I did a quick culinary tour of Parkersburg with BFF Veronica to check off a bunch of places on the 101 Most Unique Places to Dine list, and our first stop was Cham's Lebanese Cuisine.


Cham's Lebanese Cuisine is a family-owned restaurant that serves up classic Lebanese dishes: shawarma, falafel, kabob, hummus, etc. I went for the shawarma, while Veronica opted for the falafel wrap.

After a short wait, our dishes came out - and with a smile. Everyone here was very kind and friendly. My dish was not bad, but it wasn't the best shawarma I've ever had, either. A bit more wrap than meat, and a good sauce would've helped bring it together. But good quality meat and a big portion.

V wasn't super keen on her falafel (but I haven't had a falafel I've been super keen on, either). I had a bite, and it wasn't bad. It was tough to bypass the dessert ... but we did have another dinner to get to, so none for this visit.

Overall thoughts: Good, especially for the Parkersburg area. Great? I've had some in recent memory that are hard to top.


Grade: B

The corner of University Avenue and Campus Drive has lured in yet another restaurant - this time in the form of Indian cuisine. Bombay Indian Grill opened on Monday and has had a steady stream of customers ever since, according to the owners.

This restaurant space seems to be cursed. It has previously housed a Pizza Al's and some other short-lived places. So, what gives? Is it an awkward location? Is it parking - despite there being a giant short-term lot directly outside the door? Has there not been a unique enough restaurant to draw people to this area? Is there not enough foot traffic? I don't have the answers. But I wish these folks the best.

Tony and I parked in the short-term lot and luckily got in right before the lunch rush. A sign outside noted a lunch special: $7.99 for two items on the lunch bar with rice. The bar had pans of channa masala, spicy garlic chicken, etc. Behind the counter was the full menu, which features favorites like chicken tikka masala, chicken vindaloo, lamb korma, etc.

At the counter, I ordered chicken tikka masala, as well as an order of vegetable pakora. After paying, we found a seat and waited for our food. I really don't love this kind of seating - like faux booths that make me feel like they're going to tilt and break. Just my neurosis showing here. Otherwise, bright colors on the walls and a bit of odds and ends that need touched up. They've tried to get as much seating in here as they could, which lends itself to odd angles at some points.

The lovely owner brought us out a sample of Mango Lassi, which is this mango yogurt drink - super velvety and smooth. I'm a fan.

Next up, the pakora. Green peppers, cauliflower, potatoes and onions are dipped in this delicious batter and fried until crisp and golden. Think Indian tempura. Fried VEGGIES can't be all that bad, right? I like the batter, and, even though it fell apart a bit, it was tasty. It was served with a tamarind dipping sauce and a coriander chutney. The tamarind is a bit sweeter, while the chutney has a fresher taste.

The naan was good - and plentiful! That's nice. Tony's butter chicken up there was very good, too. Not quite as sweet as mine but very flavorful.

The tikka masala is super creamy and just a hint of sweet. It is delivered in a large bowl, with a small dish of rice - with, I think, the intention of scooping bits from the bowl to the rice and going spoonful at a time. Very good.

When I finished, I went up to get a to-go container (enough for a whole other meal!). And, while there, I got some kheer. I love, love, love rice pudding. I also love gulab jamun, but I was trying to pace myself. It has a nice hint of cinnamon. You can't really go wrong with it, though.

I like this place. I'm not sure we need (or can sustain) a third Indian restaurant in town. And I'm not sure if it blows the other two away. But I do like it. I think I'd have to try a few more dishes to get a better gauge.

Grade: B

A small deli in Spencer open only for lunch Monday through Friday posed a problem for me. But, where there's a will (ahem, an appearance on the 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list), there's a way.

I took a day off for some culinary adventure and made my way to Spencer to visit the Church Street Deli. After being misled by Apple Maps, I found my way there - and even parallel parked!

Inside, it opens up into a dim dining space with a few black tables and chairs, and further back sits the counter space. Off to the right and back, there is even more seating. Up at the counter, I made a quick decision to try the loaded potato soup, which was the special for the day.

For a cold, rainy day, there was no better cure. It was cheesy and rich - my only faint complaint is that it seemed to have this layer of film on top that I didn't totally love. Maybe that was sitting for a few before serving? Not sure, but the flavor was on point. This little deli certainly knows how to dish up a decent soup.

Bonus? The women's restroom was totally decked out in Marilyn Monroe. Cool. Haha.

Grade: B
 

La Famiglia, located in Huntington, calls itself a southern Italian deli. They appear to have these sorts of items, as well as a dinner menu. Thinks pizzas, pasta dishes, etc.

The restaurant has roots in Calabria, as the family's cultural heritage is Italian. They use the same recipes brought over from Calabria maintained through the generations.

The environment in this restaurant is warm, welcoming. Super cozy. The service great. I thought a pretty straightforward dish would be the classic spaghetti and meatball pasta.

I found it fairly average. The pasta was cooked a little too long, and the sauce was a bit watery for my tastes. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't super exciting to me. Meatball was a bit dry. Nothing terrible, just nothing great.

This little cannoli, for dessert, though, was pretty tasty! It had a nice crisp pastry and delicious creamy ricotta center. Overall, decent experience. But I've had better Italian in the area.

Grade: C

Evaroni's Pizza, located in Kenova, found itself on the 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list. So, I found myself in Kenova.

I visited on New Year's Eve, and they were totally slammed. So, while the nice brickwork outside looked as if it could be this inviting Italian cove full of delicious food, I only saw the entrance. I placed my order inside and was quoted a 30-minute or so wait. Veronica and I left to run a few errands. And about 30 minutes later, I get in line for the drive-thru to pick up my pizza.

Apparently, somebody forgot to hang up my ticket, and they frantically said just 10 more minutes. I pulled ahead, muttered under my breath a lot and generally felt all around frustrated. We were already running late, and this set us over. But I waited, and waited, and waited some more until they finally brought my pizza out.

Fortunately, it was so, so worth it. This pizza has a really sweet sauce. I don't typically love that, but it had some depth there. It's not a cheap sweet where a ton of sugar is just dumped in. It's a cultivated, marinated sweet that just gives the pizza an incredible flavor. The crust was crisp (probably because I scarfed it down as soon as it was handed to me). Very good.

So, go. Just don't be pressed for time when doing so.

Grade: A

The Wine Valley, located in Hurricane, is a tapas restaurant and wine bar wedged in a strip mall. But once you walk inside, it's like you've been transported to a very posh, hip city free from outside influences.

I truly mean that. When we walked inside, it was warm and had an intimate vibe. Dark woods, green ivy and an extensive wine list graced our table.

The sommelier was on his game, checking on us and offering wine suggestions. I ultimately decided on the Ala Vecchia, Vermentino, Tuscany Italy, 2013. Why? Well, I didn't know what a Vermentino was, it didn't look too dry or too sweet, and it wasn't too cheap or expensive. Seemed pretty middle of the road, and it was a great decision. I loved this glass of wine. A perfect balance, just like I thought.

Let's talk food. We ordered a cheese platter with Stilton Mango, Benadictine, Perrano and Belletoile Brie complete with dates, grapes and crackers.

Each of these were so, so good. The mango was sweet, while the brie was creamy. Plus the sharper cheeses mixed with a nice crisp cracker or sweet fruit. It was just phenomenal. I think I could live on wine and cheese for the rest of my life. Oh, and maybe ice cream.

But seriously, go here. Quickly.


Grade: A

For the past couple years, I have posted a ton of restaurant reviews. Some good, some bad, many indifferent. When my blog began to pick up some momentum, some restaurants that I've graded low, or maybe not so low, have contacted me in various ways. Some are angry, and some want to know how they can improve my experience.

Restaurant Redemption is a small series I've created that will allow me to give those restaurants who are keeping up with their social media (notably, my blog) and have made an attempt to rectify a poor or mediocre dining experience. For the restaurants that have contacted me, I'm giving it another dining go. For the most part, I will try a different dish and make note of the previous observations about the experience as a whole.

On my first visit to Moxxee, I complained about a drink I ordered containing espresso (ha, ha, I'm an asshole). As I've mentioned recently, I used to be REALLY all about coffee - like, need it to breathe. I then decided I needed to cut that addiction, and I basically went without coffee for a few years. Now, I'm back to drinking in moderation.

On my blog post about Moxxee, owner TJ commented:

Oh No. Moxxee gave you a headache I see. Sorry about that. Everything on the menu has coffee in it other than the teas, unless you ask for it to be made without the espresso. The Milk and Honey Burst is meant to show off the espresso with small amount of textured milk and pure honey and is half espresso so I can see why you were jolted, although not sure about a headache from a sip. Hopefully if you're ever back in town you can stop by and we will work on getting you a better experience and at least a C+ rating for us.

Basically, let me take a minute to recant that first blog post and tell everyone I'm sorry I'm a total jerk. I'm a jerk. Opinions and thoughts change a lot in three years, and mine are out there to be read. And everyone can see what an idiot I am. Upon visiting Moxxee with a fresh perspective, I realized this is exactly the kind of place I'd love to have in Morgantown. I love the variety of options, and I love the totally cool vibe.

Let's be honest, it's a bit pretentious. But I think that's part of the appeal. They know their coffee, and that's clear. I ordered a cafe mocha latte, and it was a perfect balance between the bitterness of the bean and a slight sweet chocolate flavor. I could totally spend some time here writing, people watching and sipping a quality cup of coffee.

Moxxee is truly a cool addition to Charleston's East End, and they're doing really cool stuff. Please go check them out if you haven't already. You might just find me there!