Sometimes, it's the gas stations in far off little corners of the state that serve the best food. I've had the New River Exxon in Hico on my to-try list for quite a while. So when I went to a new taproom in the area, I also swung by this gas station. And, they do have an actual little kitchen that cooks made-to-order food. There is even some seating if you would like to dine in. they offer breakfast foods, especially biscuits, and sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, salads, and more. I ultimately decided on a fried the bologna sandwich with just cheese, because I knew I would be having more food and drinks later on, and I wanted to make sure I had room for everything. But I did add a side of pasta salad, which I could never pass up. And, I met up with some friends who actually purchased some pepperoni roll flavored chips from the gas station. So, the sandwich was hot, comforting and straightforward. Simple flavors, but familiar ones that harken back to my childhood. It gave me a base for the days activities. The pasta salad was tasty; my favorite is when the rotini noodles are tightly wound. So you get a nice bite of pasta along with crunchy veggies in that tangy dressing. And then, rounding out my experience with the gas station was the pepperoni roll flavored chips from Mister Bees. I was really excited to see these, because, of course, pepperoni rolls. But also, I love new and different flavors. These reminded me of the greasy a cube pepperonis that you get on some French bread or other frozen pizzas. I can definitely get the pepperoni flavor here. There is a 304 flavor that I am dying to try so if you find it, let me know where. Grade: B

Mizu Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi in Buckhannon offers a variety of Japanese offerings: shumai and sushi to bento boxes and hibachi. I love all of those items, so I ordered a variety. Let's start with shumai. It's a little dumpling often found in Chinese cuisine with minced pork and onion. The Japanese version is more often a paste, but these are actually shrimp shumai that are just little flavor bombs that I love. It reminds me of a fish cake or krab. Then, a taste of the crab rangoons. I can't NOT order thesee. This version was OK, not great. Not a ton of flavor, a little cold, and I wasn't excited by tee dipping sauce. But it's kinda like when you had a REALLY good one at one point and all others are an effort to replicate that amazing one. Of course everything else is going to fall a little short. These were OK. For the main entree, I ordered a Rock N Roll (roll) - shrimp, mango, cheese inside topped w. crunchy spicy crab w. chefs special sauce. This was tasty, but I almost wish all the flavors were punched up x10. I want it to be spicier, creamier, sweeter. I think it's fine, but nothing I haven't had before. Grade: B

Dairy King in Philippi is the local ice cream shop, and they have everything from sundaes and cones to fried appetizers and other snacks. They also had a special for Lurch Fest: Cousin Itt.



It's a caramel sundae with whipped cream, chocolate chip eyes and a cute little tophat. A LOT of whipped cream. Dare I say too much whippe cream? But, essentially, you can't go wrong with ice cream, caramel and whipped cream. Extra points for creativity.



Grade: B

There are a handful of chocolate-makers in West Virginia - the most recent one I discovered was EH Chocolates. Based in Kirby, the chocolatier uses Swiss chocolate and makes chocolate creations in truffle form. Some of their popular candies include peanut butter buckeyes, chocolate covered strawberries and coconut eggs.



Here's a little bit about Chef Eric Hott: "I was born in Winchester, VA and grew up on a farm in Kirby, West Virginia. My mother is from Hornberg, Germany and my dad is from Kirby, where my family still lives ...  My grandmother always had something cooking and she definitely taught me a lot about good home cooking and country style food. That’s where a lot of my creations and dishes started. Mixing together ingredients to inspire new flavors, designs and textures were all things that I noted to make a twist on many foods. ... High School did not provide all the food classes during my attendance, but I made the best of what I could get. Sweets, from pastries, chocolates and desserts became a big passion for me. Just hearing the positive feedback on these creations was a positive boost of self-esteem. After graduating High School in 2003, I moved to Baden-Baden, Germany and started a three year apprenticeship to obtain my Culinary Arts Degree. Working with Swiss Chocolate alongside a French Pastry Chef at the Kurhaus Firm/ Confiserie Rumpelmayer, became the new ground rule. ... Ten years in Europe provided me with so much experience and wisdom. I spent the summer of 2013 creating and designing recipes while enjoying the task of gardening to processing the produce. I call it back to the roots, literally. Nature provides a lot, it is a matter of what is made and done with it. In the meantime, I started a small business called EH Chocolates & More/Farm Food. I have put my chocolate creations into many different taste assortments in truffle form. I enjoy the aspect of allowing locals to experience chocolate at a gourmet level. I use Swiss chocolate exclusively; therefore, it has its own standard for quality. "



I had reached out and set up an appointment to pick up an assortment of chocolates, as well as some chocolate-covered strawberries. There's really something special about a box of assorted chocolates. Each and every one is like a little treasure. It's clear these are made with loving attention. to detail, because the flavors are clear and perfectly combined.



If you haven't had a chance to check them out,  add this to your must-try West Virginia list.



Grade: A

There is a bright teal food truck making an appearance in Kanawha City lately. It is dishing out the unlikely duo of coffee and hotdogs, but the name pulls it all together: The Beanie Weenie.



Beanie options include a peanut butter coffee with strawberry drizzle, a mocha coffee with peanut butter drizzle, and the one that caught my eye was The Dudded Milk: caramel coffee with chocolate and caramel syrup. (Side note: Milk duds are one of my favorite candies).



My coffee was quite tasty. Sweet, milky, and no hint of bitterness. Just well-rounded satisfaction.



I ordered the Country Roads hot dog, which is a deep-fried hot dog with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. I don't know that I noticed a big difference with the deep-fried hotdog, and I wish the slaw was a little bit more cohesive and had something to hold it more together. It was a bit piecey, rather than a paste consistency.



Overall, not a bad meal if you are in the mood for brunch: breakfast - coffee and lunch - hotdog.



Grade: B