Mea Cuppa is aiming for coffee domination in Charleston. They have their standalone location on the West Side, one in the Capitol Market and now one in the library. 



And now that the library location - the nook - is open at 7 a.m., I was able to stop by and check it out. And while the library itself does not open until 9 a.m., you can come to the coffee nook at 7 a.m. to get your caffeine fix. 



The space has the mid-century vibes like the main location, but these giant windows are perfect for the morning light and seeing downtown wake up. They have a limited supply of baked goods, and my current favorite coffee is the salted praline, which is a praline latte with whipped cream, caramel and sea salt. SO tasty. And, the guy working made my Monday morning.



Grade: A

I have always been fascinated by the corner of Capitol and Quarrier streets in downtown Charleston. Before I moved here, I was intrigued by the yellow facade and "Cafe de Paris" moniker - before finding out it had closed quite some time prior. It has also been a McDonald's and most recently The Block. It seems like a prime space for a restaurant, so I'm not sure why there has been quite the turnover. But now, it is DT Prime Steakhouse.



Their claim to fame is that they are offering "Steakstones," which - as an alternative to your steak being cooked to order and prepared back in the kitchen - it arrives rare on a very hot steakstone and you cook it to your preference as you eat it. Is it perhaps gimmicky? Maybe, but it is something different that I wanted to test out for myself.



My friend and queen of all things FestivALL Mackenzie Spencer and I went to check it out recently. The menu says all steaks are sourced from West Virginia farms - which is surprising - and served with a potato of choice. 



I went with the 7 oz. filet on the steakstone and "Reggie's Tarragon Room Potatoes," which are Yukon gold potatoes scalloped and layered with fresh shaved parmesan, Italian seasonings and cream. 



First, we were served bread made in-house with some whipped butter - both pretty tasty. It was warm, which is always nice. But it was also very warm in the restaurant, so I didn't dig in like I normally would. What I did enjoy was good. 



We did also have some macaroni and cheese to split - it had bacon and was baked. So, the key here is to dig deep, pull up some of that creamy bechamel that is clinging to the bottom and spread it atop the noodles that get a bit dried out in the baking process. Not bad, even though my personal preference is to err on the side of creamy. 



When the steak came out, we didn't receive a ton of instruction other than put some salt on the stone and then cook to preference. So, I layered a bunch of salt and put my entire filet on the stone. Mistakes were made. 1) You do not have to use much salt. My first bites were VERY salty. 2) Cut hunks of the steak off - don't try to cook the whole thing. Once I adjusted, my steak was not bad. I did not get that super juicy center, though, as I was just cutting pieces as I was going. And because filet is such a mild flavor, some seasoning would have been good. The sauce and butter did help as accoutrements. 



Also, they mixed up my potatoes and gave me mashed - which were fine - but the ones I actually ordered didn't come out until at the very end of the meal, so I took those to go. I do love some scalloped potatoes, and while I'm sure they would've been better fresh from the oven and not as leftovers, they were still tasty. 

Overall, a pretty tasty meal with a unique experience that can work for a nice night out or something different.

Grade: B

Bubble Fish has two locations now in Morgantown: one downtown and this newer one in Suncrest. 



"We use the most fresh ingredients for making fresh food and drinks. We offer Poke Bowls, Fruit Tea, Milk Tea, and more variety of drinks.Our Poke Bowls has more choices to add to your choice of base and you can simply choose depending on your taste and mood. We prepared our Signature Bowls that has savory ingredients that you can only experience when you dine in with us. While chatting with your family, friends and loved ones, you can enjoy sipping our refreshing drinks topped with your choice of toppings."



I ordered the creme brûlée milk tea with boba, which, just wow. That burnt sugar topping PLUS milk tea? It's a deliciously sweet combo that is certainly a cure for a sweet tooth. Creme brûlée is a treat for me, so this is a mood-booster for sure. 

Grade: A

This year marks Capitol Market’s “Silver” Anniversary. We've had this amazing market for 25 years! 



Capitol Market’s annual fundraiser, Market Mixer, was held on Oct. 5, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Capitol Market in downtown Charleston!



It was an amazing evening that showcased why Capitol Market is a true gem in our capital city.



Proceeds benefit Capitol Market and help sustain the historic property and continue our mission of supporting small businesses, lifting up local farmers, and creating a community space for all.



There were drinks, hors d’oeuvres from Chef Paul Smith and the culinary students from Carver Career & Technical Center, live music, vendors giving away samples and doing demonstrations, and more. 



Here were some of the goodies:   



Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Herb Spaetzle

Fried Goat Cheese Skewers
- Plum, Spinach, Prosciutto and a Honey Vinaigrette

Fall Chicken Quesadilla
- Sage Roasted Chicken, Butternut Squash, Kale, Onion, & Fontina Cheese

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Crab Cakes
- Remoulade Sauce



Fall Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche
- kale pomegranate jalapeños apricots

Curried Beef Meatballs

Apple Butter Brie Bites
- with Brussels Sprouts and Toasted Walnuts



Fried Pumpkin Pie Wontons
- Coated with Cinnamon Sugar and JQ Caramel Sauce



Plus the market vendors had lots of giveaways, too, like popcorn, sushi, prosecco, crab dip, koozies, coffee, and soup. 

It's calzone time! This time at the Gino's in Danville. 



If you've been following along, yes I am going to all of the Gino's locations. And yes, the calzone is my favorite item.



So, how does Danville's version stack up? It was a bit on the wet side - though I'd rather it be that than dry - but otherwise, not bad. Plenty of toppings and sauce, but a bit messy to eat when the bottom is a touch soggy.

Grade: B