Nomada Bakery is a brand-new bakery located at Heritage Station.

It's in the former River & Rail Bakery location that everyone was sad to see go.

But Nomada just opened and is serving up coffee, pastries, breads, entrees and empanadas. And this is just to start.

It was my duty to try a little bit of everything. And who am I to shy away from duty?

First up is an empanada. Today, they offered pineapple, beef and chicken curry options. But since I have never had a pineapple empanada, it was the obvious choice. The dessert empanada was truly tasty and unique.

Next up - the curry chicken popover. They also had avocado & egg popovers, but I was already in the mood for lunch.

Since it was more of an entree, it was preceded with a small house salad with fresh greens, tomatoes and a vinaigrette.

This popover was a new, different flavor for me. I love the concept, and the curry was not overpowering - just enough to fully taste all the flavors and complexity.

But, wait, there's more. Under pastries, Nomada serves up these beautiful mini cakes. On this day, they had carrot, chocolate, orange and strawberry.

Without missing a beat, I ordered an absolutely beautiful strawberry mini cake. Strawberry cake with a buttery delicious strawberry icing and dried strawberries - I am dreaming of this cake already.

The former Blackwater Brewing Company space is now the 912 Brew Pub.

They weren't making beer yet when I visited, but I'll have to go back when they do.

Instead, they are serving a full lunch and dinner menu with items like steaks, sandwiches and shrimp.

I started with a salad, which was served with a unique orange-y dressing.

For my main meal, I went with the Zesty Crab Cake Dinner, which was two 4 oz. broiled crab cakes.

Plus a nice side of veggies. Tasty! What's your favorite thing here?

As I continue to try every coffee roaster in the state, I learned of one new one to add to my list: Cherry River Roasting.

Based in Richwood, this coffee roaster has coffee beans in various spots around the state. I got this bag of beans at Appalachian Coffee House in Princeton.

Have you tried it yet?

Pizza Hut released a new menu item yesterday: the Stuffed Cheez-It Pizza.

So, it's "Four baked jumbo squares of toasty sharp-cheddar Cheez-It® crust stuffed with cheese (and optional pepperoni) and served with marinara dipping sauce."

So there are two versions: just cheese or cheese and pepperoni. I got one of each to try. And, as not a huge Cheez-It fan, I was skeptical. But these four pockets have a just a little crispy cheddar exterior and are stuffed with cheese. It's like an even cheesier mozzarella stick. The pepperoni version has little chunks of pepperoni and is greasier. But overall, not too bad.

I would argue there are very few restaurants in Wet Virginia who can compete with a view like the Front Porch Restaurant has.

Perched across from Seneca Rocks, this restaurant has, quite literally, a front porch view of one of the most beautiful landmarks in the state.

The menu features pizzas, subs, and other dinner plates. They are known for their pizzas, so I ordered one with my favorite: mushrooms.

And for dessert, I went with a lemon creme pie!

Yummy.

It's part of Harpers General Store, which has a little bit of everything. And, next door, there's Yokum's Store & Motel which has its own goodies to eat. I purchased some peanut butter fudge here.

Rocas Mexican Grill is a new restaurant in Charleston, which has another location in Cross Lanes.

It's on Corridor G, so it's no surprise it was busy on one of their opening nights.


My friend Brittany and I went to check it out when she was in town because it was quick and very friendly to gluten-free folks.

The space is large, brand new, spacious - yet cozy. The menu features standard fare and some unique items that you might not see everywhere, like Pescado Yucatán – Grilled, marinated fish cooked with red, green and yellow bell peppers, onions and yellow squash and zucchini. Served with a side of rice, sour cream, guacamole salad and flour tortillas.

We started with salsa, of course, and a mayonnaise-based dip that's both sweet and spicy. Definitely a fun little surprise.






And for my main entree, I went with Camarones Locos – Grilled shrimp, scallops, bell peppers, onions and zucchini on top of rice and our special cheese sauce.

Yum! Have you been?

The vanilla cone dipped in butterscotch from Dairy Queen is back. It's a limited time, fall-inspired treat that ya gotta try!

Oglebay is home to a number of dining facilities, but one that is new to me is Sarita's Coffee Bar.

The coffee bar features coffee drinks, bakery goodies, and other grab & go items. Here's my iced caramel coffee.

Dunbar is home to a new restaurant that promises gourmet food fast: Gourmet Fast.

The regular menu features pizza, wings, sandwiches, salads and burgers. But they also have daily specials.

First, I started with an order of pepperoni rolls, which are small bite-size guys that come with marinara.

And the special of the day was meatloaf with potato salad and green beans.

Meatloaf is one of my favorites, and I'm still dreaming of this meal.

Have you been yet?

Angelos Old World Italian Sausage is a local company that has been using a family recipe since around since 1933.

Angelo Argento immigrated from Sicily to Fayette County, WV in 1911.  At the age of 13 he found work underground in the coal mines.  After 13 years, at the age of 26  Angelo left the mines to open a meager general store (see pic).  Angelo's wife, Sarafina (Sarah), also worked in the store where she shared her family's sausage recipe from the Old World.  The store grew into a supermarket (Angelo's Market) and it's keystone product, Angelos Sausage, drew people and  restaurant owners from miles around. Today, the sausage is made in small batches by the family of Angelo and Sarafina using the same Old World recipe and artisan care to maintain the authentic flavor and genuine heritage of a TRULY Italian Sausage. (source)

The local sausage is sold at Johnnie's Fresh Meat Market at the Capitol Market, as well as local Piggly Wigglys. 


They were recently doing samples at the Capitol Market - and you gotta try some for yourself!

Dem 2 Brothers is a tasty BBQ restaurant on the West Side. But did you know they also have a location in London, West Virginia?

While driving through the area one day, I saw smoke rolling from behind the building and its bright yellow exterior caught my eye.

I knew I had to check it out to get my BBQ fix.

The menu features sandwiches, dinners, sides and more. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with slaw and sweet & spicy sauce. For sides, I got potato salad and mac & cheese.

Have you been?