While there is another "Bridge" named restaurant just nearby in Charleston, Hurricane's Bridge Cafe & Bistro has certainly set itself apart.

Bridge Cafe & Bistro is housed in a really sweet little building with a red rooftop. There is bar seating and a small dining area where folks can get pancakes and eggs in the morning or burgers and tacos in the evening -- with just a small break in the hours between meals.

The interior has some traditional-looking wooden tables and a ceiling that reminded me of an office building. A few green plants brought some life into the space, and minimal art decorated the walls.

When I arrived, it was during the "a.m." menu, so I chose the strangest item I could: pulled pork sweet potato pancakes with Srirarcha maple. It was a great combo, though! The sweet and savory always is a favorite of mine. I just had the one, but it was certainly filling all on its own. Next time, I'm coming for those PB&J pancakes!

If you go, be sure to check and make sure they are open. On Saturday, they have a gap between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. when they switch over the menu. Have you been? What's your favorite?


Grade: A

What started out as a food truck has grown into a brick-and-mortar storefront serving up some of the only "Polynesian" food in West Virginia.

Island Teriyaki, located in Hurricane, is serving up some of the tastiest chicken teriyaki, udon noodles, and "Yum Yum balls" you'll ever have. Yes, Yum Yum balls are yummy.

The restaurant is small and simple with an island theme. Take a look over the menu (just order the Yum Yum Balls), place your oder at the counter and await a pile of goodness. I ordered the original Yum Yum Balls (with Teriyaki sauce) platter with udon noodles and mac salad.

While I wasn't quite sure what I was in for, I was pleasantly surprised. I love the chew of the udon noodles, and the mac salad was mild flavored but good. The Yum Yum Balls are this sausage rice with a crispy fried outside and a drizzle of delicious sauce. They're pretty large, and they are absolutely divine. I didn't pick up on the sausage part as much as the delicious rice and incredible flavors. The perfect crust gives way to soft, savory delicious rice and sausage. They're addictive.

This place is small, but friendly, delicious and fun. Check it out.


Grade: A

The Dish Cafe in Daniels has been well-known for creating inventive dishes and delicious meals. The only thing keeping me away this long is that it is a bit of a hike from Morgantown, but as the weather for the season started to finally warm up, I made my way down here to check it all out.

The Dish Café is an eclectic culinary delight bringing unique flavor combinations and fresh ingredients to your table. We’re committed to regionally grown fruits and vegetables, grass fed beef, and hormone free pork and poultry. We avoid artificial sweeteners, food dyes and genetically modified ingredients wherever possible. 

Our concept was created by a group of partners who wanted to offer healthy food choices to a community that’s quickly discovering the health benefits of natural and whole ingredients. 

We purchase our beef from Swift Level Farm in Lewisburg. Swift Level steers are farm raised and live on an all grass diet. Swift Level does NOT apply any “non organic” (chemical) matter to the land or water nor do they feed any grain or hormones to the cattle. They eat pasture grasses and hay, organic kelp and drink clean spring water. They process in a USDA, Animal Welfare Approved facility and dry age for a minimum of 45 days (ABOUT).

There is a good sized parking lot, so that's always a plus. I walked in and looked around a bit in search of a hostess. And waited. And waited. And shifted around awkwardly while diners stared at me. No one was around, so I walked into the bar area and asked if I seated myself. The two women behind the counter in there said no and then seated me in the bar area. That's always a bit awkward to start a dining experience.

Once I was seated, I took in the space. It's nice - dark features with big windows that allow light to fall in. Big, cushiony booths lined the walls, and that bar seating had high-top tables along the side. It's updated, and - at least on this day - seemed to be fairly busy for lunch.

The menu has a few things I definitely wanted to try: crab-stuffed portabella mushroom, firecracker shrimp, cherry pepper slaw, edamame & feta craisin salad, and more.

The "Cajun Shrimp Over Creamy Polenta" won me over, though: Cajun rubbed grilled shrimp served over polenta and topped with our spicy cream sauce and sprinkled with chives. Served with a choice of one side. I opted for a side of fresh fruit.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I think this was the best take on a shrimp and grits I've ever had. The polenta was a perfect texture - not too creamy, not too hard. Just enough of a texture for the perfect mouthfeel. The shrimp were plump and well-seasoned, and there was this creamy sauce that I think I could've drank. It was a little spicy, creamy and then with the fruit on the side - just a touch of sweet. It's a pretty hefty portion, but I ate the entire thing.

Overall, even though it was a bit of an awkward start, I really enjoyed my meal here. The food was worth the drive.

Have you been? What's the best thing on the menu?

Grade: B

One Gilbert distillery has gotten in touch with its roots to create "The Drink of the Devil." Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is sure to put the warmth of the devil in ya.

Experience a slice of history with a behind the scenes tour of the Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine distillery. Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is the very first authentic mountain moonshine ever legally produced by the Hatfields and McCoys. Situated in the southern mountains of Gilbert, West Virginia, this moonshine has been hand made following a family tradition passed down for generations.

I made my way to this distillery (the GPS takes you up this one-lane road and doesn't quite connect you there so just be on the lookout for signs once you get into Gilbert. I actually drove about 20 miles out of the way until I got cell phone service to call them and then made my way back. I was determined).


When I was there, I'm pretty sure I took more photos, but the only one I kept somehow was this cute little guy who followed me into the building.

Either way, I did a quick tasting with the owner, whose family is a descendent of the Hatfield family and got a bottle to go. Strong stuff, but the perfect component for drinks.

Handed down for generations, the recipe used to make Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is as authentic and original as the mountains and streams that bear the family names. The original recipe belongs to Devil Anse Hatfield and is currently produced in small, handmade batches, six days a week, in the micro-distillery in Gilbert, West Virginia, on original Hatfield land.
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Simply said, there is moonshine and then there is real authentic moonshine. You cannot mass produce moonshine and keep the tradition and quality of the small batch craft moonshine. With one taste, the “old timers” will tell you Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is second to none.
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Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is a premium white corn whiskey that is hand crafted from 100% West Virginia grown corn, carefully fermented, and then distilled in copper kettle stills in small batches using the same authentic proprietary recipe handed down for over 150 years. At 90 proof, our all natural, gluten-free family recipe will go down smooth but kick like a mule. Bold yet versatile, it can be enjoyed neat, chilled, or in a wide variety of mixed cocktails instead of vodka or tequila (ABOUT).

Have you had a chance to go check it out? The facility seems lovely, and I'll have to keep an eye out to see if they host events here. Until then, here's some more background in case you need more convincing to grab a piece of this state's history.

THE MOONSHINE:
Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine is the very first authentic mountain moonshine ever legally produced by the Hatfields and McCoys. This moonshine has been handmade following family tradition passed down for generations. With a taste as original as its name, our moonshine is home fermented, home-distilled, and home bottled in small batches in our distillery located in the southern mountains of Gilbert, West Virginia.

Last year a new, Hampshire County, West Virginia, farm owner and his crew were out generally clearing some land when this one particular oak tree was felled. As it came crashing down, a large family of flying squirrels bailed out and scattered.

So in honor of those squirrels, the Flying Squirrel Ranch & Farm was born. And soon, some attractive farm-based ventures will follow.“I was mortified,” said farm owner Stephen Settimi. “I said right then and there that I would never cut down another dead tree again because there are things living in them.”

Settimi’s current passions are his farm and starting a farm distillery. He moved to rural Hamshire County from Washington, DC, with exactly that thought in mind. His Rada Craft Distillery (the venture’s official name) is now fully licensed (Brilliant Stream).

After a bit of a crazy adventure (running late, a low tire pressure light, rain, and no cell phone service), I made it for my appointment to check out Flying Squirrel Ranch & Farm and RADA Brand Appalachian Spirits.

• GIN: Hampshire style Gin made from 100% twice distilled spirits with flavor of juniper, coriander, bergamot, and wild carrot
• BRANDY: True brandy made from 100% grapes grown in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia
• APPLE BRANDY: Distilled, then barreled from hand-crushed apples pressed and allowed to ferment. The subtle flavor of apple is enhanced with pure apple juice. 
• SPIRIT WHISKY: Our flagship batch whiskies each have their own unique quality. Distinctive flavors of traditional American Whiskey. Compare our premium batches to Bourbon.
• SPICED RUM: Made from 100% pure cane sugar and molasses, select spices and stored in slightly toasted oak barrels. 
• HOWLIN SHINE: A premium moonshine, Howlin Shine, is made from selected whiskies and flavored with apple, pear, and a dash of cinnamon, (sweet)

Flying Squirrel Ranch & Farm is located in the Potomac Highlands of Appalachia. We’re about equal distance from Washington DC, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh. We employ a full green- cycle farm-to-table and grain-to-glass operation. We grow and harvest corn, grapes, nut, and fruit trees for eating and craft distillery operations. A small garden and fish pond provides food and sustenance for us human residents while marauding wildlife eat what we can’t harvest quick enough. Distillery byproducts and water recovery is used for feed, fertilizer, and irrigation. Most of the 30 acres is left wild for the native flora and fauna. The 5 acres of pasture land carries a small creek and fishing pond. The meadow has many medicinal herbs and wildflowers. A frighteningly fast 500’ zip line runs from the barn facility at the top of the hill to the meadow below. Aside from overnight camping, fishing, and hiking, our mini craft distillery offers free tasting of a variety of artisan-made spirits such as whiskies, gin, rum, liquors and of course, "moonshine”. When not in production cycle, the large 3200 square foot barn with lofts serves as an events and gathering facility. Nearby Rada is the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad offering a train tour along the Southern Branch of the Potomac River running from Romney to Petersburg where travelers often catch glimpses of Bald Eagles or bears. Other nearby attractions are Civil War battlefields and historic towns of Moorefield, Romney, and Keyser (Flying Squirrel Ranch).

Have you been? What's your favorite?