A new bakery opened in South Charleston called Sokolata.

The bakery, from the owners of Creperi Cafe and Pizza Barbarossa, features European and Greek style pastries, gelato and cakes.

I went with my coworkers when it first opened.

And, there were so many options to choose from.

From cakes and tarts to baklava and creams, I couldn't choose.

So I ended up getting a few different things.

One fruit tart.

One banana caramel mousse cup.

One delicious cake-cookie thingy.

And, of course, baklava.

But there's even so much more than that. Take a look:

If you've ever been to the DMV in Kanawha City, you're probably familiar with The Different Twist Pretzel.

This shop supplies folks with buttery pretzels - especially those waiting across the way.

I went to try the garlic & sesame see pretzel bites. With cheese sauce.

And the pepperoni and cheese roll.

Have you been?

Have you heard of the Beef Jerky Outlet stores?

They have locations all over the country and three right in West Virginia: Charleston, Lewisburg and Princeton.

I visited the Charleston location, and the whole space is lined with different kinds of jerky.

And you can try them all!

The left side has the softer kind, and the right side has the chewier kind.

The back wall and interior has some unique kinds: kangaroo, buffalo, alligator, elk, etc.

I tried the garlic, teriyaki and cherry maple. Have you been?

Red Fire at Southridge recently rebranded and came under new ownership. It's now Osaka Japanese Steak House.

The restaurant looks fairly similar to the previous rendition.

And it gave me the opportunity to try some new dishes.

First, the crab cheese wontons.




And Monster Roll - shrimp tempura, cream cheese and avocado topped with crab tempura, eel sauce and spicy mayo

Listen, I know Cook Out is a chain. But I had never been to one before - and there's only two in the state: in Huntington and Beckley.

The interesting thing about Cook Out is how they structure their menu - you can get a main, and then the sides are unique - like a corn dog or quesadilla. I went with a pulled pork sandwich and sides of a corndog and hushpuppies.

I was able to check out a Jack Daniels whiskey tasting and dinner pairing. I wanted to share some of my photos from the evening. The pairing included: Jack Daniel's Honey, Jack Daniel's Fire, Jack Daniel's Old No. 7, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel (Barrel Proof), Jack Daniel's Tennessee Rye, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Rye, and Jack Daniel's Single Barrel (Appalachian Whiskey Society Select Barrel).

For dinner, there were six courses.

Plus cheese and crackers to start.

Cathy Justice's blue ribbon cornbread.


Cream of celery root soup with winter truffle and hazelnut.


Torchon of Hudson Valley Foie Gras


Intermezzo sorbet


Braised beef cheek with polenta fries, creamed collard greens, medley of mushrooms and Jack Daniel's scented beef jus.



Salad of watercress and arugula with Virginia peanut tart, apples figs, and pomegranate vinaigrette.


White chocolate blondie with Jack Daniel's coulis, compressed cantaloupe honeydew sorbet

Sarah's on Main is a new bakery in Wheeling that is quickly gaining steam.

The local bakery is long and narrow, with small tables lining the length of the shop.

Sarah's on Main features bakery items, breakfast items, as well as coffee drinks.

Plus some daily specials.

The Salty Bread seems to be a house favorite, so I was looking for that when perusing the menu.

This popped out to me: "salty bread breakfast sandwich" - scrambled egg, caramelized onion, crispy bacon & sharp cheddar / served on salty bread or croissant

And a morning bun with a whipped topping. Have you been?

While in Wheeling, my friend Alex introduced me to a new restaurant: Bubba's Gourmet Burghers & Beer.

The restaurant has locations in Bridgeville & Canonsburg, Pa. And, the Highlands in Wheeling.

When you eat at a Bubba’s Gourmet Burghers and Beer you are eating the best quality Burgher in the surrounding area! We use a proprietary blend of New York Strip, Ribeye, Sirloin and Brisket ground fresh daily which makes this Burgher second-to-none. No steroids, no antibiotics as we only use all natural and fresh beef. The same requirements go for our chicken which you can substitute for our beef if you prefer. We buy fresh and local produce whenever possible and we truly embrace farm to table.

I went with the "Roasted Garlic Burgher." It has a homemade roasted parmesan sauce, lettuce, tomato and parmesan.