Yamato Japanese Steakhouse in Logan is pretty standard in terms of small-town hibachi restaurants. They have a teppanyaki grill, an assortment of specialty sushi rolls and a host of other generally Asian dishes to please the whole crowd.



They have "Louisiana Seafood Platters" and poke bowls and ramen and bento boxes. I ordered the crab rangoons - a bit too sweet and a bit too cool.



The steak hibachi meal was ol' reliable, though it didn't have the much-needed teriyaki and yum-yum sauce. We also tried the Volcano Roll - Shrimp tempura, cream cheese topped w. spicy crab meat and tempura flake, spicy mayo, eel sauce. This wasn't bad, but the sauces were too much and took over the flavor.



Grade: B

Essie's Sweet Shoppe is treat shop serving up a mix of ice cream, shaved ice, candies, cookie shots and more.



That's right: cookie shots. They are cookies baked in the shape of shot glasses so that they can be filled with hot chocolate. I mean, how genius?



There is probably some perfect equation to figure out time it takes for a slightly softened cookie vs. it being too hard vs. it getting too mushy and soaked. I don't think I found that balance, but I enjoyed the whimsy of the treat.



I also ordered some praline ice cream, which is from the Wisconsin-based Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream. Very creamy & delicious.



Have you been to Essie's yet?



Grade: B

Black Bear Bakery in Oak Hill is a lovely little spot that offers up some tasty treats.



In addition to classic bakery goodies, this business also offers lunch specials, like sandwiches, salads, and more.



When I visited, I snagged a slice of pumpkin roll, which was so moist and full of cream cheese filling that I wish I would have ordered five more. Pumpkin roll is one of my favorite things this time of year, but a homemade one with tons of cream cheese takes it to the next level.



Next on my list to try are their donuts, cupcakes, pies and anything else I can get my hands on.



Grade: A

"Established in 2020, Cork's Turkey Knob Wines is a dream that became a reality for owners Rick & Dana Corcoran, natives of Tucker County, WV. After their good friend and neighbor, Bud Parsons, showed them how to make wine from wild grapes, the Corcoran’s started experimenting with a variety of fruits. What started as an experiment quickly became a hobby, as the Corcoran's discovered their passion for making wine from the juices of wild fruits and berries of Tucker County. Interested in starting their own winery, the Corcoran’s sought help from Jim Kelly, owner of Batton Hollow Winery (Lost Creek, WV), who graciously taught the Corcoran’s about bulk winemaking. Now, the Corcoran's are ready to share their passion for winemaking with others. Cork's Turkey Knob Wines offers a variety of wines from dry to sweet - something for everyone to enjoy," according to their website.



I stopped by this shop while in the area. It is decorated like a cute barn that has some crafts for sale, as well as their homemade wines.



"Our Sauvignon Blanc is a semi-sweet, crisp white wine which pairs well with chicken, white fish, smoked meats and tofu. It also pairs well with goat cheese, Asiago, Gouda, Gruyere, and Feta. It also pairs well with green leafy herbs such as kale and goat cheese or romaine salad with light olive-oil based dressing to create balance."

"Our Moscato is a sweet, white wine which pairs well with light flaky fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp, lobster, crab, and duck. It pairs well with desserts such as Biscotti, grilled peaches, cherry pie and cheesecake. Our Moscato also pairs well with cheeses such as soft creamy Brie and Camembert. Strong Blue Cheese needs a wine like Moscato to balance its saltiness."



"Our Pinot Gris is a crisp, dry white wine which pairs well with chicken, fish, (especially salmon) pork tenderloin, quiche, clams, oysters, mussels and veal. It also pairs well with cheeses such as Morbier, Raclette, Muenster, Feta and salty Parmesan along with other French cheese."

"Our Pinot Noir is a dry red wine with a hint of oak which pairs well with roasted, smoked or deep fried turkey, BBQ Ribs, mushroom dishes, Pepperoni Pizza, Lamb Chops and, "anything Italian" for us. It also pairs well with cheeses such as Brie, Gouda, Manchera, and Colby/Longhorn."



"Our Blueberry is a sweet red wine which pairs well with rich, creamy cheesecake and fruits with cinnamon along with cheeses such as Swiss and Provolone."

I was hoping to try this one, but they were out, so I went with…

"Our Cotton Candy is a sweet white wine produced from cotton candy-flavored grapes grown in Mexico. This is a made from scratch wine as well."

Something a little different and fun - and absolutely tasty.

The Kenova Fire Department has been hosting food trucks on the last Saturday of the month and at other select weekends.



I visited a few times to try some new-to-me food trucks, like: Macy's Grill, Marz Food Bar Food Truck, M&J Rolling Cafe, Lil Orbits Mini Donuts and American Smokehouse BBQ & Grill.



Plus there were others I've already visited, like Holy Smoke BBQ, Saved by Grace BBQ, Twisted Grill, Viper Wood Fired Oven Pizza, Southside Sliders, Wild & Wonderful BBQ, Muncheez, Bite Mi and Frios Gourmet Pops.



I still haven't tried: Happy Guys Concessions, Hillbilly Hibachi, Dutch Fryers, Matney's Pizza, Saylors Reef, Chuys Mexican Street Food, Emmaa's Cool Treats, Triple C's Coffee Truck, H&K Love for Food and Taste of Heaven Lemonade.



Macy's Grill - Just a frozen lemonade here hit the spot.



Marz Food Bar Food Truck - Loaded nachos here with chili and cheese hit the spot.



M&J Rolling Cafe - I had fried fish tacos here that I'm still dreaming about. Perfectly crisp with a sweet and sour sauce, plus loaded with toppings.



Lil Orbits Mini Donuts - these mini donuts are piled up and crispy. Just the glazed was delicious for me.



American Smokehouse BBQ & Grill - I got some loaded naachos here, complete with pulled pork. I wouldn't have hated more BBQ sauce, but it was still tasty!



I hope they continue to do this next summer - or maybe during some of the major holidays during the year.



And if you hear of the ones I've not been to posting up somewhere, let me know!



Which is your favorite?