SXSW had a little food truck roundup called "SouthBites", and one of the most famous food trucks in Austin was in attendance.

East Side Kings dubs its menu Japanese street food with a touch of Austin soul.

On this day, they had a few tasty options - but the frontrunner for me was "Thai Chicken Kara-age" which is deep-fried chicken thighs in a sweet chili sauce with fresh onion, jalapeno and herbs.

East Side King offers globally influenced Japanese street food. Created by Paul Qui and Moto Utsunomiya during their time at Uchi/Uchiko, East Side King provided a space for creative freedom and fun with food. East Side King has grown from a food truck behind the Liberty Bar to include a brick and mortar on South Lamar, a catering department, and talent like Thai Changthong, Executive Chef of Thai-Kun. 

East Side King is inspired by Asian cultures, rock bands, art and Austin's laid-back, fun-loving vibe. We use quality ingredients like certified awesome Tender Belly Pork, 100% vegetarian-fed pigs raised without antibiotics, hormones, or crates of any kind.

Wow, was this good! Bold, fresh flavors. The cuisine in this town is just so much different than what I'm used to. It was light, but filling and satisfying. Even giant fresh onion and jalapeno just tasted refreshing. That sauce was so flavorful. Just, man, I'm missing this right now.

As a side note - Avocados from Mexico sponsored the event, so they were giving out free guac! You could customize it, so I got cranberries and cojito cheese on it. Win.





Grade: A

We stopped at Centre Market Bakery to get a goodie to go along with coffee.

They have so many different kinds of cookies - chocolate chip, oatmeal raison, nuts. Plus cupcakes, biscotti and even cannoli.

Since there were so many cookies - with variations in just one ingredient - I figured that would go well with coffee.

Oatmeal raisin walnut it was. This one was definitely a bit more crisp than I was anticipating. I tend to like my oatmeal cookies a bit more chewy. But, these were good and a crispy one was totally fine for coffee. I'm curious about the cupcakes and some of the other goodies they have, too. That'll have to wait for next time!




Grade: B

During some down time, I took a bit of an urban hike to see the Texas capital (pretty, but no West Virginia) and stopped at the Texas Chili Parlor on my way.

It's a bit kitschy, but the restaurant is a tourist favorite so I wanted to mark it off my list. It's pretty dark inside and smells a bit musty. But people from all ends of the spectrum - businessmen in suits to young hipsters - were waiting for their grub.

Texas chili has NO beans in it; in fact, it's sacrilegious. Just beef and tomatoes and other tasty spices. But, I wanted to try the chili, and I couldn't think of a better way to do so than atop fritos and with cheese. That's right, I ordered a Frito pie. Fritos, topped with chili, topped with cheese and then I got sour cream on the side, because it's essential.

Overall, I thought it was just OK. I did get the mild chili, but I thought it was a bit bland. I was looking for all sorts of depth of flavor, and maybe I should've gone the spicy route for that. Either way, cover something in cheese and sour cream, and it's good no matter what. A decent rendition of the dish, though I think I've had better.



Grade: C

It's strange how trends work in Morgantown. We will go years without having a particular type of cuisine, then all of a sudden, we get inundated with it. It happened with BBQ, and now, it's happening with pho.

You see, six months ago, Morgantown had zero pho joints. And now, we have two. We talked recently about Pho Hung, and now, there's Saigon Pho Kitchen.


In all fairness, Saigon Pho Kitchen had been in the works for some time, and it comes to us from the same owners of Chaang Thai. Raj's wife is of Vietnamese heritage, and her family worked to fine-tune the recipes.

Saigon Pho Kitchen is located along University Avenue near Black Bear Evansdale/Mario's Fishbowl Evansdale in a small plaza. The ordering process is a little different, so read on:

1. When you walk inside, choose a table you'd like first. Then, flip the number upside down.
2. Then, go to a kiosk near the doors to the right. Input your items. Input your table number in the "call number" space.
3. Get your fountain drink/water. If you ordered a specialty beverage, you actually pick it up at that counter.
4. Otherwise, head back to your table and await your food.

It might be a little confusing because as soon as you walk in, you'd expect to go directly to the counter. And, the kiosks are on the backside wall. And, there's not necessarily one central area to look for directions - instead, it's in various ways in a bunch of different places. The kiosk system is very easy, though, and there's no miscommunication.

The interior is kinda cool - a bit modern with some more inspired pieces.

First off, Will got this coffee, which he seemed to like. I think.

After a very short wait, our appetizers were brought out - summer rolls were good; always love that peanut butter sauce.

The potstickers were tasty, too. Crispy outside, soft inside.

For my main meal, I actually opted against pho (next time!), and went for the banh mi because this is the ONLY place in the area that has it!

Banh Mi has particular ingredients that officially make up the sandwich: French baguette, jalapenos, meat (chicken, ham, meatballs are my fav), pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro and French pate.

So, it was pretty exciting that this sandwich was the real deal. There was some nice garlicky mayo that kept it all together, and the flavors were pretty great - deep flavors from the pate and meat, some acidity from the pickled veggies, fresh cilantro and cucumber. I wouldn't mind a few more veggies and de-stemming the cilantro - but overall, I thought this was a pretty good take on it.

They're brand new, and Raj definitely wants to make sure people are receptive to the items. The banh mi is definitely a nice addition to town. I will have to go back to try the pho.

Grade: A

There is no shortage of good Italian food in North Central West Virginia. We are blessed with some of the best red sauce this state has to offer.

So, I'm always down to try any Italian restaurant in the area. Raymon's Catering & Restaurant is known for its Wednesday specials - all you can eat pasta!

Raymon's Restaurant in Harrison County is about the family, Its a family-run business and the most popular dishes come from family recipes. Since 1980, Raymon's has offered catering parties for wedding, anniversary, Christmas parties, class reunions, and other events. Raymon's also sell our popular Italian Dressing. After 35 years we are still going strong. Please stop by and see us.

Parking can be a bit precarious, but we found a spot. The interior was open with some old-school artificial flowers and blue tablecloths. We waited a few minutes before being seated.

The all-you-can-eat menu on Wednesdays consists of spaghetti, rigatoni, manicotti and lasagna - or Bit of Italy, which is a sampling of each. And, when you order this, you first get bread and salad.

Their Italian dressing is a crowd-favorite, and it certainly is generously served with the iceberg lettuce salad.


For my first entree, I got the Bit of Italy because little bits of everything are always better. I think my favorite of the bunch was the manicotti. Anytime I can get a bunch of ricotta in my mouth, I'm happy. The sauce is a bit sweet, but good overall.

And, I had to get a second plate just because it was all you can eat. And, I absolutely stuffed myself. On the second plates, you apparently don't get the topping of cheese or the side of meatball. And, you can switch it up, too. You can get the Bit of Italy for the first round and then just pick the one you liked best for the second round.

The meal also comes with dessert. It was a chocolate sheet cake with a peanut butter icing. Not bad.

Overall, if you're hungry and need a decent Italian fix, this is a solid choice for a Wednesday evening. It's pretty cheap, you can get your fill, and it's tasty. Plus, it's a tradition in the area.

Grade: B

Every time I visit a new city, I always try to find a decent burger joint.

After some searching, Hopdaddy Burger Bar came up as a must-try.

This place is a little nonconventional. For starters, there was a line out the door. I didn't think that was too bad, so I joined behind the last person. The line, however, stretches all the way past the dining space and to the back kitchen where you place your order.

Along the way, they slowly take care of small things - how many people are in your party, then you're assigned a table number, as you progress, an idea of what you might want to order and finally, ordering at the counter.

After you order at the counter, you come out to the dining space to find your table number, and your food is delivered.

The good we make begins here. The FRESHEST available, all-natural ingredients. Our beef comes from HUMANELY RAISED COWS, never, ever given growth hormones or antibiotics. We grind everything in-house daily. Our fries are HAND-CUT from select Kennebec potatoes. Our buns are made from scratch & BAKED FRESH all day everyday. ENJOY!

After just a bit of waiting, my food arrived: Magic Shroom burger made with angus beef, Texas goat cheese, field mushrooms, mayo, basil pesto, red leaf lettuce, white onion and beefsteak tomato. Truffle fries were also a must.

This burger was great. It was large, but it was flavorful, all fresh ingredients and a good combination of flavors. Solid burger.

The fries - complete with a delicious garlic aioli - are the things my dreams are made of. It's just unfair how good these are. Umami is my weakness, and it just doesn't get much better.

It's definitely hipster-y and a little tedious as far as process goes, but my meal was worth the wait.



Grade: A

Support the American Red Cross and delight your taste buds during the 9th annual Taste of West Virginia. A foodie’s paradise, the event will provide a vast array of bites from the area’s best restaurants, who will showcase their unique cuisine and compete for one of seven culinary awards.

I'm really excited to return again this year to judge, and I'll even have copies of The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll for sale.

Awards

• Best Savory Dish
• Best Sweet Dish
• Best Vegetarian Dish
• Best Bite
• Best Presentation
• Peoples Choice
• Taste of West Virginia

Confirmed Vendors (more being added)

• Atomic Grill
• Emi's Edibles
• Hill and Hollow
• Flying Fish & Co.
• Lakeview Golf Resort & Spa
• Table 9
• Tailpipes
• Tin 202
• Tutto Gelato Café
• Waterfront Place Hotel
• WVU Alumni Center

Emcee

• Jamie Ames, WV Radio, “Just Jamie,” 102 WVAQ

Judges

• Candace Nelson, journalist, food blogger and author of “The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll”

• Anne Hart, Owner & Executive Chef, Provence Market Café

• Nikki Drake, WV Radio, “Jack and Nikki in the Morning,” 102 WVAQ

Tickets
(available exclusively at www.redcross.org/tasteofwv)

• $25 per person
• $40 per couple

Sponsors

• March-Westin
• Mylan
• First Energy
• The Dominion Post
• Spilman, Thomas & Battle
• Jackson Kelly
• Thrasher

Questions?

• Contact the American Red Cross Northeast WV office in Morgantown at (304) 598-9500 or kyle.pajarito@redcross.org