Fairmont is home to a number of old-school restaurants that I haven't spent enough time exploring. But I recently went up to the area to go ramp hunting with my friend Liz, and I wanted to grab a bite and support a small local business before heading back to town.



Hoops Cafe is like a sports bar that is family-friendly. At the time of my visit, we were still under quarantine. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to check out the inside. BUT, I was able to place and order and pick it up. The menu has fried appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and wings - which I heard was their specialty. I went for 10 wings in the "Saloon Girl" sauce, which is "a must for any wing enthusiast. A balance of sweet BBQ and subtle heat makes this one of our best sellers!"


It's not your typical sweet BBQ flavor. It has a little something extra. I like my wings a bit more crisp, but overall, these were decent.

Grade: B

Glen Daniel is a bit west of Beckley, and I found myself in this area to visit Lake Stephens. This beautiful lake has a refreshing overlook that was perfect on a warm day. And Glen Daniel is home to a very new-looking, fancy Tudor's Biscuit World.



While here, I wanted to try another biscuit on my list. I've had the "Politician" before, but not on this round. And, I knew I liked it, so I went for it. The Politician has a thick piece of bologna, cheese, and egg. I think there's a bit of nostalgia there for me with the bologna, but I enjoy it. We're about halfway through the biscuit list. Stay tuned.

Another Tudor's update? Yes, I have like 20 more to visit. I can say, though, that the Beckley Tudor's on Eisenhower Drive is unique. It's not a standalone location, rather it's part of a plaza. And the drive-thru is located to the right of the building.



Why does my photo look like this? No clue, sometimes my phone decides to take the photo .2 seconds AFTER I hit the button. Who knows. OK, the next biscuit on my list was the Rocket, which is steak, egg, cheese and hash brown on a biscuit. 



To be honest, I wasn't super excited about this. I've already determined I prefer my hash brown on the side. BUT, I'm glad I tried this because it has shot up to one of my favorites. First of all, the steak is more like a chicken-fried steak, so that was delicious. And the hashbrown stayed crispy here! I'm a big fan. V tasty.

There's a cluster of Tudor's Biscuit World locations around Beckley. Some I had been to before while passing through, others I hadn't. The Oak Hill location was next on my list to knock out. They were hoppin' when I stopped by, so I got in the drive-thru line.



Next on my list of biscuits was ...  The Duke, which is a biscuit with bacon, egg, cheese and hash brown. Think of it as a Mary B, with the hash brown IN the sandwich. So, this sandwich is not playing around. It is packed.



So, my choice of meat is not bacon. And, I've learned I like the hash brown on the side (inside, it gets mushy). So this is an eh on my scale.


Grade: B

There's not much getting out of the house these days, but I do try to build in something one a week that makes me happy. One this particular week, I made a little jaunt up to a Tudor's location that I hadn't been to yet - Sissonville.



Once I was was in the drive-thru, I already knew what I wanted to order. I have a list of biscuits that I'm making my way through. And, today, it was the Golden Eagle. I'm guessing that this is named in honor of the University of Charleston's mascot. This biscuit has Canadian bacon, egg, potato, and cheese.



So, it's a Mickey, add potato. However, on mine, if there was any potato - it was very, very minimal. But I do like this biscuit. I like Canadian bacon, so this one is a winner for me.

Grade: B