Pressed Coffee House is a new-ish coffee shop in St. Marys that offers everything from create-your-own cold brew and smoothies to chai and lattes.



On this particular day, they had a little pop up with Rollin' In The Dough, so I was excited to try two local businesses all in one place. 



The shop is small, but cute. The counter has beautiful subway tile and a wooden top. Green plants dot the space. The menu isn't huge, but it's fairly customizable. I went with a s'mores latte, because of course I did. Chocolate, Toasted Marshmallows, and a hint of Cinnamon - classic flavors. I also ordered a banana nut muffin so I could try one of their own baked goods. All in all, it was a lovely little breakfast. And helps fulfill a need in this area.



The pop-up shop for cookies was also nice. I ordered a cookie there, and it was decorated beautifully and typical of the harder sugar cookies that are presented beautifully.



Finally, I took my goodies will me on a slow drive to Middle Island to take in the sights and see what animals I could spot!



Have you been to any of these places?



Grade: A 

I really love the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and when I'm able to make a trip out that way, I try to make the most of it. And, that often means cramming in as many restaurant visits as possible. One that I knew I wanted to make room for was Kelley Farm Kitchen.



This Harpers Ferry restaurant has been receiving a good bit of attention for its all-vegan menu - like Yelp Community's top 100 places to eat in 2021. They came in at #1. That's a pretty big honor! And, I can see why it received the honor. I called the restaurant just as soon as it opened, and it already had about an hour wait for lunch. That's OK. I put in an order at the window, left, and came back when it was ready to be picked up. 



The menu has items like ramen bowls, soups, chili, salads, subs, hoagies, brats, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, breakfast - and it's all vegan. I'm not a carnivore, by a long shot. But I do love me some cheese and butter and cream, etc. 



I ordered the "Creamy coconut ramen bowl" with zero spice, and it has a house-made broth paired with coconut milk, sliced baby portabellos and served with fresh organic greens, purple cabbage, carrot and green onion. This was different, but I can appreciate it. It's not the rich flavor I come to enjoy when dining out, but it's more light, fresh and still filling. I respect that it's filling a need - and the customer service was beyond top-notch, and the outdoor dining provide the perfect backdrop. Check it out for something different.



Grade: A

'Tis the season for all things ramps. The garlicky, wild onion makes an appearance in early spring and fades out in May. Local restaurants often take advantage of the wild leek by incorporating it into dishes.



Ridge View BBQ has made a name for itself with its ramp burger. But there is another burger nearby making waves: The Mountain Mama. This special from The Burger Carte in Smithers features a steakhosue burger with ramp aioli, smoked gouda, bacon, fried green tomato, lettuce and onion. Unfortunately, they were out of fried green tomatoes when I ordered mine, but it was still quite tasty. The ramp aioli is pretty mild, but the raw onion helps drive that flavor home. All in all, some great flavors here. 



And, I can't forget the ramperoni rolls from Books and Brews. I made a pilgrimage to Buckhannon to get some ramperoni rolls from The Donut Shop - especially ones with hot pepper cheese. But this pepperoni roll from Books and Brews brings the flavor locally. They infuse a ramp aioli - not raw ramps - into their famous pepperoni rolls, and even add it on the side as a dipping sauce. Definitely punches it up a bit!

Have you had either?

If you're like me, you may be familiar with Rocas in Charleston, but did you know Nitro has a location too (and Virginia, too!)?



I am a fan of the Rocas location in Charleston, so I was interested in trying the Nitro location with my friend Sara. One thing I have really come to enjoy is the creamy white sauce they bring out along with the salsa and chips. It's sweet, creamy, a little tangy, and wholly unexpected. 



Here's my strategy for most things in life: search out the cheese dip. So, when I came across "Arroz con Camarones" with grilled shrimp, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and rice ALL topped with cheese dip, I ordered it before I finished reading the remainder of the menu. 



Listen, you can't really go wrong in my book if the dish is covered in queso - yes, even seafood. Creamy, salty, savory delicious. Little crunch with the bell peppers and soft rice. Makes for a tasty meal.

Grade: A

There aren't as many Gino's locations as there are Tudor's locations in West Virginia ... but there is more variation from one location to another. Some have certain menu items that others do not, and that's what it's fun to try a new location. This visit, we're heading to Eleanor.



Eleanor is closer toward Huntington than many of the recent locations I've been to, so I was curious to see if they might offer some of the more Huntington-specific offerings. I believe those locations have a different owner, which can account for the difference. Alas, Eleanor had the standard items you'd find on a Charleston Gino's menu.



But, instead of the pizza, which I've been trying lately ... I went for pasta. Spaghetti is one of my least favorite pasta shapes (give me more noodle to sauce ratio please), but this was fine. It had a thick layer of meat sauce on top, so it was actually kinda tough to twirl noodles at first without them just breaking apart. Once I got into it, I could appreciate the basic and easy dish. It's simple, homestyle and satisfying. 

Grade: B