The Block (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          * * * * *
Flavor                           * * * * *
Uniqueness                   * * * * *
Price                             $$$
Comfort/Convenience  * * * * -  (Minus one star for downtown parking)

Price Ranges:
Appetizers      $7-16
Drinks            $8-? (I was scared to keep looking)
Entrees           $13-36 (I counted the flatbreads)
Desserts         $8-12

Located right in the heart of downtown, The Block is in what should really be the perfect location.  After a series of fairly quick flops in the same location (the French restaurant that was around so shortly few remember the name, the Bus Station Grille, and a McDonalds) it's clear you need more than just location to stay afloat downtown.

I'm pleased to say I think The Block has it.

The inside is a little intimidating: pristine hardwood floors, almost floor to ceiling windows on the street side, a large open-fronted wine vault in the middle room, and high ceilings with dangling lights.  Ah, and they're still very busy, so you may want a reservation at this point in the game (but don't be bothered if they have to look for a seat for you or there's a wait: it's worth it and they're not mean about it)  It's a place you want to dress up for, but not one that you necessarily need to.

The host was very pleasant and found us a seat quickly, even without reservations (I'm sorry, host, you're the one person whose name I didn't get!) and we sat down to review the drinks list and menus.

Hands down (and pages turned.  Twice.) The Block has the largest wine list in Charleston.  No exaggeration needed.  It is literally a three page, legal paper size, front and back menu of wines to choose from.  This also includes flights, offered nowhere else in Charleston, of roughly 1/3 glasses of wine that run in the range of 10-16 dollars for three samples.  Confused by the options?  Off to the side of each wine is a number which corresponds is also seen next to one of your food menu items.  Or you can ask the server.  (Ours was very knowledgeable and happy to find out anything he didn't know) Individual glasses start at about $8, but can get very pricey depending on what you want.

Lest you think the poor beer drinkers are forgotten, they also have about 10 beers on tap.  Nothing to sneeze at for any establishment, let alone one that focuses on wine.  Bottled beers and ciders are available as well (including very nice specialized glasses for Lindeman's)  Prices are reasonable, running around $8 for a pint.

And cocktails can't be forgotten either.  I tried both the chocolate martini and the Island Colada.  Both were made well and well worth the 8-13 price range.  Plus the dollop of whipped cream on the chocolate martini...mm...

Finally, the food.  This particular time we were going right after work, so we just stuck with something "light", but I feel like we got our value. 

First was a watermelon and feta stack with mint, balsamic reduction, and walnuts: I admit I was a little hesitant.  It sounded not particularly unappetizing, but certainly strange, and yet it was delicious.  I feel like a tangier cheese might have brought the watermelon flavor forward a little more (or possibly a very light sprinkle of salt?), but overall it was just light, refreshing, and very pleasing.

Then came bruschetta that came out as the toasts and you put the topping on yourself (actually a very bright idea: keeps the toast from getting soggy)  The flavor on this was a little disappointing for me: it wasn't bad at all, just a little bland compared to everything else we ate and not as adventurous.

Our "main" meal was flat breads.  The further one is the Santorini and the closer one is the Paizano.  Both were amazing, lip-licking, eating-far-too-much experiences.  The Santorini is Manouri cheese (a slightly tangy goat cheese), artichokes, kalamata olives, dates, and fig balsamic glaze: slightly smokier and sweeter flavor (also stickier).  The Paizano is pesto, truffle oil, artichokes, roasted red peppers, purple onion, portobello mushrooms, golden raisins (I didn't taste any of these, but they were supposedly there), and Manchego and Parmesano-Reggiano cheeses-deeply savory and slightly earthy from the mushroom. (Umame, as the Japanese would say)  Flat breads, by the way, are very much are enough to be a meal, possibly even for two depending on how hungry you are.

Finally, we ordered dessert, already too full, but determined to have the full experience.  My friend ordered the Tres Leches and my husband and I ordered the Bailey's cake.

Hm.  The Tres Leches (thank you, dear friend, for letting me try!) was very good, but the Bailey's cake (above), which had been described as a kind of tiramisu, was very dry and dense.  Possibly just because we were thinking of it in the mindset of a tiramisu rather than a cake, but it was too thick and not very Bailey's-ish.  It was still a good flavor, but the texture was not right.

And, in contrast to my last review, I'd like to say we had some of the best service we've ever had here from the server, Scott.  Our drinks never ran low, we never had to do more than glance up to have a question answered, he never pushed us to order (or to leave, and I know we committed the cardinal sin of lingering.  I hope we tipped well enough, Scott), and he was just so darned pleasant!  Bless you, Scott, and may this bring you many customers.  We also got a buzz by from the manager, Brittany, making sure everything had gone well (to whom we also mentioned the fantastic food and service).

Overall, kudos for a meal I am more than willing to pay the price for.  It was delightful and the service was impeccable.

Words to the wise: Beware your seating in the late evening.  As the sun comes in those big windows, you may find yourself with it right in your eyes.

Bricks and Barrels (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          - - - - -
Flavor                           - - - - -
Uniqueness                   * - - - -
Price                             $$$$ ($40-50 per person or more for appetizers and drinks)
Comfort/Convenience  * - - - -

This place has been on my best friend's radar for months now.  So when it opened and we both had time off, we gathered family in town for the weekend and went.

Well.

Let's start off by saying that you will not find parking if there's a game going on at the Power Park, because the 20 spaces they have are already taken (questionably by diners) and all surrounding parking is taken by people going to the game.  So you're taking a hike in an area that most Charlestonians would acknowledge is really not the best late at night to get here.

Then you step into a (very) dimly lit interior of hardwood floors, black walls and ceilings, and a few sparse pendant lights.  Thank heaven the menu print was large because I was having problems reading it well and I'm nowhere near bifocal age yet.

The beer and wine lists are fairly extensive, but also fairly expensive.  You could pay much less at half a dozen places downtown (Pies and Pints, Blacksheep, Celsius) for similar selection.  No specialty cocktails here yet, though the waitress said they're going to make up a few soon.  After seeing the prices on the wine and beer menus, I wasn't interested in trying for liquor.

But I really came to this location to try out the food: menu descriptions were intriguing, although I was again thrown by the prices (appetizers were already approaching the $20 threshold and several of the entrees were $40+).  Entrees do not include anything extra, and by "anything" I mean a bread basket, a salad, or a side.  You ordered a steak?  Here's your steak.  By itself.

Not to be deterred (after all, we knew it might be expensive and we'd even dressed up for it), we got drinks and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

About half an hour to forty five minutes after we'd gotten our drinks, the waitress came back to take our orders for food and one of our table mates had to remind her to get the frosted glass for her shandy (which she said she'd bring when she dropped off the drinks, but it never came).  No refills on water for anyone.  When she came back with the glass, she refilled waters, but didn't ask my husband if he'd like a new beer.

Thankfully, we were having a good time and in good company because it was another long wait for the food with only one quick flyby from the waitress (who got another beer this time, but didn't refill waters or tell us anything about the status of our food) before the final "It's plating now" right before they brought the food out.

And the food we paid so much for?  Utterly unimpressive.

With five of us ordering different things each, I think I can give a fairly good representation of what they have to offer: the Mediterranean chicken was the only thing that got an unreserved thumbs up and the only thing that kind of came with a side (served on a bed of couscous), then there was a grilled portobello and tofu that was flavorless and watery, a very undercooked and flavorless tuna steak that was unfortunately a little gamey as well, a ceaser salad with what appeared to be Italian dressing (what on earth?), a "steak on steak" (beefsteak tomatoes on filet with mozzarella and a drizzle of balsamic) ordered medium rare and arriving on the more done side of medium well, and an altered Cobb salad that arrived incorrect but they fixed.

To top off the insult of bland food, as the girl who ordered the tofu and I were getting down to the last bits of ours (or, in my case, the last bit I could choke down), we saw a waitress going around with a pepper grinder that ours had never offered.  No salt or pepper on the table and no offer of the pepper grinder.

Now irritated, we had to wait for her to come back to flag for our checks and wait another several minutes for her to come back and (we had our cards ready so we could just leave by now) take the cards.  Wish we'd looked a little more carefully at the bills before we paid because we were overcharged $6 for a bottle of wine.

Long story short?  Bland food, bad service, outrageous prices, and terrible location.  Go elsewhere.

Bricks and Barrels
1214 Smith Street
Charleston, WV

Su-Tei (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          * * * * *
Flavor                           * * * * *
Uniqueness                   * * * * *
Price                             $$ ($20 per person)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * * -  (only for being out of downtown)

Su-Tei is located in the Kanawha City part of Charleston, about five minutes outside of downtown.  The building used to be a Blockbuster and WOW has it changed!  If you peak inside from the parking lot you might actually wonder where you've gotten off to.  There's a lit fountain in the center with bamboo and a samurai suit, curved white leather booths, and a general air of a very nice classy restaurant.

Despite the looks, they aren't pretentious and no one gives you a look if you come in with jeans and a t-shirt.  It's a great place to dress up for, but you definitely don't have to.

The menu is eclectic Asian fusion and very very well done.  No place I've ever been, in Charleston or out, has ever prepared duck so finely.  The skin is perfectly crisp, the fat melted away, and the flesh underneath tender and juicy...The sushi menu has several options unique to their location, my favorite of which is the Kimono Roll, and all are fresh and delicious.  Easily the best sushi place in town currently both for price and flavor.

For drinks they have both traditional options (wine, beer, and traditional mixed) and an excellent selection created by their own bartender.  Each of the new drinks I've tried has been a delight to the taste buds, but I have to say I've got a soft spot for the ginger drinks as they infuse their own vodka on site.

Perfect night's menu?  Thom Kha Shrimp (soup), house salad, Kimono Roll, Fried Dumplings, and Spicy Duck.  Stuffed to the gills, but it's all so good!

Don't forget to ask for waiter Ben.  He knows the menu inside out and can make some great recommendations as well as providing top notch service.

Su-Tei (website has volume)

5711 Maccorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV
Monday-Thursday 11a-830p, Friday 11-1030, Saturday 12-1030, Sunday 12-930

Charleston Bread

Overall                          * * * - -
Flavor                           * * * * -
Uniqueness                   * * * - -
Price                             $ (A loaf of bread runs around $6)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * * -

Located on Capitol Street, less than a block from Capitol Market, Charleston Bread Company is the only place in Charleston to get a loaf of freshly baked bread.  Thankfully, they haven't let the lack of competition go to their head and their prices are still more or less what I'd expect to pay for fresh baked loaves (not the type you get at a grocery store)

Offerings change daily, from a plain white to Charleston Sourdough (which, in my sourdough-loving opinion, is not very sour at all) and even challah.  They also keep a small selection of pastries: brownies, cookies, danishes, and muffins (I'm particularly fond of The Kitchen sink, a carrot cake based muffin with extra nuts and berries in it)

They even have their own parking!  That's right, you don't have to pay to park for something located on Capitol Street.

So why the low review?

Three reasons, really.  First, there's not a huge amount of "Wow,  I've never seen that before!"  Second, the only drinks they have are bottles of water (no coffee or tea or even juice).  And third, and most crucially to my lunch-break-visiting self, there is no place to sit inside or even out on the sidewalk.  Take thy muffin and go.

Word of wisdom: They're open Tuesday-Saturday and Wednesday-Saturday they have a second-day section where things are much lower priced.  You may not be able to get your first choice item, but you'll pay a lot less for what you do get.

Charleston Bread
601 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV

Celsius (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          * * * * -
Flavor                           * * * * *
Uniqueness                   * * * * *
Price                             $$ ($20 per person or more with two drinks)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * * -

This little gem managed to sneak under my radar for longer than I would have thought possible.  Located in the old Vandalia Grille between Hale and Dickinson, it's a place that you hardly ever walk by and don't much look at when you're driving by.

But once you know it's there...

There are (literally) two sides to the building.  The Dickinson Street side is more of a bar set up: tables, the bar itself, and a louder atmosphere.  The Hale Street side (which you aren't likely to see unless you came in on that side) has loveseats, sofas, cushions, and coffee tables.  Both have their benefits, but it kind of depends on what you came for and it's good to know they're both there.  I like the couches better, myself, but I'm a lounger.

The food menu is small and full of small things.  While they don't call themselves a tapas bar, it really is a tapas menu, perfect to order a few things for a full table and split amongst yourselves.  Nothing on the menu could remotely be described as an entree.  My personal favorite is the truffle fries with garlic aoili (you can't taste the truffle too much, but the fries are top notch and the garlic "aoili"-that's mayonnaise, in case you didn't know- is a great offset) and the gyro flatbread.

Most exciting is the drinks menu.  Charleston is getting more diverse, but we still aren't the biggest place for fancy/diverse drinks and talented bartending.  The only other place in Charleston that holds a candle to Celsius in this regard is Su-Tei and I go to them for different things.

Here we have a huge selection of Mules (Moscow, Kyoto, and Celsius among others), wines, beers, and a variety of blended drinks that can make your head spin while you try to decide why to get.  After a few visits, I have to say the best two I've had yet are the Kyoto Mule and Apple Pie (bourbon, apple cider vinegar of all things, and spices)

Parking is a little easier here than a lot of places downtown because it isn't competing with anything else, but it's still hard to find parking in the late evening.  Just keep circling until you find a good spot (sorry, but that's all there is to it!)

Word to the wise: For faster service and hotter food, try going right after work.  I've had great luck around 530 on Fridays, but I've heard bad things from people trying to get in around 7 or 8.  Stands to reason they'll get busier as the night goes on.

Celsius
212 Hale Street, Charleston, WV
Monday-Thursday 4p-12a, Friday 4p-2a, Saturday 5p-2a

Black Sheep/Charleston Brewery (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          * * * * -
Flavor                           * * * - -
Uniqueness                   * * * * -
Price                             $ ($10 per person, without alcohol)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * * -



Located right in the heart of downtown, the only thing inconvenient about Black Sheep are the hours.  A place that sells their own beer, but closes by 11?  Rough.

The food here isn't really the biggest draw.  It isn't bad at all, but it's just slightly morphed Mexican (they have a few odd flavors of tacos.  Flights are available, which are cheaper than buying a few individually provided that you don't get fish or duck or half a dozen other options that make the flight cost more) that also serves sandwiches. Be careful of the gluten free tacos (the corn option) as they tend to be more crumbly and fall apart.

Here, my friend, you have come for the drinks.

Black Sheep bought this property from a pub that left behind their brewery and it is a pretty fine brewery.  There are usually 6-8 beers on tap and they rotate periodically.  The upside being that if you didn't like last week's menu you might like this week's.  The downside being that if you liked this week you may not like next week.  In general, I've always been able to find at least one beer that I liked well enough to drink and at $6 a pint, it isn't hard to deal with.  Recently they held a mid-week special to "bust a cask" of Milk Stout that was absolutely amazing right up until they put it on the carbonator, so keep an eye on their Facebook page if you're in the area.

If you're not up for the house brews (shame on you), they also carry some run of the mill canned and bottled beers and some Kentucky brews.  We're starting to see a lot of Country Boy locally.

If beer isn't your speed, don't despair.  Black Sheep also has a very sizable liquor menu, some of which is rather creative.  The margaritas are my favorite and run $5 for a small and $7 for a large: prices you won't see just about anywhere else in Charleston.  There's also a moderate wine selection.

Come after 6 to park wherever you can find a spot downtown, but make sure not to park in the adjoining parking building if you think you'll be late.  THEY WILL LOCK YOUR CAR IN.  I'm not kidding.  Street parking, as difficult as it can be to find, is your best bet.

Volume levels can get loud inside due to the open floor plan.  If you want quiet, ask for the area away from the bar or the outside seating if it's warm enough.  If there's live music, (usually Saturdays), you might as well go somewhere else because the sound will shake the whole building.

Best server I've had here is Mike.  Any time I go in the evenings I keep an eye out for him and I'll recommend you do the same.

Be forewarned: if you order the chips and queso and you run out of queso (which you will, because there is a tiny little bowl of queso for a HUGE plate of chips) they will charge you for a whole new order of chips and queso if you ask for more.

Word to the wise: they offer three free samples of the beer per table before they charge you for a flight.  Just make sure you're VERY explicit in saying that you want a sample of the beer, not a whole glass.

Black Sheep and Charleston Brewery
702 Quarrier Street, Charleston, WV
Sunday-Wednesday 11-10, Thursday-Saturday 11-11

Lola's (Charleston, WV)

Overall                          * * * * -
Flavor                           * * * * *
Uniqueness                   * * * * *
Price                             $$ ($20 per person)
Comfort/Convenience  * * * - -

Lola's is a cute little house up in the Bridge Road area of Charleston, a little past the rest of the shops (so don't think you've missed it when your GPS takes you on around)  Set a little back from the road with a gravel and paving stone patio and a small front porch, it almost looks like you're walking into someone's house.

 Four out of the five times I've been here I haven't even gotten to open the front door.  Someone is usually waiting on the other side with half an eye on the porch and opens it for you with a smile and a "Welcome to Lola's."  The main area is a very small bar (about 5 seats) and there are three other seating areas and the patio for maybe a total of 12 tables.  This place is not large!

Local artwork adorns the wall, mostly for sale, and each of the rooms is slightly different.  Make sure to mention to your server if you're a little too hot or cold: each room is differently temperature controlled and sometimes it can be hard for them to tell what's best for you.

So now that you have a seat, what's up?  Well, you'll find a menu already on the table with their beer and wine selection.  Lola's is known for their sangria (which I personally find on the dry side, but I'm not a red wine drinker) and they have about 8 other wines to choose from.  Their beer selection is much heftier, somewhere around 30 varieties.  There is no liquor here.

After you've chosen your drinks, take a minute to look over the salads and appetizers.  Salads are a little pricey for the size, but the appetizers are worth a look.  Their lemon hummus is delicious and served with bread made at the Charleston Bakery (review forthcoming).  The hummus is enough for two for a appetizer or a decent meal for the vegan in your group.

The pizza selection is really what you came for, though, right?  There's a good variety and all of it tasty.  The goat cheese and artichoke has remained my favorite through all my visits (crisp crust, crumbled goat cheese, kalamata olives, artichokes, and garlic) but there are also some selections for your meat lovers (My husband's favorite: Ham and Pineapple) and the less adventurous folk can always ask for just cheese and sauce (but why would you!?)  The crusts here run on the slightly thin side, but a good balance to the amount of topping they put on and a nice bubble at the edges.  No need to toss your crusts here!  A small is enough for one person and probably leftovers (unless you're really hungry) and if you go with friends everyone can choose one and share to get a taste of everything.

Finally, save room for dessert.  The creme brulee is amazing, very creamy and perfectly browned on top.  There's a slight hint of coconut flavor to it, but as the menu mentions nothing about coconut I'm not entirely sure why (just sure that I love it!)

Parking is available, but inconvenient for most cars.  The spaces are awkwardly placed and shaped so you have to do a little maneuvering to get into and out of them and you always run the risk of getting squished into your space by someone who parked too close to you (I have yet to be dinged, but I can see how it would happen)

A word to the wise: Lola's is a very popular restaurant and very difficult to get into most evenings.  If you're not willing to wait, then you'd best go early.  They're open Tuesday-Sunday 4-10 and they tend to start getting busy no later than 6.

Lola's
1038 Bridge Rd, Charleston, West Virginia
Open Tuesday-Sunday 4-10