this short and sweet. I didn't think to take a photo at the time, but considering this is one of my favorite Tudor's locations now, I want to document it.

First off, it's open 24 hours. I'm not quite sure how that happens, but it's true. It's the same kind of greasy biscuits you'll get anywhere else, but it kind of tastes a whole lot better after driving from Huntington back home.

Biscuit - huge, gooey, cheesey, crunchy bacon, soft biscuit. Mm.

Grade: A