I have been trying to make my way to What's The Scoop in Point Pleasant for an embarrassingly long time. I love the town, and I actually enjoy the drive a lot, too. My main hurdle is that the ice cream shop doesn't open until 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and I'm an early bird so I'm usually in and out of town before 2 p.m.



Alas, I made my way there this past weekend, and I was very excited to add another Mothman-themed treat to my repertoire and explore the quirky town. 



What the Scoop serves cookie sandwiches, shakes, floats, and crazy over-the-top shakes, too. They also have other special goodies like macarons, banana splits, cupcakes, and waffle cones and bowls. They have a "Men in Black" - lots of chocolate - shake and a "Mothman" - mint - shake. 



As much as I would love to sit and indulge in a giant shake, I looked at smaller options that are more portable. And *voila* there is also the Mothman bowl, which is a waffle bowl with three scoops of your choice of ice cream, topped with whipped cream, two cherries for eyes and two chocolate bars for wings.



Also, lol at these "Mothman droppings" for sale. 



For my Mothman bowl, I ordered three scoops of the "s'mores" ice cream, which was perfection in a (waffle) bowl. I love s'mores, I love Mothman, I love ice cream. You just really can't get much better. Plus, this s'mores ice cream had little marshmallow filled chocolate cups. Try it. 

Grade: A

There's a brand new pizzeria in Kanawha City, and I ordered from them as soon as I saw the "open" light on.



Vinny's Pizzeria, located in MacCorkle Avenue, has pizza, calzones, pasta, subs, salads, wings and burgers. So, they offer a bit more than many other pizza joints in town. I placed an order through GrubHub (they're also on Door Dash and PostMates) for a calzone and spaghetti and meatballs. 



The calzone was pretty decent. It had a lot of filling - including ricotta, which is my favorite topping that not all places have. And plenty of mushrooms. AND, I loved that the ends were just kind of folded over instead of being all wrapped up and twisted, which leads to a large bunch of dough without filling.



The pasta was just okay - I wasn't a fan of the meatballs. I was searching for that homemade herb and spice flavor, which I did not find. But the noodles, sauce and cheese were fine on their own. Straightforward and standard. There was also a few small pieces of garlic bread, which helped soak up some of the sauce.



Grade: B

I just love J.Q. Dickinson Appalachian Mercantile subscription box day. It's seriously the highlight of my month sometimes. I could barely contain my excitement when i opened this month's box. AND, I have received one of my absolute favorite items to date. 

Appalachian Botanical - Lavender Sachet: Filled a lavender organza bag with buds from the fields in Ashford, WV and then enclosed it in a muslin pouch. Tuck a sachet in your closet or dresser drawer to infuse your clothing and linens, slip one in your purse or gym bag to enjoy the fresh, relaxing bouquet on the go, or slide one inside your pillowcase and drift off to sleep nestled in the heavenly scent.

Crescent Simples - Peach Hibiscus Simple Syrup: Two former New Orleans bartenders, Megan and Bill, who wanted to make craft cocktails at home make these syrups in Charlottesville, VA. Made from raw sugar, fresh fruit and herbs & spices, you will love them in your sparkling water, added to a cocktail, or tea. Three flavors: Blueberry Lavender, Blackberry Vanilla, or Strawberry Basil.

The Rustic House - Wood Sugar Mold Candle Insert: These rustic sugar mold candle holders are quality reproductions of actual cane sugar molds that have been used in Mexico for centuries. Each sugar mold has wear and individuality to make them a truly rustic addition to your home decor. Each piece is handcrafted and unique. Please expect variations in size, texture, distressing, cracks, warping, weathering and color.

The Pig Cave - Black Mustard: Produced in downtown Leesburg, the black mustard is spicy, bold, intense, and delicious, the way mustard is supposed to be. Serve with charcuterie and artisan cheeses; mix in salad dressings, or add as a condiment to make a great-tasting burger.

Virginia Vinegar Works - Malt Vinegar: Likely the most robust natural malt vinegar you’ve ever tasted. Made from locally-sourced “malt-forward” craft beer. Dark, rich, full of seductive flavor you’ll want to taste right now. An outstanding addition to fish, potatoes and anything in the cabbage family.

West Virginia is lacking when it comes to good delis. But with the new Stelli Delicatessen, Huntington is looking to change that. 



The turquoise blue storefront has pops of dark blue and gold, which give it this almost Gatsby-esque vibe. 



The interior is simple, but clean and comfortable. There are a handful of tables for dine in, but lots of folks seem to get carry out, as well.



The menu changes regularly and is displayed on a large chalkboard behind the counter. Some standards have been the turkey panini with gouda and turmeric chicken salad. I went for the Club, which was a special at the time but is now on the main menu: turkey, ham, bacon, sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo on wheat. 



You may not be able to tell from the photo, but this is a large sandwich filled to the brim with ingredients - all fresh. I love a good club sandwich, and this fell into that category. Straightforward, but executed perfectly in the simplicity of the ingredients. 



I had about half, then dove into my warm potato salad with dijon bacon dressing. If you're not a big mayo potato salad person, this is a perfect option because it's tangier, has more texture and is delicious.



I also ordered a side of orzo salad, which had kalamata olives, feta, red onion and greens. I saved this one for later, but it's the perfect filling-but-light side. So good.



And, I cannot go without mentioning the house onion dip. I tell you what - I didn't know how MUCH better house onion dip is than regular ol' onion dip from the grocery store. But, it's much, much better. I was obsessed and actually ate all my house chips, too. 

The menu has expanded to include a corn salad, small plates, hot dogs and more. I can't wait to go back.

Grade: A

You're probably familiar with the pizza and spaghetti available at Gino's locations throughout West Virginia. But, have you been to the location in Kenova? If not, you need to.



This Gino's serves fried chicken - really good fried chicken, actually. I placed an order to pick up, went through the drive through, and my three-piece dinner box was ready.



The three-piece dinner box comes with a breast, leg and wing or a thigh, leg and wing plus potato wedges and cole slaw. You can also get 12 pieces, boneless wings, chicken tenders and more. This isn't some day-old convenience store chicken or super greasy fast food chicken. It is like old-school, homemade from someone's mama fried chicken. Super crispy, super moist, super flavorful. I'm not even a huge fried chicken fan because it' usually is too greasy or not worth the effort. This, this was delish.

Grade: A