Cozumel has a small empire in the Kanawha Valley area, extending north to Ripley. The Ripley restaurant moved locations since my last visit, so I figured it was time to stop by. My partner got takeout and brought it home for dinner. We enjoyed the Cozumel dip, which is their white cheese queso dip with ground beef and pico de gallo. This was a nice level up from the standard cheese dip. I do wish it was a bit thicker, but that didn't stop me from indulging.

I also tried the Cozumel pasta, because penne is not something you see every day on a Mexican menu. Grilled shrimp and chicken are cooked with onions and mushrooms on a bed of penne covered in a queso sauce. And, it was pretty good. I love the queso so adding pasta to it made it even better. I think there was actually too much chicken for the balance. But good, nonetheless. Grade: B

Cafe 1925 is a new coffee shop in Wheeling Park located in thd White Palace. The shop features Starbucks drinks and nice outdoor patio seating. They do offer an online ordering option, but I placed an order about an hour before I arrived, and it was nowhere to be found when I inquired at the counter, they simply said that the machine doesn't print online orders. So, they then started making my order. I ordered a caramel frappuccino and a spinach feta pretzel. I did see that there were some locally made foods, like pepperoni rolls, for sale. But, it seems like the majority is from the Starbucks product line. The space is nice, with several seats inside and a shaded outdoor patio, as well. It would be a great spot to meet friends for a coffee or even do some writing. The coffee drink is just like any that you would get at a Starbucks. I like mine closer to a milkshake than coffee, so a frappuccino is perfect for me. The spinach feta pretzel may be offered at Starbucks, but it was the first time I have tried it. And, it was actually quite tasty. The cheesy, salty, creamy combination of feta and spinach is always a homerun. But pairing it with the buttery, flaky pastry made it even better. Grade: B

Wings After Dark set up recently at one of the local hospitals during lunchtime, and I made my way over to check them out. they were a bit delayed, so it took a while to get my order of five wings. But, when I did receive them, they were hot and crispy. The crisp is crucial here, because I don't like any flabby parts on wings. I wanted a bit more zing from the barbecue sauce, but not bad overall. Grade: B

Moshpit Munchies is a local food truck branded with a heavy metal theme that has been making its rounds throughout the Kanawha Valley lately. They are known for their twisted potato amd funnel cakes, which can be topped with a number of ingredients, in addition to hot dogs, nachos and lemonade. I did a twisted potato with everything bagel seasoning, cheese amd sour cream. It's like a spiraled potato with the toppings sprinkled in the crevices. That nacho cheese is not my favorite because it takes over everything, the other toppings were great - and I would copy my friend Kayden next time and add bacon bits. AND, it would be next level if it was crispy. Grade: B

Triple B Eatery is a food truck in the Kanawha Valley with the slogan "grilled cheese to die for." I was willing to test that theory when they set up recently at George Washington High School. Their menu features some traditional grilled cheese sandwiches, plus some additional items, like a monte cristo and a hot bologna.

The smashed pepperoni roll caught my eye because it's taking West Virginia's greatest delicacy – the pepperoni roll – and making it into a grilled cheese. Two homemade pepperoni rolls are griddled with garlic butter so they are lightly crispy, and then they are sandwiched together with mozzarella cheese in the middle. I thought I had tried every variation of a pepperoni roll, but this was new to me. And absolutely delicious. It's the melted cheese, the crispy, buttery dough, and the hint of spice with the pepperoni altogether that makes this over the top. Grade: A

I visited Stellar Noodle Co. in their final days open in Huntington.



The turquoise shaded building was only one of a few ramen shops in the area, so I wanted to be sure to check it out.



I ordered the Tonkotsu - Char Siu Pork. Traditional Pork Bone Broth. Ramen. Carrot. Bean Sprout. Cabbage. Ajitsuke Egg. Fish Cake. Nori. Scallion. My favorite part of this was the egg because it had so much flavor. I wish the noodles were a bit softer and absorbed some of that broth.



I also had the belly bao - which had those nice pillowy buns and thick pieces of pork belly. Decent pork flavor. I appreciated the fresh cabbage and sauce on top.



Grade: B

The brainchild of James Beard award-winning chef John Currence, Big Bad Breakfast gives the proper respect to “the most important meal of the day” in Louisville, Kentucky.

They're known for their custom-created meats, fresh biscuits and preserves, locally roasted coffee and cocktails.

"We wear our 'Big Bad' name as a badge of honor and take special pride in serving all your Southern favorites with the creativity and technique that only a skilled, world-renowned chef can bring to the table," reads the website. I ordered the Jack Benny - sliced ham topped with crispy hash cake, wilted spinach, two poached eggs and hollandaise. Served with your choice of side (in my case, fruit). While I am not the biggest egg fan, I do enjoy me some eggs benedict. I especially love a little twist on it, like this crispy potato cake, which adds some nice texture. The side of fruit was key here though to bring out some balance of sweetness. That sort of unctuous hollandaise and yolk or satisfying. Grade: A

Bankers Corner Coffee Shop is a small, local restaurant that serve specialty coffees, pastries, and a full breakfast and lunch menu.



Located in Sistersville, this coffee shop is in a historic space: the former Union National Bank.



The space is warm and inviting, and the case at the counter was full of tempting treats.



You know how some people enjoy breakfast for dinner? I am the opposite. I would like to have dinner at breakfast time. I enjoy dinner foods more so than breakfast foods. So when given the option, I darted to the lunch menu, even if it was a little bit early in the day.



Nonetheless, I ordered the grilled meatloaf sandwich. Honestly, if this is on any menu, I'm probably ordering it. Meatloaf reminds me of home, and it is comfort food to me.



The meatloaf sandwich was like a grilled cheese with a thin slice of meatloaf in the middle. I actually think this construction was pretty neat. My only suggestion would be to have a nice tomato-based sauce to dip it in.



My hot chocolate was delicious. Truly tasted homemade. Simple and sweet.



Grade: B

Elk City Bistro is like a mix between a pop-up kitchen and a brick-and-mortar restaurant. While they do have a physical space on the West Side, their hours are primarily lunchtime specific, and the menu changes up weekly.



That schedule can be a bit difficult for those of us who work traditional business hours, but I made my way over there recently to check things out. I ordered the sliders with with bacon cheeseburger, pulled pork and fried chicken and a side of fried. These were pretty standard, but executed well. A special sauce or unique ingredient would've made this craveable.



Grade: B

A few months ago, my friend Alex and I visited The Honeycomb on the West Side.



The restaurant itself is fairly small with just a handful of tables inside and TVs on the wall. It is branded with the black and yellow theme and the cute little honeybee. There are also outdoor picnic tables, where it is a bit more quiet, so that's where we headed.



The menu is predominantly wings, but it also includes fish, burgers, mac & cheese, yams, fries, greens and pasta salad. And they have more than 20 different sauces for the wings.



I ordered wings with the "hot honey crack" sauce, and sides of macaroni and cheese and yams. We did wait a little while for our food, but once it came out, I was blown away. The mac & cheese was creamy, the yams were deliciously sticky sweet, in the wings were perfectly crispy yet sweet yet spicy. I rarely order wings when dining out just because I make a mess, but every dirty napkin was worth this meal. The flavor, the texture, it was all there.



Grade: A

Here is my latest column for the Charleston Gazette–Mail:

One sweet Appalachian celebration is anything but cookie-cutter.

In the heart of Western Pennsylvania and its surrounding regions, there exists a unique tradition that brings the community together: the Pittsburgh Cookie Table.

Often seen at weddings, graduations, and other milestone celebrations, the Pittsburgh Cookie Table is the designated dessert option that is full of homemade cookies gifted from loved ones. It is more than just a display of sugary treats; the custom is a symbol of community, love, and the enduring power of shared traditions.

The origins of the Pittsburgh Cookie Table are as varied as the cookies that adorn it. While the exact beginnings of the tradition are difficult to pinpoint, it is widely believed to have roots in the early 20th century, brought over by Italian and Eastern European immigrants who settled in the steel towns of Pittsburgh and the surrounding Appalachian areas.

These communities, many of which faced economic hardships, found ways to celebrate life's significant moments without the need for extravagant spending. The cookie table became a way for families and friends to contribute to a communal celebration, each offering their own homemade cookies as a gesture of love and support.

There are buttery Italian wedding cookies and delicate ladyfingers to rich chocolate chip cookies and intricate pizzelles. Polish kolaczki, Greek koulourakia, German spritz cookies and Italian biscotti. This diversity reflects the culinary journey through the region’s heritage.

Those cookies are a mixture of family favorites, fun finds and creative spins. Each cookie carries with it a story—a grandmother’s cherished recipe, a new creation shared by a friend, or a classic treat passed down through generations.

The cookie table is an expected and cherished part of any significant celebration — often taking center stage, with guests eagerly anticipating the moment they can sample the homemade confections. Guests are encouraged to fill small boxes or bags to take cookies home.

In many families, the recipes used for the cookie table have been handed down through the years, often with little variation. Grandparents teach their grandchildren the art of making the perfect butter cookie or the secret to achieving the ideal crispness in a biscotti. These baking sessions become opportunities for storytelling, with each recipe carrying the weight of history and the warmth of familial love. It’s a tradition that encapsulates the resilience, generosity and character of the people of the region.

Bodo's Bagels is a classic Charlottesville, Virginia, bakery with three locations across town. "Our bagels are made from scratch "in-house" every day, at each location. Every step, from the mixing of dough to the baking, is done on-premises. We follow a traditional all-natural recipe, with NO fats, preservatives, dairy or soy, and we only use unbleached, unbromated flours. Our bagels are always oven-fresh; we bake from open to close!"



Bodos has several types of bagels including: Plain, Whole Wheat, Sesame, Poppy, Onion, Cinnamon-Raisin, Everything, Everything on Whole Wheat, Garlic and Salt. I enjoyed a garlic bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese. It is missing the classic red onions and capers to round out the flavor profile, but this was still very tasty. That bagel had a nice chew to it ans little bits of crunchy garlic made it fun to eat.



Grade: B