So, I recently went to Preston County to check out the zoo -- that's right, West Virginia has a zoo. And while in the area, Brittany and I decided to head into downtown Kingwood to grab a bite at the Brew Ha Ha.

Side note: It also happened to be the same day that the stores were doing a sort of trick-or-treat, so we got to see lots of kids dressed up as superheroes or princesses as we enjoyed our meal. Super cute.

This cafe is cozy and bright with a good bit of seating and some tasty drink and food options. The menu options encompass a little bit of everything - from egg rolls and chips & salsa to a pancake platter and grilled cheese sandwiches.



So, I got their "Ultimate" Grilled Cheese, which is muenster cheese and garlic aioli piled with crispy bacon and French-fried onions on thick slices of grilled toast.

For a drink, I went with a "brewlatte," which is frozen and blended fresh brewed coffee. I added a salted caramel flavor shot.


We'd only waited for a just a little bit -- taking in the cool vibe and bustling environment -- before our meals came out.

Let's start with the drink - if you want to feel like you're drinking a milkshake that gives you some extra energy, this is it. Simple, but good.


So, my grilled cheese, with a side of pasta salad, was pretty good! It was pretty dense and savory. I think just a touch of something sweet -- like honey fried onions or something would help break that up. But, still, very tasty.

Between good snacks and drinks and wonderful service, this is a great little place.

They even partner with the local brewing company, Screech Owl Brewing for some fun merchandise.

Have you ever been? What's your favorite thing?





Grade: A

Well, if there's one place in Martinsburg I've been dying to go to - it's La Trattoria. It's the first place mentioned when the city is brought up, it has previously made the list of 101 unique places to dine in the state, and I've heard nothing but amazing things.

But, my only dilemma? They didn't open until 4, which was the time I was supposed to be leaving Martinsburg. I called right at 4 p.m. and asked if I could place a to-go order. The gentleman kindly took my order and said it could be ready in 15 minutes. I could swing that.

When I walked in, he was literally packaging up my meal as we spoke and waiting for the freshly baked bread to come out of the oven. I peeked into the dining area to get a feel for the restaurant. It's pretty much exactly what you expect from an Italian-American restaurant in a small town. Some art depicting Italian scenes, synthetic flowers on the table and a wall full of awards declaring it the best restaurant in the region.

The gentleman who worked with me was just phenomenal. He gently packed up each component to my meal, taking the most care to assure it would be to my satisfaction. He even packed up a few little packets of butter to go with the freshly baked bread. And, while the food was done when I arrived, we continued to chat for another 10 minutes or so. I learned about his family and how his daughter goes to WVU. Just great people.

La Trattoria was founded more than 20 years ago, and the Romo family bought the restaurant in 2007. Since then, it has consistently been one of the highest rated restaurants in the area. And once I was finally able to dig into my meal, it did not disappoint. First was this spinach egg-drop soup in a chicken broth. It was certainly different, but savory and warm, which is perfect for the rainy day.

Next, these incredible rolls. I think he gave me half a loaf, and thank god, because I devoured every last one of them. Soft, chewy, buttery deliciousness.

I had ordered the Tortellini Pink, which is cheese tortellini with a pink creamy sauce. So tasty! It makes me wish I had time to try all their other offerings, because the menu is long with tons of enticing entrees. The tortellini was creamy, rich, indulgent ... it eschews traditional red sauce in favor of this thick, comforting cream-based sauce. Delicious? Check. Amazing service? Check check. Will I be back? Check check check.

Grade: A

It's no secret that ice cream is one of the biggest influencing factors in my life. There are a few ways to make me fall in love with you, and offering me ice cream is one of them.

When I recently ran across a list denoting West Virginia's best ice cream spots, I immediately jotted down all locations and made it a mission to get to them.

Petrucci's Country Market, located in Martinsburg, dishes out ice cream from the side of its building where it also has deli meats, fresh produce and other general country market merchandise. I quickly perused inside before heading outside to ice cream heaven.

This place, which apparently used to be called Tad's Dairy Barn, has Hershey's Ice cream in addition to shakes, sundaes, specialty sundaes and more.

So, I went for a simple caramel sundae, which came out topped with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry.

The ice cream was good - nothing too extravagant, but standard and tasty. You really can't go wrong with ice cream, and this was up to par. A richer or thicker caramel or maybe a softer or more flavorful ice cream could've kicked it up a notch even further. But I'm just nitpicking right now. Decent ice cream in a country setting. Perfect for summer, I'm sure.


Grade: B

After a delicious lunch in Martinsburg, we took a stroll down the street and ended up at DeFluri's Fine Chocolates, a local shop that makes its own fine candies.

The chocolate shop opened in 1985 in Vienna and moved to the Eastern Panhandle in 1998. The shop has lots of goodies, including chocolates, candies, fudge, pretzels, popcorn, and much more.

The main floor even has a look into the factory.

Today the main factory floor houses the vast array of Charlie Casabona’s chocolate-making equipment. Massive mixers swirl vats of creamy chocolate. Finely calibrated conveyer belts cover DeFluri’s famous truffles, classic caramels and nuts, fruit cakes from a local monastary, and much more—with velvety, rich coats of chocolate. An antique foil–wrapping machine puts shiny colored foils on selected finished chocolates. Walk-in refrigerated rooms keep the final products and their ingredients at optimum cool temperatures.

The folks inside greeted us warmly and told us that the fudge and popcorn were especially big sellers and made right here on site. I made my way to the truffle case and picked a handful: caramels, maple centers, peanut butters. You know, all the good stuff. I also got a thing of the popcorn and some marzipan - because how beautiful is that?

Those chocolates? Absolutely delicious. I went for all milk chocolate, and they were each quite good.


I also learned I like marzipan. It's simple but delightful.

And, the caramel corn also quite good!

Have you been? What's your favorite thing to get?

Boyd's Steakhouse is classic Martinsburg restaurant. The old-school steakhouse has a very prohibition-style vibe. And, according to the restaurant's website, it's even the home of one of Al Capone's bars from his estate. How cool.

We were here for lunch, and while I'm sure they do more upscale business for dinner, it still had a moody, speakeasy style to it. Antique furniture that you can only imagine gangsters once sat in. We walked past the long bar and were seated at a booth made of wooden panels and overhead Tiffany lamps that cast a red light.

I was relieved to hear that we could, indeed, order steak at lunch. Because how could I come to a steakhouse and not partake in the traditional steak? I couldn't.

I ordered Momma Boyd's 8 oz. filet mignon (medium), which came with a choice of two sides; I got the macaroni and cheese (duh) and buttermilk mashed potatoes. This steak was very good. While it may have been cooked a touch too long, it was incredibly juicy, flavorful, and tender.

The mac and cheese was extra cheesy, and the mashed potatoes could have been a touch creamier. But overall, this was a top-notch meal. A cool atmosphere and one of the best steaks you'll find in West Virginia.

Grade: A