Every time I see a Girl Scout cookie special, I gotta try it now.

Such is the case with Kustom Kreams' new Girl Scout inspired creations. The Barboursville shop features rolled ice cream. And with this special, you get the option to add Thin Mint, Samoas, or Tagalongs.

Well, technically, these are from ABC Bakery - so they are Caramel Delites and Peanut Butter Patties. 

And I went with the tagalong, which had a peanut butter topping with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Mmm!

The Wheeling Public Market is a new awesome spot in Wheeling.

I'm always a fan of public markets, and this one is no exception.

From packaged goods and fresh fruits, they have a little bit of everything.

There are a lot of local options, which is great.

They have J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works, local honey, Rolling Pepperoni rolls, and so much more.

There's also a restaurant at the back, which uses local ingredients.


So they serve breakfast in the morning and lunch in the afternoon.

And I looked over the lunch menu to decide on a snack option.

The pimento grilled cheese stuck out to me (because of course), on sourdough bread and a side of homemade pickles.

They also had options like burgers, grab & go salads and more. It's not a huge selection, but it is a curated one.

While there, I also tried some pickled beets and feta, picked up some granola and grabbed some coffee, too.

It's such a cool, local option for shopping, getting a feel for the local community and eating some great food.

Have you been?


If so, what's your favorite thing to get here?

Neely's Grocery is a deli in Wheeling. They have a whole bunch of goodies, including groceries, deli meats and salads.

You can get all sorts of boxed goods.

And sauces.

Plus you can get assorted deli meats.

And they have sandwiches.

On this day, I tried a meatball sandwich.

It's huge and loaded with cheese.

This pasta salad was unreal. SO good.
 

Here's my latest Appalachian Mercantile Box! Minus a giant bottle of maple syrup that I took out to photograph for my column. This one was filled with that, plus a butter dish, tea, peanuts, buckwheat flour and soap. Love these boxes!

Charleston is home to a new bourbon bar and eatery downtown: The Hale House.



Located in the former Celsius (and Vandalia Grill) location on Hale Street, the Hale House newly opened, and I went with my friends Sara and Jeff to try some offerings during the soft open.



The space is not entirely different from what I recall - dimly lit, a long narrow space and dark woods.

The bar is backlit, with amber bottles of bourbon glowing on the wall. If you’re a long-time reader, you’re likely familiar with the fact that I completed the Bourbon Trail a few years ago and developed an appreciation for it. So I was excited to see some great bourbon options: Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, Knob Creek, Pappy Van Winkle and more.

So I ordered an Old Fashioned with Blanton’s on the sweeter side. It was made perfectly - just some sweetness to make it perfect for sipping. With a smooth, smooth bourbon.

The soft opening food menu had appetizers, salads, and soup. We ordered a few things to try.

First, we were served some complimentary fresh sliced bread and olive oil. I expect this at an Italian restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised here. And the bread was great.

For my meal, I ordered “bourbon & bacon-wrapped shrimp.” I feel like a bourbon glazed appetizer is perfect for a bourbon bar. Think crisp bacon, fresh shrimp, and a sweet and sour sauce. Definitely a nice little taste.

Then, I also tried the “angel hair crab cakes,” which is very similar to Oliverio’s angel hair crab balls. So, a nice moist hunk of crab and seasoning encased in fried pasta. It was served with a creole honey mustard sauce.

These were really nice. I love the texture variation, and the flavor was on point. I wouldn’t hate a slightly more delicate sauce. But delicious nonetheless.

Have you been yet? I look forward to seeing the full menu!

Super China Buffet is right near the Huntington Mall, so I made a quick pitstop while in the area recently. And in one of my favorite moves: I got a to-go box from the buffet.

The buffet here is pretty large, including a hibachi station, some sushi, desserts, homestyle foods and the classic American-Chinese style dishes.

For me: Honey chicken, crab cheese rangoons, crabmeat, egg foo young, mushrooms with cheese. Mmm.

What's your go-to at the buffet?

Or, favorite buffet in the state?

Christopher's Eats, located in Barboursville, is known for their coal-fired oven and flatbreads. I tried one of their tasty flatbreads a few years ago. But they recently moved locations, so I thought it was time for a new visit.

And their new location is quite the change. No longer in a strip mall, this restaurant has expanded into a complex of sorts. Plus there are levels, outdoor dining, bar seating and more.

On this particular day, it was brunch. And they were very, very busy. In fact, there was going to be a wait just for one. But after a minute or two, a table opened up.

The brunch menu includes chicken & waffles, biscuits & gravy, breakfast burgers and more. For me, I went with a seafood benedict: biscuit, crabcakes, poached eggs, hollandaise and a side of fruit.

That's always a winning combo for me - and probably one of my top brunch options. Savory, buttery, deliciousness with a side of sweet. Not too shabby.

Grade: B

Recently, I came across a new coffee grinder based out of Vienna and I knew I had to get my hands on some.

Stomp-N-Grounds Craft Coffees is a small batch specialty coffee roastery located in the heart of the Mid Ohio Valley. They offer seasonal single origin and custom blended craft coffee.

They have 7 or so different blends, and I went with "The Backstory," which is from Central and South America. I can't wait to dig in! Have you tried it yet?

Belknap Dough Company is a mobile wood-fired, brick-oven pizza food truck. They can be found setting up shop around the Teays Valley area, and they always post on their Facebook where they will be. So I got lucky one day recently and caught them out and about.

They serve up some standard pizzas, like cheese, pepperoni, sausage, then "Piggie Pie" which has sausage, bacon and ham. And then there's the Buffalo Chicken, which has a garlic base, buffalo chicken, and a ranch drizzle. That one sounded the most exciting, so it had my vote.

First of all, it looks fabulous.  That is one inviting pie. And biting into it, I was instantly hit with a ton of cheese, a hint of garlic and a little heat from the buffalo sauce. A classic combination that's brought to life on a fresh pizza dough. This is definitely a tasty pie.

Grade: A