Hens & Heifers in Elkview has had mixed reviews since its opening, so my friend Beth and I were eager to check it out for ourselves.

From the outside, the restaurant looks new and clean and like a good amount of work has been done on it to bring it up-to-date. And, there are some risqué nods to "hard up hens."



The restaurant features, chicken tenders, and wings, as well as burgers, pasta, fish, and steak. The "hard up hens" refers to chicken tenders, which come with a variety of different sauces - like ranch, barbecue, Jamaican jerk, and mango habanero.



I wanted to try the chicken tenders, since it is their signature, but I opted to have them atop white cheddar macaroni and cheese. I got this with a "Hen" sauce, which they bill as tangy and creamy. This dish would've benefited from a lot more of it. The mac & cheese was thick and dense and the chicken was a bit dry. So, that tangy dressing could've added a much needed dimension. As it was, it was just a bit stodgy.



But, I also tried their smashed potatoes. The description says that it starts out as a baked potato that is squashed flat and smash cut on the flat top griddle. I thought that meant a larger surface area would lend itself to crispier bits. But, it was really just a baked potato in a cup with toppings on it. Having melted butter and cheese would have kicked this up a notch. I do like this concept; I think the execution could get better.



Finally, we tried dessert. The slice of Keylime pie was a bit small on the plate, but tasted fine. It was just a bit puny.



The cocktail list looked expensive, and I would definitely check that out next time. Overall, though, not bad, but certainly room for improvement. I do appreciate a good concept and some creative effort.



Grade: B

"Fuddruckers" almost sounds wrong to say; I'm worried my tongue will get twisted and I'll instead say a not-so-pleasant version of this restaurant's name.



Alas, this is a family-friendly restaurant, and in a fast-casual style that focuses on hamburgers. And, there is not a single location in the state of West Virginia, so when I stumbled upon one in Pennsylvania, I had to check it out.



"Some people are driven to create the world's fastest cars or the world's tallest buildings. Our calling is only slightly less glamorous but a whole lot tastier. We were born to create the World's Greatest Hamburgers®. A mission of this magnitude requires an obsession with quality, and it all begins with Fuddruckers fresh, never frozen, 100% USDA All-American premium-cut beef. Choose from 1/3, 1/2, or 2/3 lb patties and we'll always grill it to order, just the way you like it. Of course you don't put the World's Greatest Hamburger on the World's second greatest bun. Not if you want to remain the World's Greatest Hamburger. Our sesame-topped buns are baked from scratch in our restaurant bakeries all day long. It's the only way to get that perfect combination of crisp crust and melt-in-your-mouth, fresh-from-the-oven taste. Not fresh from-a-truck taste like everyone else. Ah, there's nothing like that new bun scent," according to the website.



From there, you get to "Build Your Own" toppings from the produce bar - tomatoes, lettuce, sliced onions, dill pickles, pico de gallo, cheese sauce, honey mustard, and even more.



So, I had a burger with American cheese, red onion, mayo and cheese sauce. Plus onion rings with a variety of dipping sauces. The perks here are that you can make sure the burger is made how you like it and you can add as much or as little of any toppings that you'd like. The cons are that it is like buffet-style, and that can be a bit of an ick factor. Overall, it was an OK burger - a bit dry and could use some seasoning - but nothing I couldn't make up for with plenty of toppings.



Grade: B

Morgantown's Golden Corral has been replaced with a buffet of a different sort.



Kome Asian Buffet and Bar serves up standard Chinese-American fare you would expect at a buffet: sweet & sour chicken, cheese wontons, etc.



But they also offer sushi, cold American and Japanese salads and plenty of American favorites.



It's also interesting to see the set up because the restaurant is using the former space of Golden Corral, so it's one long line all down the restaurant. Whereas, in other buffet restaurants, there are usually a few different stations you can fully surround and make a few loops.



So, overall, I found the food to be average. In this setting, temperature in freshness can often be hit or miss. That happened to be the case here. But, I do always think buffets are a good option for groups of people who have differing tastes. If you have kids, there are mozzarella sticks. If you have an adventurous eater, there is sashimi. If you have someone who prefers meat and potatoes, they have that, too.



You can also order many of the sushi rolls and sashimi from their takeout menu. That feature bumps them up a bit in my book. Grade: B

The River House is a lovely, artsy, community-driven space that has s fabulous little cafe. Hours are limited, so I was really excited to finally catch them open and mark them off my list.



The cafe offers coffee, espresso drinks, beer, wine, baked goods and light fare, like pastries, cookies and scones. A beautiful display case lays out all the options right in front of you.



I opted for a potato & mascarpone galette, as well as one with sundried tomatoes and goat cheese.



Both of these were so simple and clean in terms of flavor, and that's what made them delicious. A little indulgent, a little creative, a lot satisfying.



And, I was happy to enjoy them while taking in the local art. Great way to spend a lunch.



Grade: A