Editors Note:  What follows are the Restaurant Reviews reprinted from the newsletters.  You will note different styles from different writers, and you will also notice how a writer's style changes with time.

 

• Burlington Café – Burlington - This café serves generous portions at great prices, featuring traditional Americana Cuisine.  The parents and sister of one of the people who worked for me [Rick] own the place.

• Candlewyck Inn & Restaurant - 65 S Mineral St, Keyser.  By local standards an upscale dining experience, but gentlemen do not need to wear a jacket or a tie.  The inn and restaurant also houses a small but popular bar (Saturday night) in a décor that seems to mix Victorian (dark red wall paper below the chair rail and white above) with quaint “old time” signs and images.  The menu was quite diverse American fare of steaks, seafood, pasta and chicken.  Several dishes served with ramps (a.k.a. a seasonal wild leek or onion).  We started with a delicious Baked Brie Cheese with Pecan Topping ($8.95) appetizer.  We both had a bacon wrapped NY strip with mushrooms and ramps (which I swear were invisible) and filet in a mushroom and brandy sauce.  Both steaks were different yet flavorful; once again they come from Wayne’s Market.  Side dishes included broccoli (vegetable of the day) and starch (baked potato, wild rice medley or fries).  Their signature dessert includes a variety of gourmet, “Wyckedley Good” cupcakes plus a couple of pies.  The cupcakes were very tasty and deserving of the special emphasis they are given.  If there was one area where they could improve it would be their wine list.  Their “top end” wines include Potomac Highlands wines from Keyser; we sent back the Meritage and settled for a Yellow Tail select Syrah.  Appetizer and dinner for two with dessert (including a $16 bottle of wine), before the tip was $80.  Daily specials (including take out) such as Burger night with fresh ground burger from Waynes Meats for only $9, and 10% off cash Fridays are advertised on their Facebook page. Definitely worth repeating.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Candlewyck-Inn/269880031007

• Castiglia Italian Eatery – Keyser - Huge portions are served, but there is not much seating.  Despite the lack of seating, it is very popular with the locals. 

• Courthouse Corner Café – 4 East Main Street, Romney.  A small restaurant with seating for approximately 5+/- groups of two that does a steady stream of take out. Primary lunch fare is soup and sandwiches plus salads.  The Panini sandwiches were very good and our dining companion thought the beef barley soup was noteworthy.  However on another occasion our dining companion was unimpressed with the Courthouse Salad.  This is not fast food dining in fact their Facebook page encourages calling ahead (304 822-7171) to save time or for free delivery between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. ($7.00 minimum order).  Prices are reasonable for the area.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Courthouse-Corner-Cafe/173000076133232

• El Jinete – US Route 220 (just north of Cut Off Road), Keyser.  Mexican cuisine with ample portions and a down-to-earth price with most dinner entrees ranging from $3-$10.  Don’t let the outside appearance, or the possibly crowded parking lot fool you; the food is great and there is both plenty of seating and parking.  When we arrived the front dining room was full, but we were led to a large back area where other diners were also eating.  The large room we were seated also serves as a back room for large private parties.  The menu is quite extensive, and includes vegetarian choices.  It took us so long to decide on our dinners that in the process we had consumed most of the complimentary chips, salsa and some other unidentified white dip; the chip deficiency did not go unnoticed by the waiter who brought us a second bowl of chips before our meal arrived.  OK, so warm chips are hard to pass up.  I had one of the many combinations – in this case a taco and enchilada which in both Libby’s and my opinions was much more flavorful than her rather bland Mexicana burrito.  To be honest we were so full after our entrée – and two bowls of chips – that we did not partake of the dessert menu which others have described as “wonderful.”  For children there is also a kids menu.  Reportedly at other times there is music and when I had a business lunch there a few weeks prior I did notice that the lunch prices are even more down-to-earth especially if you chose one of the specials.  With two margaritas and a tip the dinner bill was only $25. We shall turn this into a favorite restaurant.  (304-788-3553) 

• Flying W Farms – US Route 50, West Burlington.  A combination shop that sells meals and vacuum-packed frozen meats.  They specialize in natural, grain-fed, dry-aged, Angus beef which on Friday and Saturday nights you can enjoy served as a prime rib dinner between 5:00PM and 8:00PM (more below).  Most of the week, from 10:00AM until 7:00PM (9:00PM on Fridays and Saturdays) in addition to their selection of vacuum packed and frozen meat, they sell deli meats and sandwiches, hard ice cream and a small selection of food items such as honey and art produced locally.  Daily sandwich specials include; hamburgers/cheeseburgers, crab cake, pulled beef, chicken and hoagies.  There is ample parking on both sides of the building and in back.  The dress code is “come as you are” casual and the dining room per se is really a large open area where you get to watch the deli and ice cream counters as well as the shoppers looking at the local art and produce or taking meat out of the freezer cases.  Outdoor dining is available if desired.  Despite the recommendation to have a reservation for dinner, ample seating was available as we sat at the only table with a “Reserved” sign.  Whether it was our poor timing, or a rush of customers I don’t know, but we did end up waiting longer than I would have expected before our orders were taken.  Although there were other dinner entrée choices available including sea food, after weeks of anticipation forced upon us by scheduling conflicts both Libby and I ordered the prime rib dinner for which Flying W Farms has developed a strong local following – and we were not disappointed.  I order prime rib with some trepidation because in the past in my opinion I have been served prime rib which needed a lot more meat, and lot less fat.  Although some prime rib aficionados will tell you that the fat is important because it adds flavor and makes the prime rib tender, I prefer a leaner cut of meat – and Flying W Farms served what I thought was a perfect slice of prime rib.  Before our entrée arrived we had nice garden salads that included a variety of vegetables.  The de rigueur baked potato and accoutrements were good, but unremarkable.  In addition to the aforementioned ice cream, Flying W Farms has a selection of pies for dessert, which did not disappoint. Without alcohol, two prime rib dinners with dessert cost under $50.  (304-289-3005)  http://www.flyingwfarmsllc.com/

• Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant – 11 Bowery St., Frostburg.  So if you want dinner a bit later, unless you want fast food, you should consider some Italian fine dining as Giuseppe’s is open to 11PM every night except Monday; admittedly the drive alone will add an hour (give or take) from the Bluffs.  WARNING:  This place is both tasty and popular; reservations on weekends should be mandatory – which can be done on-line.  We arrived in the midst of a party that was taking up the whole ground floor, yet when we emerged on the second floor it was full of regular dinner patrons with one empty table – which fortunately was the one the maitre d’ was leading us toward…. and thank goodness we had reservations.  OK, the food was great.  Libby had the filet mignon crusted with parmesan in a Burgundy sauce served with rosemary potatoes and fresh vegetables.  Libby’s evaluation: “Delicious.” I’m a sucker for good Italian sausage, so I had the blackened chicken with sweet Italian sausage with penne done up with Cajun spices, sautéed with scallions and mushrooms.  I ate and ate, and when I was done I wanted to lick the plate. They also have sandwiches for about $10 and pizza too – but why waste a visit on such a pedestrian choice when there are choices such as shrimp scampi or mussels with linguine “en brood” or veal parmigiana. Most dinners are $15 to $20.  Add an appetizer, a bottle of wine, dessert and a tip and you might hit $125.  If you want to go frugal, there are a few pasta entrées such as baked ziti in the $10-12 range. The one “down side” of Giuseppe’s is that they are not open for lunch.  If you are going to do something special in the area, they also have banquet facilities and can do off premise catering.  (301-689-2220)  http://www.giuseppes.net

• Italian Touch – 450 East Main St., Romney.  Hurray, Romney now has two non-fast food choices that are open after 8PM.  Freshly redone, and the place is bright and looks clean.  I don’t know if it was because they just reopened, or whether it is due to the lack of other dining choices in Romney or whether most people just love the food, but something made the place very popular this Saturday evening (the other Italian restaurant in town had only one other couple in it when we drove by… coincidentally from the Bluffs).  (The parking lot was full and the dining room was constantly turning over.  Gasp, could there be a business opportunity here for an unmet demand?)  Serving mostly pizza, Philly cheesesteaks, subs and calzone/strombolis along with a handful of entrees (three are Fettuccine Alfredo).  Prices remain mostly under $7, with entrees all under $11 except for 16" specialty pizzas.  We had a pepperoni pizza. It was a 6 on a 10 scale.  No choice on crust type - it's a thinner crust (not NY style thin) but a bit doughy.  The marinara dipping sauce for the mozzarella sticks appetizer was 2rather bland.  The wait-staff was attentive and good.  Due to a lack of choices in Romney we will try again - I think Philly cheesesteak will be next.  (304-822-5800)

• Main Street Grill – The intersection of Slanesville Pike and WV 29 aka 100 North Main Street, Slanesville.  OK, first you need to get past the fact that traffic flows on WV 29 at 55mph+ (40mph for the two miles through Slanesville) and they call it “Main Street.”  Next you need to embrace the fact that in addition to a US Post Office, the same building houses: a convenience store, a hair salon, convenience (General) store and hardware / home store plus an ice cream counter.  The first thing that you need to know is that the Main Street Grill is open “late” by local standards, 9PM Sunday through Thursday and 10PM on Fridays and Saturdays; if you are driving to the Bluffs via US 522 for the weekend knowing there is a way station could in and of itself be a critical factor in making a dining decision.  The transportation based décor jumps out at you immediately at the Main Street Grill, with “intersections” labeled with street signs.  Libby had the roast beef and I had the Fajita trio.  The friendly wait-staff provided good service, the food was tasty and the portions were ample.  Dinner prices were generally in the under $12 range, but you could easily find a meal for less than $10 – or if you want to splurge, I have my eye on the lobster and sirloin special for $19.99.  If you are in the mood for burgers or pizza, they have that too.  If you are going to eat here, definitely check out the specials on their web site. (304-496-1177)   http://www.slanesvillestore.com/

• Mario’s – Old Town Romney - Family-owned, average Italian-American cuisine, easily accessible, where Route 50 and 28 intersect.

• Millstone BB-Q – Burlington.  A small, put popular restaurant as attested to by their crowded parking lot if you show up during the dinner rush.  Open Thursdays through Saturdays, 11:00AM through 8:30PM, as the name implies, they specialize in barbeque, serving specials of 1/2 chicken platters, rib-eye steak, shrimp, and baby-back ribs on Friday and Saturday nights after 4PM  Their regular menu includes barbeque sandwiches, nachos, “hog”wings, with an assortment of beverages including domestic and imported beers. Additionally there is a downstairs banquet room and they provide catering. As self-appointed barbeque experts we were really looking forward to a great barbeque dinner.  Although the restaurant looked full to capacity, we were immediately seated, and we our drink and dinner orders were promptly taken.  The best thing that I can say about the baby-back ribs which we ordered is that they were ample in portion, but otherwise they were singularly unimpressive.  Maybe it was a bad night, but I don’t understand who is generating all the extremely positive reviews (5 out of 5 stars) at the Urban Spoon.  I suppose to be fair we should go back sometime and try it again.  Prices were reasonable, although be forewarned that they only accept cash or checks.  For those in a hurry they have recently added a take-out menu.  (304) 289-3693  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Millstone-BB-Q/154337581294599

• O’Neill’s – Moorefield - A family-owned restaurant that has been in business for generations, the meals are homemade, with fresh and wholesome, local produce. You can find half-price burgers at lunch on Wednesdays, and homemade desserts, daily.  The popular desserts go fast.

• Savage River Lodge – 1600 Mt. Aetna Road, Frostburg.  So what happens when you miss your wife’s birthday because of a Scouting commitment out of town?  You take her out to a fancy restaurant, and fortunately there is at least one about 30 miles away (a long hour drive from the Bluffs).  The first thing you need to know is that the Savage River Lodge is an upscale, “pet friendly” inn that caters to group retreats and those that expect the best.  When (not if) the road becomes impassable in the winter, if you don’t have the recommended 4x4 they encourage you to call ahead and “ask about our shuttle service” from the main road.  We arrived for dinner the day after power was restored after Hurricane Sandy dumped over two feet of snow at the lodge.  As I drove the 1.5 mile private road to the lodge, I was wishing I had my cross country skis.  As we approached the front door, the deer sauntered away from the gourds they were eating out of the basket at the edge of the porch.  Because they had just had their power restored, we shared the dining room with only one other couple; thus the wait-staff was attentive, and readily available without doting.  We started off with the Artisan Cheese Plate which had some amazing cheeses, which while locally produced, Libby found were not available closer than Alexandria.  Libby started with the soup du jour and I had a Caesar salad (with anchovies).  Often there is some form of wild game on the menu, but not when were there, so Libby chose the grilled “bone-in” pork loin finished with roasted pearl onion, fire roasted red peppers, mushrooms, and tomato tossed in veal jus lié, served with FireFly Farms Allegany Chevre potato gratin, which Libby described as well prepared and very tasty.  I had the filet mignon, served with potato puree and haricot verts (aka “green beans” in French), finished with veal jus lié, which I would also describe as well prepared and very tasty.  We both had the yummy chocolate peanut butter pie for dessert.  Along with a nice bottle of wine and tip the dinner was $145.  Alternative vegetarian, vegan and gluten free menu selections are available.  For those that make their choices based upon formal accolades, the Savage River Lodge is listed in the Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, and on the Select Registry.  (301-689-3200)  http://www.savageriverlodge.com/

• The Stray Cat – Uptown Romney - * Tex-Mex with a WV hitch. My husband, Andrew Cann and I enjoy the XM classic rock station in the background, and the kitsch quaintness of Stray Cat, but very few of you may see the humor of it.  A billiard table occupies most of the smoking section, and there is The Green Room for gambling.  The food is usually fried (including an ice cream dish), or breaded.  Many of the dishes have red meat, but they do serve fish and shrimp (breaded), potato dishes, and offer a salad bar.  Alcohol is served, including a modest selection of wines, and some dark, imported beers and ales. The servers are sweet and courteous! NOTE: The Stray Cat is a chain with locations in Moorefield and Keyser.  While they are all Tex-Mex, you cannot judge one by another other.

• Taste of the Town – 1 Washington St., Fort Ashby.  We arrived for dinner moments before the Friday dinner rush at 5:30PM.  By the number of diners even before our meal arrived we could tell that it was a popular eatery.  Locally, the food served is known as “comfort food.”  We ordered the fried seafood (clams, shrimp & fish) and four piece fried chicken platters each with two side dishes. Side dishes ordered were house salads and macaroni & cheese and macaroni salad.  Portions were reasonable, and although I was concerned that four pieces of fried chicken (leg, wing, breast and thigh) might be too much, the sizes were not so large as to overwhelm – compared to the size of some of the “super” chickens you get in the super market these the thigh and breast might have been called small to medium.  The fried chicken tasted good, and the macaroni salad was average as were the house salads.  Overall impression of the fried seafood was that it was pretty good.  Cherry pie and coconut cream pie were good.  Reportedly, all meat comes from neighboring Waynes Meats and all breads, cakes and pies are made on site.  Dinner for two with dessert (no alcohol or soft drinks), before the tip was $26.