I'm often asked what my favorite restaurant is in the state. And, it's a tough question because there are many great ones. But the late great Cafe Cimino was always in the top three. The former owners, Tim and Melody Urbanic, retired from the restaurant ... but not from food and hospitality.



Now, the dynamic duo invites people to their home for supper - literally. Their home farm in Chloe, West Virginia, plays host to a number of Sunday suppers throughout the summer. And, my friend Elizabeth and I snagged tickets for their fancy ramp supper.



Chef Tim crafts beautiful, delicious dishes that draw on local ingredients and inspiration and he makes things you want to eat. Every single thing is delicious. And Melody is the queen of hospitality; she welcomes you in like family and makes you feel at home. It's as much of a pleasure to eat Chef's Tim's food as it is to be hosted by Melody. So, let me show you what was on the table when we arrived!



Ramp Pickles - ramps, cauliflower, carrots, gherkins and broccoli



Oil Cured Olives in Ramp Marinade



Mini Ramp Biscuits, as well as cheddar biscuits



Ramp Butter - we each had our own little bowl, so I slathered this on umpteen biscuits



Ramp Chimichurri - this had a little kick to it, but I used it as a sauce on half of the dishes this afternoon



Rosemary & Parmesan Focaccia Bread - light, delicious, totally good enough to eat on its own



Gift from the Chef
Mini Ramp Frittata with a side of Ramps & Kale - plus a little pepper! Beautiful little bite to get started.



Appetizer
Asparagus Spears with Pork Belly & Sautéed Ramps - there were some fried mushrooms in here, too, and I swiped everything through that rampy oil on the bottom. 



Soup
Homemade Ramp & Ricotta Ravioli in Chicken Broth - my absolute favorite dish of the afternoon. Silky smooth pasta, sweet ricotta, plus the ramps - it's going to be one of those dishes I dream of. 



Salad
Spring Greens with Feta, Kalamata Olives & Dried Cranberries & Pecans w/ Ramp Dressing - a beautiful, crunchy salad of fresh greens with a pop of acidic dressing



Intermezzo
Cucumber & Fresh Fruits - plus lemon balm! I had never thought how similar cucumber's texture is to melon, but it is. And it was a little weird and all good. 
  

Entrée
Carnitas over Polenta with sides of Ramps & Kale & with Brown Beans - this is a very West Virginia dish, and while brown beans are not my favorite, I enjoyed the traditional dish. 



Dessert
Italian Olive Oil Cake garnished with Ramp Sesame Brittle & served with a mini square of Homemade Chocolate Fudge & Pecans -  this cake was out of this world. The secret ingredient must be love because I was absolutely stuffed but finished off every bite of this. 

Beverages: Ridge Winery Springwater, Hot Coffee, Ginger Root Tea, & one complementary glass of wine from Chestnut. Big thanks to our guest chef, Lee Rush, our local farmers Market, Berea Gardens & Mother Nature for her lovely ramps!

Great Wall in Ravenswood is a Chinese restaurant, but they also offer sushi. That means I get to combine a few of my favorites.



I ordered honey chicken, cheese wontons, a shrimp eggroll and a New York roll.



Let's start with that sushi roll, which har spicy crab, cream cheese, shrimp, avocado & masago. But it was swimming in a yum sauce that was just too much. It overtook the mild flavors.



The honey chicken was good and even had some peppers, which I loved for some extra bite. White meat chicken, sweet sauce, crunchy peppers. All good. Eggroll and wontons were both fine. Both would benefit from more filling.



Grade: B

Ali's Mediterranean Cuisine serves up fresh mediterranean food seven days a week in Bridgeport. 



It's a sweet space with some cozy decor and menu items like gyros, kabobs, shawarma and more.


I enjoyed a beautiful platter of hummus with pita, which I've really grown to enjoy. when it's fresh and full of garlic. I honestly think this could have done with even more garlic, but I did like that it had a thicker texture. Super smooth hummus is not my jam. 



Grape leaves: I remember hating these when I tried them for the first time, and they're now one of my go-tos at restaurants.  I love the bitterness of the leaves, the texture of the rice, just all of it makes for a really satisfying bite for me. What's your fav item here?

Grade: A

There are several Campestre locations - Princeton, Lexington and Beckley. I visited the Princeton location previously, so it was time to check out the Beckley one.



Of course, we started with some salsa. It was mild, but had some decent roasty flavors. We also had to have some queso, which always sets the tone. A deliciously cheesy tone, that is.



For my main entrée, I went with a shrimp and rice dish with vegetables. It's a tried and true dish for me because it's difficult to mess up unless you overcook the shrimp, but it's tasty, somewhat healthy and simple.



I think Campestre is always a step above many of the area's similar restaurants. It always seems fresh and flavorful and creative.



What's your fav dish here?



Grade: A

Manic Espresso is a cute little coffee trailer set up on the state fairgrounds parking area. In fact, when I saw the signs for the coffee trailer, I was a little nervous if I was able go onto that property. Rest assured, you totally can and you totally should.



The menu has a number of items that caught my eye, but I ultimately went with the caramel apple cider. Place your order at the first window, drive around the building to the other window and receive your piping hot or ice cold drink. My caramel apple cider wasn't overly sweet, but a delightful balance that gave me all the cozy vibes.



Grade: A