There are two No. 1 Kitchens in the Huntington area serving Chinese food, which can make it a little confusing. I've been to the one along Route 60, so now we're trying the one along Washington Avenue. 



I had called in an order at this location and went to pick it up. I've been trying a lot of different Chinese restaurants during the pandemic because many were designed with takeout in mind, so it simplifies the whole process.  



They were really busy on this day, and I had to wait in line for a little while to make it to the counter. After a little bit of a wait, I took my order back to my car and made my way home. 



First up: I had a pint of sweet & sour chicken. It stood up fairly well for my drive, but it did get a touch soggy. Otherwise, standard breaded white chicken meat and a tub of red sweet and sour sauce. Does anyone local serve a different kind of sweet & sour sauce??



Next up was fried dumplings. I love these with a dumpling sauce, and I think mine was left out this visit, but they had a tasty, well-seasoned filling.



Shrimp fried rice can be hit or miss with me - and this was somewhere in the middle. It thankfully wasn't dry and overly saturated with oil... but it also didn't have much flavor at all? So, it was OK. 



And, one of my favorites: crab rangoons. I don't think I can order Chinese food without getting an order of crab cheese rangoons. Generously filled with a cream cheese mixture enveloped in a crispy wonton wrapper, it can't be bad. These were decent. A little too greasy, but thankful for a hefty amount of filling.


 
Grade: B

Rapid Fired Pizza is a chain restaurant featuring made-to-order pizzas with tons of topping options - and all made fast. Their Huntington location is the first in West Virginia, and I just so happened to be in town on one of their first days open. 



They make it easy to order online and either order one of their specialty pizzas or choose from all sorts of fun ingredients to top a pizza that they assemble right behind the counter for you. Here are the various options:

Sauce: Classic Red, Spicy Red, Sweet Red, Applewood Smoked Bacon BBQ, Buffalo, Garlic Sauce, Margarine, Olive Oil, Pesto, Ranch, Taco, White, Mac n Cheese

Cheese: Cheddar Jack Cheese, Feta Cheese Crumbles, Goat Cheese Crumbles, Mozzarella Provolone Mix, Fresh Mozzarella Slices, Parmesan Cheese, Ricotta Cheese, Vegan Cheese

Meat: Anchovy, Bacon, Beef Crumble, Chicken, Ham, Jalapeno Pepperoni, Pepperoni, Sausage, Sausage Crumble

Veggies: Artichoke Hearts, Arugula, Banana Peppers, Basil, Black or Green Olives, Cucumber, Green or Red Onions, Green or Red Pepper, Jalapeno, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Pineapple, Fresh Garlic, Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Tomato

Seasoning: Cinnamon Streusel, Crushed Red Pepper, Firecracker, Oregano, Parmesan Cheese, Sea Salt, Taco, The Bomb

Dipping Sauce: Classic Red, Spicy Red, Sweet Red, BBQ, Buffalo, Chipotle Ranch, Garlic Sauce, Pesto, Ranch, Rapid Fired, Sweet Habanero, Taco

Hot Sauces: Mean Green Ghost, Gusty Garlic Habanero, Hip Hot Habanero, Jumpin' Jalapeno, Kickin' Cayenne, Smokin' Chipotle



The pizza I created had sweet red sauce, ricotta, sliced mozzarella, garlic, artichoke, cooked mushrooms and parmesan. And it was soooo good, with the exception that the crust simply just didn't stand up to the weight of the ingredients. It became soggy and difficult to even pick up. I finished it with a fork. That could be my fault for choosing so many - or it could be my win because the flavors were perfection. It was umami heaven. Judging by the photo below, I think it's clear it was indeed enjoyed. 



Grade: B

Crepizza is an amalgamation of a couple restaurants rolled up in one. You may be familiar with the previous Creperie Cafe locations in Kanawha City and in South Charleston. OR maybe Pizza Barbarosa in South Ridge. The owners of those previous locations have combined those concepts into one new restaurant: Crepizza (get it?).



Crepizza features both crepes and pizza. Plus pastas, calzones, sandwiches and desserts. I wanted to try something from both aspects of the restaurant, so I went with two orders: a calzone and a crepe. 



The calzone was stuffed with carbonara flavors: ham, bacon, mushrooms and alfredo sauce. I was in love with this. Everyone knows I love a good carbonara pasta, and having it all wrapped up in a calzone was a new take on the dish that I enjoyed. You get the creamy, the smokey, the salty - all delicious.



Then, for dessert, I went with a strawberry and nutella crepe. With to-go orders, you definitely get that sort of sog factor that may not have been there otherwise, but that didn't affect the flavors of sweet, rich nutella with the fresh berries. Classic and delicious.



Grade: A

West Virginia's version of a 24-hour diner is The Omelet Shoppe, which has locations in Virginia, Beckley, Parkersburg and, at one point, Princeton. Parkersburg was the only West Virginia located I hadn't yet been to, so while driving through the area in search of breakfast, I found myself here.



I placed an order online (who knew they had that capability?!) for bologna cheese bagel. Typically, I'd stroll in, find an uncomfortable seat amongst the rest of the late-nighters turned to early-morningers. 



There's certainly a vibe to the place, but on this occasion, I actually had to stand outside in the breezeway before being greeted due to occupancy limits. They already assumed I was the online to-go order and handed me my bag. I'm glad I remembered the drink because that was almost forgotten. 



Once I had my food, I got back in my car and continued on my journey. At this moment, let's reflect on The Omelet Shoppe. It serves a crucial role in the landscape of restaurants. It's not high-end, and it's not trying to be. It is quick, easy diner food that you can likely make at home. But it's cheap and often the perfect place after a long night out, shift workers, truck drivers and others looking for a warm meal in a no-frills joint. 



The bagel sandwich was perfect for a one-handed breakfast. I added both cheddar and swiss and mayo to give me all those comforting flavors. Side note: I am sad McDonald's no longer has bagel sandwiches. They're like a guilty pleasure. This bagel sandwich hit the spot, though. Points off for it being lopsided, making it more difficult to eat and the bagels on the dry side. Overall, though, simple, quick and tasty.



Grade: B

Everybody loves pizza, right? Well, *most* people love pizza (sorry, lactose-intolerant friends). This means there are a LOT of opinions on pizza. Do you like a super thin crust or a thick, puffy crust? Sweet sauce or slightly spicy sauce? Tons of toppings or minimal? We all have our own preferences, and I always try to keep an open mind to new styles. And, I tend to get my standard cheese pizza with mushrooms as a benchmark. So, let's check out a new-to-me spot in Huntington.



Monty's Pizza in Huntington calls itself the "Cadillac of Pizza Places." OK. I called in a small with mushrooms and made my way to the building. It looks kinda old school from the outside, and I was happy to see the drive-up pick-up window. That makes things easier in these COVID-19 times (and, let's be honest, outside of those times, too). So, I dug in right away. It's a thinner crust that they cook to dark golden brown. There was ample stringy cheese and I liked the sauce; it was fairly subtle and mild. Overall, it made for a decent pie. Pretty standard, solid pizza.

Grade: B

The Woods is a downtown Huntington bar and restaurant. Heavier on the restaurant portion these days.



Dawn and I stopped by while in the area. The space has a cool vibe between Gatsby-esque decor and lots of bright green, live plants all over. It's clear the space was really being used more as storage, since there's no dine-in, but there was a special area set up right in front to place and pick up orders.



The menu has sandwiches, salads, and pizzas, primarily. A few things that caught my eye were the the BBQ tofu pizza, chicken & capicola sandwich, and spicy fried pickles. 



But I was most excited about the "Build Your Own Pepperoni-Style Rolls." They come two per order with cheese, and you can add two toppings - any from the pizza toppings selection! So, think bacon, sausage, chicken, capicola, ham, feta, anchovies, cheddar, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, pineapples, green olives, black olives, spinach, banana peppers, jalapenos and tofu. 



So I went with a standard pepperoni roll - so I can try the original - then, of course, one with mushrooms. I must say, these were both pretty decent. It took a looong time for these to come out, so they weren't super hot. BUT, I loved the dough that was sprinkled with herbs, and there were slits in the top that let out the air so you don't get that giant pocket. Plus dipped in marinara - very tasty. This, of course, was just an appetizer, though.



I also ordered a fried green tomato sandwich with housemade pimento cheese. Very good. Again, not warm, though. But a tangy pimento cheese was a perfect complement for those fried green tomatoes. There's a reason this is a classic pairing. 



Grade: B

East Flavor is a Huntington restaurant that opened in the fall in a space that many of my Huntington friends say is "doomed" - 322 10th Street. What they mean by this is that there are a lot of restaurants in this space that ultimately fail. 



Truthfully, I feel like this is the case for many towns. And, I'm always rooting for the new ones to change the trend. East Flavor is no exception, so I placed an order online to pick up at the restaurant. At this time, I felt more comfortable getting food to go - but still wanted to support this new restaurant. My quick view inside showed a large space, lots of finished wood and teal accents with small decorations. 



I ordered pad thai, tempura don and an Angry Dragon roll. I keep hoping I'll find a pad thai that lives up to my dreams of some favorites in Morgantown, but this just wasn't quite it. It wasn't bad, but it was a little bland. But, I also know this is probably not their specialty.



The tempura don was on the "danburi" list, and I was curious about it. It was tempura prawns and veggies on top of rice with house sauce, but mine was missing a sauce. But, tempura anything (fried anything) can't be too bad.



Finally, the Angry Dragon roll has shrimp tempura (sensing a theme?), spica tuna, avocado, topped with spicy crab salad and spicy mayo. I enjoyed this the most of the bunch. But I also rarely turn down sushi? Very yummy.

Grade: B

I'm not sure who Grumpy Gary is, but I do know he now has a restaurant in the Huntington area. Or, maybe someone just likes him enough to name a restaurant after him. 



Either way, I stopped here to check it out. The interior was closed due to COVID-19, but there were a few tables outside where we could enjoy our food. We placed our order, waited for some folks who were taking up the tables and were finally able to eat our dishes.



The menu here is heavy on biscuits - topped with everything from sausage and bacon to pinto beans and fried chicken breast. They have other breakfast items, burgers, appetizers, salads and pizza. On this particular day, they had just come out with their "Grumpwich," which has flaked ham on a pizza dough seasoned with garlic, basil and oregano, topped with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, provolone and mozzarella cheese. 

You may be familiar with pubwiches or wedgies, and this is similar. It's a pizza as the top crust of a sandwich. It was pretty good - though certainly messy. And definitely filling. The top was super cheesy and the crust itself was flavorful - like it had herbs in it. The experience of trying to eat while having folks smoking nearby or napping on tables was not great, but I would come back to try a biscuit. 

Grade: B

The Milton Flea Market is an interesting place. You'll find everything from primitive decor and medical scrubs to vape supplies and antiques.



They also have their share of food-related products - like baked goods, jerky and even some fresh produce.



However, there are two places that are more like restaurants or food stands that I wanted to check it out.



First, let's stop at Rocky's World of Ice Cream. They have a permanent set up in a small walk-up space at the market.



On this particular day, they were serving lemonade, shaved ice and other treats to beat the heat.



I went with a lemonade, which was perfect to sip while walking around. Plus, I knew there was more ice cream in our future.



Next up was Fatima's Thai Rolled Ice Cream. This is a really cool find in a flea shop. Rolled ice cream kinda became trendy, but I don't know if there are currently any places serving it in Charleston. So, this was a pleasant surprise.



In addition to ice cream, they have snacks like hot dogs, fries, nachos, pulled pork bbq, etc. 



But when in Rome... so I decided to go with an ice cream. I started with a strawberry base, and then we added maraschino cherries. Side note: Why don't we have more cherries in the store? I want cherries year-round. 



They did their thing by rolling it out on the cold stone, then chopping and rolling up and then topping it with these Pirouline cookie rolls. It was good! 



Have you been?

Here's my latest column in the Charleston Gazette-Mail:

One hallmark of Appalachian cuisine is the innovative use of the food available from the land and rivers — and the celebration of it.

But Appalachians weren’t the first group of people to employ this strategy. Rather, we have the Native Americans to thank for many growing techniques (among other things, like land, etc.) that have served as the basis for a number of meals.

Staples like corn, beans and squash — known as the Three Sisters — not only grow well together, but they also thrive. Native Americans had been growing this vegetable trio for centuries before folks like Appalachians began to integrate the sisters into dishes like soups, stews and succotash.

“Native Americans here knew this from the start, growing corn, beans, and squash — the ‘three sisters’ — together because of their symbiotic relationship. Corn removes nitrogen from the soil, and beans replace it. Cornstalks provide a natural trellis for the bean plants to climb on. Low-growing squash plants create shade and hold in moisture,” according to Fred Sauceman’s essay, “What Exactly is Appalachian Cuisine?”

The small ecosystem exists in a mound, with the three plants working together to deter weeds and pests, enrich the soil and support one another.

Here is how it all comes together:

The cornstalks in the center offer necessary support to the pole beans, which climb toward the sun.

The pole beans pull nitrogen from the air and return it to the soil via their web-like bean roots.

The large, broad leaves of sprawling squash provide shade for the soil to keep it cool and moist by slowing evaporation and prevent weeds.

The prickly hairs on the squash leaves also deter pests, like raccoons.

The pole beans grow up through the squash vines and around the cornstalks to hold all Three Sisters together.

In companion planting, each element — or plant — contributes to create a nutritionally balanced harvest, while helping the others succeed. Together, they produce a whole that is greater than the sum of their parts.

I think that could be symbolic of many things — not only Appalachian food and these important vegetables that provide a framework for so many of our meals, but also our communities, our state and our culture. It’s a time where we, like the Three Sisters, are meant to unite and work toward a better outcome — together.