Blanch's Family Diner in Clendenin serves up homestyle food in a simple, country-esque atmosphere.



"Blanch’s was a well known spot years ago in town for locals, and now, years later, Blanch Jones’ family has opened Blanch’s Family Dinner to re-live some of those childhood memories. Daughters Lynn Taylor and Diana Chandler have made it their mission to bring back some of those memories to pass on to their families. These ladies have taken pride in this diner, and you can tell in the way they speak about their mother that this will be a place where you can definitely come and enjoy a meal and leave feeling like family. There is thought in even the smallest details inside the diner, such as the red checkered curtain tie backs, representing their mother," according to the Clay County Free Press.



I ordered a crispy chicken melt, which came with ham, breaded chicken breast, ham, and mozzarella cheese. This is a really good start for a sandwich, but I needed a sauce to bring it home. The side of macaroni salad was good, though, and added that bit of moisture to the dish.



Grade: B

Charleston went for quite some time without much of a craft beer scene. But then, within the last two years, we have had a handful of breweries open up. One of which is Charleston Nano Brewery.



"We're focused on brewing small batches of craft beverages on site. We appreciate the full catalog of beer styles, so we hope you'll always find something new for you on tap at Charleston Nano. We're also a family-owned business and we're keenly focused on being a family-friendly establishment ourselves. We plan on offering customers with kids a fun place to play board games and to enjoy our own non-alcoholic root beers. We want Charleston Nano to be a business that's involved in the community, focused on brewing education, and a great place for people to enjoy beer and each other. We want anyone to feel welcome at Charleston Nano!" according to the website.



The space is nice - not huge, but not cramped. It was cozy enough to be able to have a convo and relax. I ordered a flight and a snack.



Let's start with the beer. They have quite a few different styles and some very creative options that include flavors like pomegranate, ube and vanilla. I tried a few different sours - all of which I enjoyed.



For my snack, I enjoyed a homemade pepperoni roll and side of beer cheese. They even serve pepperoni rolls with jalapenos, too. My regular one was great, as is though. Certainly taste homemade and wasn't just thick bread. Flavorful.



They are located on the West Side - in Elk City. I think they sometimes get left out of the marketing along with the other breweries. But if we don't want them to leave, like some other Elk City businesses as of late, we have to make sure to support them.



Have you been?



Grade: A

The Springs Soup & Sandwich is a lovely name for a lunch spot in Webster Springs. It's simple, straightforward, but "springs" is also pleasantly bucolic.



This restaurant is a little funky, with bright paint colors and various art pieces on the walls. The menu is heavier on sandwiches than soups, with about a dozen paninis and one soup of the day.



I ordered the Springs Special, which was peppered turkey, lettuce, tomato, purple onion, mayo and cheddar cheese on sourdough bread - plus a side of chips, mini dill pickles and a chocolate mint.



There's nothing too out-of-the-box here. It's a basic sandwich, but it is well done. Each ingredient was solid, and it was all in good proportion to one another. The mint with the meal is a sweet touch.



Grade: A

One of my absolute favorite restaurants in West Virginia, Cafe Cimino, shuttered when the owners retired. The location, though, has a new start as Elk River Hotel & Cafe.



The historic home that now houses Elk River Hotel & Cafe remains stunning - stately, beautifully manicured, yet cozy. They have added a modern twist: geodesic domes.



"Transport yourself in our fully restored historic mansion built-in 1898. All 3 stories in the main house and the carriage house, 12 guest rooms, 4 Glamping Domes (Coming Soon) 3 dining rooms, Cafe (Open Tuesday through Saturday 4PM to 9PM), Bar service in the Café, natural gas fireplaces, outside kitchen, carriage home, outdoor covered patio, and bar are here to offer you a memory-filled vacation," according to the website.



I visited one evening while they had dinner service in one of the domes. I was very excited to check it out. I've never been in one of these domes - let alone eaten in one. It was the perfect time of day – still light out, but approaching dusk. So, it was a bit cool, which was nice, because I can see it getting quite warm in the warmer months.



Inside, it was almost set up like an event space. There were plastic folding chairs, but lovely white tablecloths. There was a really cool modern light fixture dangling from the ceiling.



The menu offers, pizza, calzones, salads, sandwiches, pasta and dinner entrées. I immediately was drawn to the pastas, because it's one of my favorite foods. Though, the bison burger and the rainbow trout were tempting.



The winner for me was the creamy portobello pasta with linguine. They do have a lot of portobello mushrooms in their menu, but that is good news for me. I added some shrimp for some protein, but you can also opt for salmon, meatballs or chicken.



This was a pretty tasty dinner in a really cool setting overlooking the Elk River. it was thick and creamy and comforting. I do wish I would have thought to add something acidic to kind of cut through all of the fattiness but, it was delicious in small doses, and I took the remainder home.



There aren't many opportunities to dine in a setting like this, so it is certainly one of the most unique places to eat in West Virginia.



Have you been?



Grade: A

Cass is home to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. This park features an 11-mile long heritage railroad and authentic company town. It also features an artisans co-op and the Cass Historical Theater and Historical Museum, one of America’s only authentic lumber railroading museums, according to its website.



My favorite part, though, is the Company Store, which houses a gift shop full of local products and also Shays Restaurant and Soda Fountain. My friend Beth and I stayed at a company house then headed to Shays the next morning before boarding our excursion train ride.



Named after the shiny black “Shay” steam locomotives that continue to go into deep forests, the restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. We arrived during the transition from breakfast to lunch, so I opted for the lunch menu. I also noticed some train-themed decor here and there, but the space was mostly filled with highly lacquered tables and chairs.



Corn dog bites & a pork BBQ with slaw sandwich. What a combo, eh? The mini corn dog bites were crisp enough but would've been perfect with some sort of tangy sauce.



The sandwich was tender and had a nice tomato-based flavored sauce. I think I would get the slaw on the side, because it kinda overtook the flavor a bit. But, still really enjoyable.



Grade: B