Last week we talked about local restaurant closings and changes, some of which were sad to many. This week IƵll bring you back up again with a roundup of big bakery, restaurant and bar accolades. And the winners are Ƶ
ƵWe are incredibly honored to win the number one spot in the United States,Ƶ said Ariel Barcenas, who owns , along with husband Shawn Schulenberg. ƵBut it definitely took us by surprise, because we had no idea how it happened or who nominated us.Ƶ
Surprise quickly turned to excitement for his staff and the city.
ƵOur team works so hard and the response weƵve received from the public has been nothing short of amazing,Ƶ Barcenas added. ƵWeƵve seen a significant increase in new faces at the bakery Ƶ all eager to try our products Ƶ along with an abundance of beautiful messages both online and in person. Honestly, the best part of it all has been witnessing the pride this has brought to our community.Ƶ
Inspired by flavors and traditions he enjoyed in his grandmotherƵs kitchen back in Panama Ƶ and has since blended with other cultures around the globe Ƶ Barcenas said the premise of NomadaƵs success is simple. They use high-quality, organic, fresh ingredients to make delicious food from scratch daily, paying careful attention to detail every step of the way.
This is an undated contributed photo of chocolate baby cake at Nomada Bakery in Huntington.
Courtesy photo
If you order those goodies to enjoy in the bakeryƵs intimate café inside the cityƵs old railroad depot, theyƵll be served using antique ceramic plates and cups.
Those treats might include fresh-baked almond, chocolate and pistachio croissants; lemon curd, berry and chocolate cookies and tarts; rich brownies or delicate alfajores, which are South American cornstarch shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche cream (sometimes flavored) that somewhat resemble French macaroons.
And, of course, there are the famous cakes that won Nomada that top national ranking, which come in small and large sizes Ƶ and in many chocolatey, nutty and fruity combinations.
Also on the menu are savory empanadas stuffed with chicken curry, Argentinian-style ground beef, Mexican street corn, lentils, spinach and ricotta, ham and cheese, or egg whites with honey bacon and cheddar, plus sweet versions filled with caramelized pineapple or oozing with guava and cream cheese.
Sandwiches include a gorgeous smoked salmon on a brioche bun with thinly sliced radishes, arugula, whipped cream cheese, wasabi aioli and avocado relish, plus a very popular Waldorf chicken salad option featuring spring mix topped with almonds on a homemade laminated brioche roll.
Even though Nomada is a small place, I can tell you itƵs worth every bit of this big hype. IƵve popped in for coffee (locally roasted Panamanian and Brazilian blends), sweet treats (chocolate croissants and carrot cake) and lunch (Waldorf chicken salad sandwich and silky coconut curry miso soup) and have enjoyed an excellent, exquisite experience every time.
Whether you live in the Huntington area or have to take a little road trip to get there, how could you not visit the countryƵs top-rated cake shop Ƶ right here in the Mountain State?
Four W.Va. restaurants honored by Wine Spectator
Speaking of major awards, four West Virginia restaurants have been honored by Wine Spectator for curating outstanding wine lists paired with equally top-notch food.
Repeat "Award of Excellence" winners are:
, Huntington
, Clarksburg
, Shepherdstown
at Hollywood Casino in Charles Town once again won the prestigious ƵBest of Award of ExcellenceƵ designation, the second-highest honor the national magazine bestows.
Although I still have never visited Wonder Bar, I can vouch that the other three locations are primo when it comes to vino.
This is an undated contributed photo of The Farm Bar & Grill, 5769 Kellys Creek Road, outside of Charleston near Sissonville.
Courtesy photo
17th best U.S. sports bar is on a Ƶ W.Va. farm?
This is one of those Ƶbest in the countryƵ lists you have to take with a grain of salt, but itƵs still pretty interesting, nonetheless.
Sportsbook BetUS recently released its ranking of the ƵTop 20 Sports Bars in the U.S.Ƶ and coming in at No. 17 is none other than in Charleston.
"The what bar?" I thought.
A quick Google search found that this spot out past Sissonville is a rustic sports bar featuring food, drinks and indoor/outdoor entertainment from time to time Ƶ along with cabin rentals and electric hookups for campers.
With the sports bar market expected to reach $34 billion by 2030, BetUS analyzed the top bars in each state and ranked them based on their Google review scores, alongside their prices for a beer and a burger. With a 4.3 Google review score, $3 draft beers and burgers starting at less than $9, The Farm Bar & Grill broke into the top 20.
This is an undated contributed photo of the bar at The Farm Bar & Grill, 5769 Kellys Creek Road, outside of Charleston near Sissonville.
Courtesy photo
ƵThe Farm Bar & Grill stood out for its welcoming staff, strong community support, and of course having affordable game day food staples,Ƶ said Andres Vargas, head content editor at BetUS.
ItƵs over an hour round-trip from Charleston to head out to The Farm, but it sounds like I just need to bite the bullet and go.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as ƵThe Food Guy.Ƶ Reach him at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
