The former Archie's in Sabraton has become Sabraton Station, but it still features the same type of fare with sandwiches, wings and plated dinners in a bar & grill space.
The building is actually quite big with a wraparound bar, a dozen or so high-tops and a stage/booth area, plus a whole upstairs. It's a lot.
For my order, I went with a buffalo chicken wrap. Nothing too crazy, but I was also trying not to eat something super fried. Except I then got a side of the brew french fries, which are like deep-fried because they're a house specialty.The wrap wasn't bad - pretty average. Some of the distribution of items was a little off, so I'd get a full bite of tortilla or a full bite of lettuce. I also don't love the lettuce in the wrap because it gets hot and soggy. It's cut too thin to hold up and ends up getting mushy.
But the chicken was good, and the flavor was that of just a mild buffalo sauce - not too spicy.
The fries had a nice little battered crunch to them. They're thick and definitely pack more than enough calories.
I think on the next visit, I wanna try the wings!
Grade: C
Chef Ohlinger, the former chef/owner of Richwood Grill, hosted his second dinner in the 2015 Appalachian Global Dinner Series on Saturday. The goal of the Appalachian Global Dinner Series is to highlight the role of Appalachian cuisine in global culture, and to bring West Virginia recognition as a culinary destination, as per the website. Chef Ohlinger would combine dishes he's learned through his travels with an Appalachian twist during the inventive dinners at Richwood Grill and while he's searching for his next permanent location, he is completing this year's dinner series in a host of guest kitchens in the area.
Ramp Lollapalooza: Ramps 30 Ways ~ This Ain't Your Grandma's Ramp Dinner was hosted at Atomic Grill at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 2. It was $40 and by reservation only. Unlike the previous dinner, everyone was eating at the same time. And most of us were set up along a line table on the side of the restaurant. If you're ever been to a ramp feed, it's often similar - long rows of tables of people eating the pungent oniony-garlicky ramp in various forms.
Ramps are the traditional harbinger of Spring in Appalachia, and the Ramp Dinner is familiar to all. In many other temperate mountain regions around the world, wild spring onions are welcomed in the same way, according to the event Facebook page. The multi-course dinner featured traditional spring onion dishes and some very untraditional dishes from locally foraged ramps. It's funny, almost, to think that these usually very cheap dinners are used as fundraisers, but this dinner took the humble ramp and created global dishes from it - in a very cool way. I think we ended up getting to about 23 different ramp dishes, which is still a ton. I think time + not have your own kitchen + trying brand new dishes sometimes throws a wrench in plans. But, hell, I'm not complaining.
First Course: Ramp ricotta bruschetta + chilled ramp and pea soup
Delicious. It's not a crazy concept, right? A nice velvety soup with a crunchy bread. It combine cheesy, garlicky spread with a chilled soup. Really tasty. I haven't loved most pea soups I've had. This totally changed my mind.
Second Course (left upper corner clockwise): Ramp and roasted corn lemonade + ramp jalea + ramp kimchi + ramp and peach chutney + ramp sabzi khordan + ramp salsa naranja + ramp kachumbali + ramp hummus + ramp spearmint jelly + ramp cullen skink with ramp buerre blanc
This was served on a giant tile, and I was super excited just seeing the platters coming through the door. It's so impressive and overwhelming, in the best possible way. Ramp-onade was quite good. Sounds weird, but it was heavy on the lemonade flavor. The ramp jalea is literally a log of ramp gelatin, so meh. It's an odd texture with a strong flavor, but it's different. Ramp kimchi was not bad, and the ramp/peach chutney was sweet, so I took bite after bite. Ramp sabzi khordan (never had heard of this before), but it seems like it's essentially just a side of mixed herbs. I wanted to think this was a slaw, but after rolling the flavors around, it was definitely radish. Tasty. The ramp salsa naranja is essentially an orange salsa with cilantro, but this version was chunky and reminded me of a ceviche -- sans the seafood, of course. The kachumbali (I'm learning so many new words!), was a familiar flavor in the feta cheese - almost like a tzatziki sauce. Ramp hummus! That was a fairly familiar flavor - but this was about 1,000 times better than what's being sold in stores. I wish I could bottle that and buy it. The spearmint jelly had me all kinds of confused. It was mint - but stinky ramps - and it was a jelly texture. And my absolute favorite was the ramp cullen skink with ramp buerre blanc. My best guess was this was a sort of salmon, potato cake with a cream sauce. Delicious. I loved trying so many things my taste buds have never tried before.
Third Course (top clockwise): Ramp grits and ramp kaeng + ramp turkey biriani + ramp, beef and banana ndizi and ramp allioli + ramp ravioli and ramp pumpkinseed pesto + ramp rhubarb ragout
Talk about a mix of cultures! The grits were good and familiar. The ramp turkey biriani tasted just like a turkey gravy. The ramp, beef and banana ndizi with ramp aioli was the most different dish of the night for me. I'm not even sure how to explain it, but I was thinking it was bean curd? It's a little sweet. Just a real nice surprise for the palate. The raviolis were delicious, as was the pesto. And the ramp rhubarb ragout was also different, but I loved it.
Forgotten Course: Ramp spring roll
This was a nice fresh flavor after some heavy samplings previously, but it was pretty strong. The raw onion plus the ramps were a bit much for me. Or it could've been the 20 or so ramp dishes I've had at this point. I wish I had my previous plate so I could dip the roll in some of the previous sauce.
Final Course: Ramp meyer lemon sorbet
You wouldn't think this would be delicious and refreshing, but it was. The icey cold dish was sweet with just a hint of the ramp flavor. I really dug it. Different.
And while we were actually supposed to have menus (printer complications), it was almost more fun to really, really focus on the flavors of the food to try to figure out what you've had before that it's similar to or what flavors are really there. We were constantly guessing what the next dish was. Was that a chickpea flavor? Cumin? Radish? It kept us guessing, and I've learned so many new dishes -- and had ramps more ways than I ever thought was possible.
I apologize to anyone who has to deal with me for the next day or so; I don't WANT to smell like ramps, promise.
Trusting your chef to produce something incredibly tasty or weird or new or just pushing you outside your boundaries is big. It's almost a sense of vulnerability to have no idea what you're getting yourself into, but being excited for an adventure. And MK consistently delivers.
The next dinner is the beer and cheese dinner at Iron Horse Tavern. I already made reservations before even knowing the menu or price. I know MK won't disappoint. And if you see me there, come say hi! :)
And while we were actually supposed to have menus (printer complications), it was almost more fun to really, really focus on the flavors of the food to try to figure out what you've had before that it's similar to or what flavors are really there. We were constantly guessing what the next dish was. Was that a chickpea flavor? Cumin? Radish? It kept us guessing, and I've learned so many new dishes -- and had ramps more ways than I ever thought was possible.
I apologize to anyone who has to deal with me for the next day or so; I don't WANT to smell like ramps, promise.
Trusting your chef to produce something incredibly tasty or weird or new or just pushing you outside your boundaries is big. It's almost a sense of vulnerability to have no idea what you're getting yourself into, but being excited for an adventure. And MK consistently delivers.
The next dinner is the beer and cheese dinner at Iron Horse Tavern. I already made reservations before even knowing the menu or price. I know MK won't disappoint. And if you see me there, come say hi! :)
I don't really understand the naming convention Lil'e Huskey's is following here, BUT we all know I'm never happier than when I have ice cream, so odd name aside, I was all in.Lil'e Huskey's is located in Cross Lanes, but there is a Huskey's Dairy Bar located in Charleston. I don't definitively know the division here, but it seems as though the two were once under the same umbrella.
After parking, I went inside and noticed the, well, pro-Second Amendment rights. Getchu a little pro-gun propoganda with your ice cream. Whatever. Again, I do ridiculous things for ice cream.
I went for their version of a "swirl" soft-serve cone. It's really just a chocolate layer, then a vanilla layer, then chocolate, etc. The ice cream is thick and creamy. I hate when some ice creams are too icy or thin. This was delicious.
They also, of course, have some food items, like hot dogs. Solid dairy bar with good ice cream (though I'm not sure there is a place with not delicious ice cream). As long as you can overlook some political statements, check it out. Huge portions, quick food and one tasty cone as summer starts to heat up.
Grade: A
Rollin Smoke BBQ is located on Crede Drive along Route 119 between Mink Shoals and Big Chimney. The trailer has a wooden lattice built up around it and the smokers and truly looks like a shabby BBQ joint. Hand-painted signs with "pork ribs" or "hog roast" written across the front pair with quirky pig decorations.
Walking around back, I discovered a window with a large menu situated underneath. Pulled pork sandwiches, Texas smoked brisket sandwiches, smokey spicy link sausage, pulled chicken BBQ, smoked ribs, wings, smoked cornish hens, and sides of BBQ baked beans, cole slaw, red potato salad, macaroni salad, cheesy hashbrown casserole and green bean casserole. They also have a selection of desserts and offer catering.
I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with a side of macaroni and cheese and potato salad at the window. After a few minutes, my order was called from the other window, I picked it up ... and then realized there's no seating here. There are some seating areas, but it's not for eating. It's for waiting. Carry out only. So, good friend and #gradschoolproblems buddy Matt Murphy and I went back to his place to chow down.
I understand why Rollin Smoke BBQ has such a great ratings (and here). The applewood-smoked pork has a smokey sweet flavor with a tangy tomato-based sauce. This heaping BBQ sandwich was filled with tender pork with a perfect flavor.
The sides were just as good. The macaroni and cheese had a thick sauce and didn't get mushy, which often happens. The potato salad was fresh, not too muddle with mayo flavor. The herbs and skin from the potatoes gave it a ton of flavor. One of my favorite places in Charleston in recent memory. Now that the temperatures are warming up, what's better than a little roadtrip and BBQ? Not much.Rollin Smoke is open Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. They accept cash and credit cards. Rollin Smoke BBQ also has a mobile pit in downtown Charleston at the corner of Quarrier and Laidley, but they encourage folks to check out their Facebook for specifics.
Grade: A
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