Overall * * * * *
Flavor * * * * *
Uniqueness * * * * *
Price $ ($10 or less per person depending on what you get)
Comfort/Convenience * * * * -
For at least three years I saw signs for the Chocolate Festival too late to go (shift work, what a pain!) So when I finally got the chance to go, I was ready to take it Seriously. I booked my tickets online in advance (I highly recommend this: they do run out and you'll be one of the people standing at town hall begging for tickets), planned the most efficient route between venues, and worked out when to get there.
What I didn't work out that first year was that they run out of samples. If you're going with any specific dessert in mind at all, make sure to come right when they start handing out samples at 11am on Saturday.
So here's what you're looking at: about 20-30 venues (shops, art galleries, restaurants, and The General Lee) each offering one or two little tastings of something chocolate for the price of a ticket that you buy in advance. 1 ticket=1 dollar, so not a bad cost comparison at all.
Some of the desserts I've seen the two times I've been: chocolate martinis, chocolate mousse cake with a chocolate covered strawberry, top your own chocolate mousse, ice cream, chocolate salsa, truffles from three different places, chocolate face painting, and chocolate cups with moscato. It's not just for kids by a long shot!
The stores you get the samples from are great to wander through, too, so take the time to roam after you've had your fill (and you will get there, believe it or not)
Live music, musicians, and exhibits are also on offer, and usually some movies as well. Check out the pamphlet they hand you with your tickets to find out what's going on and who has what. (While the website tells you about who has tastes of what in advance, it isn't always right. Going with what's on your pamphlet is more accurate!)
Parking all over town is free, though the earlier you get there, the easier it is to find close to downtown. A map is handily provided on the Chocolate Festival website to help you find your way (Also shows the bathrooms!)
For those of us coming from the "Big City", keep in mind that Charleston is about two hours away. Get out of town about 9am to get to Lewisburg by 11 and know that you'll hit traffic as soon as you hit town.
Word to the wise: If you want to stay the night so you don't have to drive down, book early! It's hard to get a room close to the date. (Though sites like AirBnB tend to have better luck)
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Plated (Online meal ordering service)
Overall - - - - -
Flavor * - - - -
Uniqueness * - - - -
Price $$ ($12 per plate, no shipping charge Coupons available for first order)
Comfort/Convenience * * * - -
Our box:
Nicely packaged, really fresh, very well labelled. Not in the shot are the recipe cards, which are full 8x11 size with illustrations and all.
Plated meal one: Chicken Paillard with Roasted Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus and Smashed Potatoes Translation: flattened chicken breast pan-seared with lemon zest, salt, and pepper, oven-roasted asparagus with Parmesan, and mashed potatoes with chives.
Looks pretty tasty, yeah? It was. Recipe was easy to follow, though I made some minor changes based on my cooking knowledge (aka, when you're making chicken like this in a non-stick skillet, if you use a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter it will be DRENCHED in fat and not the tastiest thing. Also it won't brown.) and took roughly the same amount of time the card said it would. All the ingredients were fresh and up to snuff.
Plated meal two: Trout Teriyaki with Salad and Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Plating skills were definitely on point here. This is one attractive dish (please ignore messy table). Unfortunately I loathe trout, so the fish was a no-go (my husband said it was pretty good) and the salad dressing had sesame seed oil which is another huge turn off for me (if you've never had it, I highly recommend you try it out somewhere that you can return the dish. It's a VERY strong flavor and not everyone likes it). I managed to power through about five bites of the salad before I had to give up and fix myself a microwave dinner. Again, everything was very fresh, it was just me.
This time.
Last Plated meal: Spaghetti with Meatballs, Pesto, and Greens.
This one wasn't a matter of taste, it was just bad. Doesn't even look as good as the others, does it?
It took a lot longer to get ready than it said (almost an hour and a half instead of half an hour), requiring quite a bit of prep work for the greens and meatballs and then the meatballs ended up needing far more than the time on the card said (even after I made them smaller than it said to) The pasta was a solid lump of starch (it was coated in either flour or semolina to help form up the sauce, but it ended up just continuing to congeal as you cooked and then as it cooled) The "sauce" was flavorless (pretty talented, that, considering two cloves of garlic and all that lemon zest), EXCEPT the dandelion greens that were like eating lemon rinds. Apparently no one ever explained to their fancy chefs that you're meant to eat young dandelion greens, not the ancient bolted ones.
Eat like this
Not this
So. The verdict?
We only paid for two plates worth of the 6 (3 meals, 2 plates per meal), thankfully. That's all I considered worth paying for and I'm not really sure I'd pay $12 for pounded chicken breast with mashed potatoes and a piling heap of asparagus. It was convenient having everything laid out and ready to go and portioned so you just stuck it in as you were ready for it, but to me the convenience doesn't outweigh the price and the fact that I really only liked 1 dish. My husband liked 1, tolerated 1, and also hated the pasta (he actually finished his), but a 3 out of 6 just isn't a high enough average to justify $72 a week.
Flavor * - - - -
Uniqueness * - - - -
Price $$ ($12 per plate, no shipping charge Coupons available for first order)
Comfort/Convenience * * * - -
Our box:
Plated meal one: Chicken Paillard with Roasted Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus and Smashed Potatoes Translation: flattened chicken breast pan-seared with lemon zest, salt, and pepper, oven-roasted asparagus with Parmesan, and mashed potatoes with chives.
Looks pretty tasty, yeah? It was. Recipe was easy to follow, though I made some minor changes based on my cooking knowledge (aka, when you're making chicken like this in a non-stick skillet, if you use a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter it will be DRENCHED in fat and not the tastiest thing. Also it won't brown.) and took roughly the same amount of time the card said it would. All the ingredients were fresh and up to snuff.
Plated meal two: Trout Teriyaki with Salad and Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Plating skills were definitely on point here. This is one attractive dish (please ignore messy table). Unfortunately I loathe trout, so the fish was a no-go (my husband said it was pretty good) and the salad dressing had sesame seed oil which is another huge turn off for me (if you've never had it, I highly recommend you try it out somewhere that you can return the dish. It's a VERY strong flavor and not everyone likes it). I managed to power through about five bites of the salad before I had to give up and fix myself a microwave dinner. Again, everything was very fresh, it was just me.
This time.
Last Plated meal: Spaghetti with Meatballs, Pesto, and Greens.
This one wasn't a matter of taste, it was just bad. Doesn't even look as good as the others, does it?
It took a lot longer to get ready than it said (almost an hour and a half instead of half an hour), requiring quite a bit of prep work for the greens and meatballs and then the meatballs ended up needing far more than the time on the card said (even after I made them smaller than it said to) The pasta was a solid lump of starch (it was coated in either flour or semolina to help form up the sauce, but it ended up just continuing to congeal as you cooked and then as it cooled) The "sauce" was flavorless (pretty talented, that, considering two cloves of garlic and all that lemon zest), EXCEPT the dandelion greens that were like eating lemon rinds. Apparently no one ever explained to their fancy chefs that you're meant to eat young dandelion greens, not the ancient bolted ones.
Eat like this
Not this
So. The verdict?
We only paid for two plates worth of the 6 (3 meals, 2 plates per meal), thankfully. That's all I considered worth paying for and I'm not really sure I'd pay $12 for pounded chicken breast with mashed potatoes and a piling heap of asparagus. It was convenient having everything laid out and ready to go and portioned so you just stuck it in as you were ready for it, but to me the convenience doesn't outweigh the price and the fact that I really only liked 1 dish. My husband liked 1, tolerated 1, and also hated the pasta (he actually finished his), but a 3 out of 6 just isn't a high enough average to justify $72 a week.
Friday, May 1, 2015
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
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
New World Olive Oil (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Overall * * * * *
Flavor * * * * *
Uniqueness * * * * *
Price $ (Free as an attraction, but about $10 for a decent sized bottle of oil)
Comfort/Convenience * * * * -
First out of town review and you're looking at something for olive oil and probably thinking I'm out of my mind. But, I assure you, this is indeed a food mecca. If you're traveling through the area or stopped in Charlotte for the night, you need to make a stop over at New World.
NWOO is a little shop located along a tiny little strip of shops in a nice, upper class neighborhood of Charlotte. You might, from the street, think it's a candle store (I did) because it just sort of has that vibe with the rustic decor and the artfully arranged glass bottles.
But if you turn away, you'll be missing out on a great experience and a great product. Right in the door you can expect to be greeted warmly by the shop owner or one of his assistants. They'll show you their tasting table (a bar height table with all their flavors of oils and vinegars and breads to dip them in) and walk you through trying them. All of them. And combinations of them. And the dips and sauces they have to. Did you already eat? I hope not, because this is a fairly sizable snack event. (If he served a glass of wine, my day would be complete)
Selections include everything from "plain" olive oil (of which there are no less than 3 varieties) to infused (lemon, lime, garlic, rosemary, basil, etc) to balsamics both "plain" and fancy and occasionally a rice wine vinegar. Some of the selections are seasonal (I visited one spring and got a strawberry balsamic I adored that wasn't there the next time I went) so keep in mind when purchasing anything you really truly love.
Three different sizes of each of the olive oil bottles are available: a tiny bottle (perfect for samples or gifts), a medium kind of every day use bottle, and a real whopper "I'm afraid I'll run out" size. He also ships if you call and they have a website, but it doesn't work particularly well. You're really best off just calling.
In the back there are also a few sundries to try like the caramelized garlic (I have standing orders from my mother and husband to pick these up whenever in the area), apple horseradish sauce, blue cheese sauce, and flavored salts. Almost everything you can try and everything is so good!
Word to the wise: Stop in with no less than an hour to spend. Between sampling and deciding what you want, it will take time!
New World Olive Oil
2904 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, NC
704-375-8433
Flavor * * * * *
Uniqueness * * * * *
Price $ (Free as an attraction, but about $10 for a decent sized bottle of oil)
Comfort/Convenience * * * * -
First out of town review and you're looking at something for olive oil and probably thinking I'm out of my mind. But, I assure you, this is indeed a food mecca. If you're traveling through the area or stopped in Charlotte for the night, you need to make a stop over at New World.
NWOO is a little shop located along a tiny little strip of shops in a nice, upper class neighborhood of Charlotte. You might, from the street, think it's a candle store (I did) because it just sort of has that vibe with the rustic decor and the artfully arranged glass bottles.
But if you turn away, you'll be missing out on a great experience and a great product. Right in the door you can expect to be greeted warmly by the shop owner or one of his assistants. They'll show you their tasting table (a bar height table with all their flavors of oils and vinegars and breads to dip them in) and walk you through trying them. All of them. And combinations of them. And the dips and sauces they have to. Did you already eat? I hope not, because this is a fairly sizable snack event. (If he served a glass of wine, my day would be complete)
Selections include everything from "plain" olive oil (of which there are no less than 3 varieties) to infused (lemon, lime, garlic, rosemary, basil, etc) to balsamics both "plain" and fancy and occasionally a rice wine vinegar. Some of the selections are seasonal (I visited one spring and got a strawberry balsamic I adored that wasn't there the next time I went) so keep in mind when purchasing anything you really truly love.
Three different sizes of each of the olive oil bottles are available: a tiny bottle (perfect for samples or gifts), a medium kind of every day use bottle, and a real whopper "I'm afraid I'll run out" size. He also ships if you call and they have a website, but it doesn't work particularly well. You're really best off just calling.
In the back there are also a few sundries to try like the caramelized garlic (I have standing orders from my mother and husband to pick these up whenever in the area), apple horseradish sauce, blue cheese sauce, and flavored salts. Almost everything you can try and everything is so good!
Word to the wise: Stop in with no less than an hour to spend. Between sampling and deciding what you want, it will take time!
New World Olive Oil
2904 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, NC
704-375-8433
Sunday, April 26, 2015
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
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
Saturday, April 25, 2015
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
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
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
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