I don't ever remember spending any time at the Highlands area of Wheeling growing up, but as an adult, I have visited a few times to check it out.



Mostly, as you could've guessed, to check out new restaurants. 



There are a number of chains, but there are also a handful of locally owned places - including a DiCarlo's, Mexican restaurant and a hibachi restaurant.



My parents and I went to Fusion Steakhouse, a hibachi restaurant that features a teppanyaki, which is a Japanese style of cooking on a griddle right in front of you. It's like a meal with a show. 



This location is connected to ones in Morgantown, Parkersburg, Washington PA, and Grove City, Ohio.



But we went a more low-key route and just dined in the main dining room. We started with some vegetable tempura, which I really liked the squash or pumpkin they had in there! 



We also tried their "Chicken Zingers," which were deep-fried bite-sized pieces of white meat chicken covered in their tari sweet & sour sauce. These were a classic sweet and sour dish that was a satisfying bite. 



My mom went with some hibachi steak, which she enjoyed and had leftovers for days.



And dad went with a General Tso's Chicken, which is always a classic. Crisp, tender, spicy, tangy sauce.

 
And I went with some cream cheese wontons and a sushi roll: a california roll topped with shrimp tempura and eel and spicy mayo sauce. So tasty. 



I like the comforting reliability of this hibachi chain, and they have enough of a variety to appease a number of appetites. On this day, everything was tasty and fresh, and I left happy and full.

Grade: A

In 2017, the United States produced 148 million pounds of honey. West Virginia totaled 240,000 pounds of honey in 2017, an increase of 80,000 pounds from the previous year. Honey has become a staple of the local food movement because its distinctive taste is based on  its origin. The focus on local foods and the role of restaurants in tourism have supported growth in the honey market. In addition, as health food trends supporting natural sweeteners have become more popular, the “pure” nature of honey has made it more of a mainstay in the sweetener market. Groups like the Appalachian Beekeeping Collective, which train new  beekeepers to become entrepreneurs, have been useful in getting coal miners back to work.



There are so many great honeys that come from the Mountain State that I want to try them all.



Do you know a producer who has product for sale? Who else do I need to add to this list? 

Big Draft Brewing is one of the newer breweries in the Mountain State. Say that five times fast.



My boyfriend and I went out this way not too long ago to check out sunflower fields, and we stopped by this brewery for some dinner. 



"Big Draft Brewing is a purpose-driven, community-centered brewery producing exceptional beer with integrity and artistry. Making beer is an art. Drinking beer is an event."



They're part of a larger revitalization of the community that encompasses a few different businesses, but let's focus here first. On the beer. And food. 



We ordered a sampler to check out a few different styles. I liked the saison and the sour wheat ale best. They were crisp and refreshing on a warm day. I see they have a "BELLINI BERLINERWEISSE," which I definitely want to try next. 



Next up was some grub, starting with beef short rib flat bread that had caramelized onions, mashed potatoes, horseradish and arugula. 



I'm pretty sure if you put horseradish on anytime at this point, I'll eat it. Mashed potatoes on a flat bread? I'm here for it. Give me something different, and it makes me happy. A nice meld of flavors.



For my entree, I went with a burger. 



The black & bleu burger has a seasoned 8oz mountain steer beef, blue cheese, caramelized onions, cajun aioli, pretzel bun. I ordered some beer cheese and sweet potato fries on the side. Yum, yum and yum. Not a bad bite in sight. 

Grade: A

Custom Creations Bakery opened not too long ago in Oak Hill.



The small bakery on Main Street offers a selection of breads, cupcakes, cookies and, of course, pepperoni rolls.



Let's dig in. The space is cute with some dots on the wall and pink accents all over. 



I started with a piece of banana bred, which is a sleeper bakery item in my opinion. It's one of my favorites. This was a nice little hunk.



Next up was a pepperoni roll - a pretty good rendition, at that. Perfect proportions of meat and cheese and bread. 



A final sweet bite came in the form of a strawberry cupcake. Solid satisfactory marks across the board. 



Grade: A

There are a ton of homestyle diners in West Virginia that I haven't had a chance to try. But when you are in the mood for comfort food, there's no better option.



Tammy's Country Kitchen in Fraziers Bottom was a pleasant surprise for me when I stopped by for lunch.



I placed an order for a cheeseburger, mac & cheese and sweet potato casserole. If that's not comfort food, I don't know what is. 



The burger was a simple, standard backyard burger that I'm always a fan of. The mac & cheese was really creamy and cheesy - thankfully not dry. Plus sweet potato casserole - with a little crunch, a lot of warming sweet flavor ... Just happiness on a plate. 



Grade: A