Put on your fanciest dress and freshly pressed suit, we're heading to ~The Frederick~.

The Frederick Hotel, built in downtown Huntington in 1905–06 at a cost of $400,000, was touted during its heyday as the most elegant hotel between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. In addition to its 125 sleeping rooms, 45 of which had private bathrooms, the hotel also had 11 private dining rooms plus the Colonade Restaurant and the Elephant Walk Club. The hotel had its own power generators in the basement and an elaborate stained glass window in the lobby. It rented space to many shops and businesses on its first floor, which fronted on Fourth Avenue and 10th Street in the heart of the town. The owners claimed they traveled to Chicago and spent $100,000 for the hotel furnishings (SOURCE).

This elegant hotel houses "21 at the Frederick," a fine dining restaurant that looks as though it was plucked from a different era. Checkerboard floors, large architectural pieces, sophisticated artwork and intricate design give this place a very classy vibe. That, and the group of women literally wearing gowns who entered before I did (though I think they were just there for an event).

Ten years ago, 21 opened its doors to the public in a really cool space inside the historic Frederick Hotel in dowtown Huntington, WV. Our mission since then has been to provide a unique dining experience, starting with the best ingredients that we are able to find, preparing them to order using a mix of classic and modern techniques, and delivering them to the table with great service. We invite you to come and experience the best our town has to offer - cocktails, fine wines and great food - all served in our beautiful restaurant! (ABOUT)

Let's start with the bread, because I'm actually excited to talk about this bread. It's buttery and garlicky and really, really good.

Their entrees include a filet mignon, lobster trail, pan-seared trout, and lamb chops. And, the one I had a hard time passing up - scallops. I can't help it; I love scallops. These were seared, served atop a bed of mushroom risotto and I had a side of macaroni & cheese - so basically a combination of some of my absolute favorite things.

Everything was fantastic. It was pretty heavy, so I ended up taking most of it home. But, I enjoyed every bite. If you're in the mood to get a little fancy, it's a nice option in Huntington.

Grade: A

Recently, I stopped through Jimmie Colombo's Italian Restaurant for some tasty Italian food. I looked over the menu and picked up an order to go.

Jimmy was born in Gypsy, WV an 1912 and was one of 21 brothers and sisters. Anna Lehosit was born in 1913 in Clarksburg, WV and was one of 15 brother and sisters. Both of their fathers worked in deep mines in Clarksburg, WV. James B. started in the restaurant business in Nutter Fort, WV in 1932. He built his first Colombo's on Bridgeport Hill in Clarksburg, WV an 1945. After 9 years at the site, Jimmy moved to Parkersburg, WV and established the present "Colombo's Restaurant" at 1236 7th Street in September 1954.The original restaurant seated 60 people. Over the years, our restaurant has gone through 7 expansions, added parking and expanded seating to well over 300 people (ABOUT).

The restaurant interior - while I didn't dine inside - looks very homey. Every wall is nearly covered in all sorts of photos. Old stained glass fixtures lined the space, and the red & green motif made its way from the walls to the placemats.

Once I was able to get home, I dove into my "Taste of Italy," which was a combination of lasagna, fettucini alfredo and penne pasta.

But, first, there's bread. Or buttery toast.

Then, there's a basic house salad. I wish there was a bit more to this, but it's not the star anyway.

The star is, however, this giant pile of pasta. I enjoyed the sauce here, and the pasta was perfectly cooked - something hard to come by. I think the penne was my favorite, though the lasagna wasn't bad, either. The alfredo was a bit thick, but fairly average.

Overall, not a bad spot for some Italian food. I think I'm spoiled with the plethora of good Italian dining here in North Central West Virginia. But, the red sauce is always key - and I think they have a good one.


Grade: B

Have you heard of Tailpipes new promotion? They have this new "Burger Box" that is perfect for office lunches or meetings or parties because you can get six burgers, fries, and fry sauce for $55. That's a pretty good deal considering most of Tailpipes' specialty burgers are $10.

And, no, I'm not being paid to say this. I just think it's cool, and my team recently had the chance to enjoy one. We all got different burgers; I opted for the Corvette - fried green tomato, pimento cheese, smoked bacon, cole slaw, Carolina bbq sauce on a white bun. Others got the barracuda, the mustang, the cajun burger, a bacon cheeseburger and another plain cheeseburger. So, it's nice to accommodate a wide assortment of palates.

The photo above was actually form Honors Hall because I was somehow too hungry (or too clumsy) to take a photo of the burgers before my team devoured them. But, it seems as though Tailpipes is trying to make it a known thing and doing contests for offices to enjoy these, so you might get lucky if you keep an eye on their social media!

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