Neely's Grocery is a deli in Wheeling. They have a whole bunch of goodies, including groceries, deli meats and salads.

You can get all sorts of boxed goods.

And sauces.

Plus you can get assorted deli meats.

And they have sandwiches.

On this day, I tried a meatball sandwich.

It's huge and loaded with cheese.

This pasta salad was unreal. SO good.
 

Here's my latest Appalachian Mercantile Box! Minus a giant bottle of maple syrup that I took out to photograph for my column. This one was filled with that, plus a butter dish, tea, peanuts, buckwheat flour and soap. Love these boxes!

Charleston is home to a new bourbon bar and eatery downtown: The Hale House.



Located in the former Celsius (and Vandalia Grill) location on Hale Street, the Hale House newly opened, and I went with my friends Sara and Jeff to try some offerings during the soft open.



The space is not entirely different from what I recall - dimly lit, a long narrow space and dark woods.

The bar is backlit, with amber bottles of bourbon glowing on the wall. If you’re a long-time reader, you’re likely familiar with the fact that I completed the Bourbon Trail a few years ago and developed an appreciation for it. So I was excited to see some great bourbon options: Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, Knob Creek, Pappy Van Winkle and more.

So I ordered an Old Fashioned with Blanton’s on the sweeter side. It was made perfectly - just some sweetness to make it perfect for sipping. With a smooth, smooth bourbon.

The soft opening food menu had appetizers, salads, and soup. We ordered a few things to try.

First, we were served some complimentary fresh sliced bread and olive oil. I expect this at an Italian restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised here. And the bread was great.

For my meal, I ordered “bourbon & bacon-wrapped shrimp.” I feel like a bourbon glazed appetizer is perfect for a bourbon bar. Think crisp bacon, fresh shrimp, and a sweet and sour sauce. Definitely a nice little taste.

Then, I also tried the “angel hair crab cakes,” which is very similar to Oliverio’s angel hair crab balls. So, a nice moist hunk of crab and seasoning encased in fried pasta. It was served with a creole honey mustard sauce.

These were really nice. I love the texture variation, and the flavor was on point. I wouldn’t hate a slightly more delicate sauce. But delicious nonetheless.

Have you been yet? I look forward to seeing the full menu!

Super China Buffet is right near the Huntington Mall, so I made a quick pitstop while in the area recently. And in one of my favorite moves: I got a to-go box from the buffet.

The buffet here is pretty large, including a hibachi station, some sushi, desserts, homestyle foods and the classic American-Chinese style dishes.

For me: Honey chicken, crab cheese rangoons, crabmeat, egg foo young, mushrooms with cheese. Mmm.

What's your go-to at the buffet?

Or, favorite buffet in the state?

Christopher's Eats, located in Barboursville, is known for their coal-fired oven and flatbreads. I tried one of their tasty flatbreads a few years ago. But they recently moved locations, so I thought it was time for a new visit.

And their new location is quite the change. No longer in a strip mall, this restaurant has expanded into a complex of sorts. Plus there are levels, outdoor dining, bar seating and more.

On this particular day, it was brunch. And they were very, very busy. In fact, there was going to be a wait just for one. But after a minute or two, a table opened up.

The brunch menu includes chicken & waffles, biscuits & gravy, breakfast burgers and more. For me, I went with a seafood benedict: biscuit, crabcakes, poached eggs, hollandaise and a side of fruit.

That's always a winning combo for me - and probably one of my top brunch options. Savory, buttery, deliciousness with a side of sweet. Not too shabby.

Grade: B