Charleston Edition: Graziano's Pizza

When I was feeling a little anxious and displaced about moving to a new town, my dad told me to do two things: Find somewhere to get a beer and find a good pizza place. Then you'll start to feel at home. I recently found the latter.

Yes, there is Lola's and Pies and Pints, but for a regular pie, I hadn't found my go-to. That is, until I wandered upon Graziano's. I had an interview in the evening at Taylor Books not too long ago, and as I was heading back to my car, I felt my tummy rumble. I looked around and realized I should've grabbed something from Taylor's, but right next to my car was this pizza joint that I hadn't tried yet.

 

After walking in completely dumbstruck - usually I try to research a new restaurant a LITTLE before trying it - I stared at the menu for a solid 10 minutes. They have some items prepped and on the counter, but you can also order. I got awkwardly flustered by the options and instead ordered a small pizza. With mushrooms.

I sat at a table and made small talk with a woman working. She had been there for quite some time and was folding pizza boxes. I was listening to some of her tales when a man from behind the counter handed me a box and told me to make sure I keep it level.

Also to note here - the folks working called me "hun." And I generally hate this because 1 - it's condescending or 2 - it's obnoxious. A small portion of people can pull of the 3rd option where it's this sweet, homey feel. These folks made me feel right at home. And that's something I'm desperately searching for in Charleston - this sense of belonging. But back to the main story here...

This is the best regular pizza I've had in Charleston, and I couldn't be more thrilled! The dough is not so thin that it rips and tears but not so thick that it overwhelms the flavor. It's thin, but not paper thin. I like it to be thin enough to act as a vehicle for the rest of the ingredients without falling victim to grease, sog or deconstruction.

The sauce has that very slight tang to it, rather than being watered down, and enough cheese to properly coat the top without masking the flavor. To top it off? A nice helping of salty shrooms. If you've read my blog, you know this is my preferred pie.

And in Charleston, this is my preferred pizza joint.

I've even had it delivered once already, for only a $1.50 charge (+ tip, of course), and it's just as delicious.

And and, it's nowhere near the grease levels for half the stuff Morgantown produces. Nuh-uh.

Grade: A

Charleston Edition: Sistah's Rib Shack

How could you not be interested in a place called "Sistah's"? A friend and I went over the West Side (gasp!) to check out the Queen of Ribs' place. Upon arrival, I realized there really isn't a dining area inside. They do, however, have a couple of like - wooden spools? - outside to dine at.

So, we placed our order for a rib dinner, complete with two sides. I opted for macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. You gotta order at least $10 worth to use a credit card; luckily, my total came to $10.60

They told us to come back in a half hour or so to pick up our food. A half hour goes by, and we come back. They tell us they had an issue with their smoker, so it'd be another 20 minutes. We waited this long, we figured, so we might as well stay. Another 20 minutes goes by, and they tell us it'll be another 20. Again, we figured, we already paid so we might as well stay.

Repeat this scenario for three hours. Three hours total, that is. We asked at least for our sides around hour two, and they gave them to us. They were delicious. The macaroni and cheese was homemade and slightly sweet. The potatoes, creamy and doused with brown gravy. Delicious. The cornbread was also the perfect consistency between crumbley and moist. If the ribs were this good, it would've been worth the wait.

But by the time three hours went by, I was just unhappy. I tasted the ribs once I got home, and I was just completely let down. I know they had a problem with their smoker, so that may be the culprit. But they were fatty, and it didn't look like they were cooked through. That worried me, so instead of risking it, I ended up throwing away most of my dinner.

I feel like if their smoker was working correctly that this may be a completely different review. But, I just can't get over that wait and then being let-down by the taste. I waited forever, then was still hungry. And while I really enjoyed the Queen's personality - she was super sweet - if you REALLY want your customer to give this place another try, you comp their meal.

Grade: C

Charleston Edition: Wellington's Cafe and Catering

I had to head out on Greenbrier Street for a story I was covering, and of course, things have a funny way of working out right around lunch time so I had to forgo my previous lunch options for breaking news.

While I was covering the story, we had a break, so a few other reporters and I walked to the nearby Wellington's Cafe. It was packed full inside, so we just opted for some take-out.

The menu is pretty basic with items like hotdogs, grilled cheese sandwich, chicken strips, etc. The easiest and quickest option seemed to be the chicken strips - and also the first thing I saw - so that was my selection. I waited 20 minutes or so then went back inside for my order.

For less than $10, I got some chicken strips, fries and a side of cole slaw. It was tasty, as far as fried food goes. It wasn't homemade - most likely frozen - but that doesn't mean it was bad. It tasted fine, though the quality of the chicken could have been slightly better. I had some chewy, cartilage-y pieces. But I also could've chosen an item that required some tender love and care from the chef.

Alas, time was of the essence, and it was convenient. My whole meal, including a drink, came to under $10, so it's not a bad deal. Next time, though, I'll try their chicken salad or a burger.


Grade: B

Charleston Edition: Slyce Pizza Company

One huge difference between Morgantown and Charleston is the lack of a college presence. While that is sometimes a good thing, it also means restaurants aren't open as late to cater to that crowd. Charleston does have one lone restaurant that will cure those late-night munchies. Slyce is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and then 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. for late-night.

After a night of drinking, adventures took my friend and me to Slyce. They have your typical pizza joint fare - salads, pies, calzones, wings, and subs. Instead of a typical pepperoni pizza, we opted for a Philly steak pizza: steak smothered in red onions, green peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella and provolone.

There was a ton of red onions and green peppers, which aren't really my favorite - but that's not their fault. Just pretty heavy-handed on those toppings. Was it the best pizza I have ever had? No. Was it the best pizza I could have that night? Yes. High marks for offering pizza late at night and for a not bad pie. Next time I'll opt for something a little less heavy on the onions/peppers.

Philly Steak Pizza

Grade: B

Charleston Edition: Sweet Spoon

Located on the same stretch with Main Kwong and Umami, Sweet Spoon is the newest addition to that block trio. In fact, the owner of Main Kwong, Carina Kwok, opened the the self-serve frozen yogurt bar.

In typical froyo fashion, folks can grab a cup of their choosing and fill it with any combination of yogurt and toppings they desire. I believe Sweet Spoon has about 12 different flavors, and toppings include candy, nuts, syrups, fruits, chocolate, coconut - anything you can thing of. And you place it on the scale and pay for it by weight.

I reiterated that I think the froyo should sell portioned cups so I can have one side that's fruity and one that is chocolately. I consistently try to mix them, and it never works out well. This time I just went for the chocolately side.

The options were good - I've seen more, I've seen less. It could use a little more tidying. The toppings bar always gets messy when people are constantly helping themselves. And the yogurt itself tasted pretty good, and the toppings weren't stale. That's a plus. They are quite prone to that when sitting out all day.

Apparently they also have coffee and they plan to provide five iPads for customers to use while sitting at the shop's wi-fi bar.

I'm not sure there are many other options for ice cream in the area, so give it a go.

Grade: B

Charleston Edition: Sam's Uptown Cafe

In more great adventures of lunchtime discovery, I found Sam's Uptown Cafe. A few of my coworkers had mentioned this place, and it is only a couple blocks away from the newspaper office on Capitol Street.

Sam's is more of a bar, but they also have some pretty decent lunch specials. They serve food from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Their menu also says that they do lunchtime delivery for no extra cost within a five-block radius. I may have to look into that ...

I called in my order (304-346-6222) for a Samburger - a fresh ground beef patty with some sausage. It's cooked medium well, and I got all the fixins - lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mayo, mustard, ketchup. And a .50 cent piece of cheddar cheese. It came with chips. By the time I got back to the office, it was starting to get a little soggy - from the millions of condiments I chose - but it was a soggy, tasty, burger.

The burger was flavorful and well-seasoned, especially for what I was expecting from a bar. It was GIGANTIC. Gigantic. I couldn't even finish it. And I made a pretty valiant effort, and I definitely felt it for the rest of the workday. But if you're looking for a pretty good, basic burger that's enough to feed a family, check it out.

Grade: B

Charleston Edition: Pho Vinh Long

I can't rattle off too many Vietnamese restaurants in West Virginia, so I'm grateful to have such a unique, gem of a restaurant in Charleston. Pho Vinh Long located in South Charleston and there's a good bit of parking, so that's always a plus.

My friend and I went for lunch, and there was only one other couple inside. Looking over the menu, we really weren't sure what to get. The woman waiting on us pointed out a few popular dishes, and I settled on the beef pho - a classic. It's pronounced "fuh."

I also got an appetizer of little meat wontons - fried golden brown and served with a side of a sweet sauce. Tasty. Fried to perfection, crispy and I took a healthy helping of sauce with each bite.

The Pho is nice for a chilly day. One big pot of steaming hot broth that cooks your beef, paired with noodles and onions is just what the doctor ordered. I think you have to be in the mood to have a soup for dinner. And one thing that threw me off was I kept anticipating soft noodles and getting mouthfuls of onion. Blech. Less onion would be better. I'd rather have it for flavor and not a main component of the meal. But it was still overall pretty good. And it's a great option for something different right in town.

Grade: B

Charleston Edition: Taste of Asia

Since moving to Charleston, I am on a mission to find he best sushi in town. I miss Morgantown's options, but it gives me an excuse to try all the sushi restaurants here.

Taste of Asia is located in South Charleston, and when I first came to town, I was staying in a place in South Charleston. This was actually the first restaurant I visited on my own. So maybe it has a special place in my heart. It also has other locations in Huntington and Teays Valley.

This was technically my second visit, but it was the first time I sat inside. The inside isn't huge, but I kind of like that it's a little bit more cozy. We were sitting next to the sushi bar, and I was keeping a close eye on what the chef was producing - and everything look fantastic.

Taste of Asia has Chinese, Japanese and Thai food. I wanted all three. But what I was feeling this evening was some crab rangoons, chicken udon and a shrimp tempura roll.

The crab rangoons were very creamy on the inside - which I'm really growing to love - but the outside was just too oily for me. I felt like I was eating a little grease pocket. I really wanted the cheese to be the prominent flavor, but I tried to dab the oil off. Didn't work out so well.

The sushi was of good quality. The blend of flavors were top notch. The taste of the crisp tempura on the shrimp, fresh veggies and a sweet, tangy sauce was hitting all the right spots.

By the time I finished my appetizer and the sushi, I was pretty full. On this day, my eyes were much bigger than my stomach, though, because I still had my udon coming out.

I've only had udon on one or two occasions, because I'm generally not a fan of soups. However, this is more of a noodle dish than a soup. And I like that.

Once the giant pot came out, I knew I was in trouble. I took a few bites before asking them to box it up - or container it up. It was my lunch for the next day, and it was SO GOOD. Oh my god. Is all udon like this? Have I been missing out my entire life? The thick noodles taste like they're homemade, and they come in this broth with veggies and topped with a ton of chicken. It blew my mind.

If you're worried about a soup dish filling you up, don't. This is a noodle dish. With soup. And it tastes like heaven. A beautiful slice of Asian heaven. Maybe an Americanized Asian food heaven, but whatever it is, it makes my tastebuds sing.

Grade: A

Charleston Edition: Quarrier Diner

When I was first getting settled in Charleston,  I was hearing about how unfortunate it was that the Quarrier Diner was closing. Located on Quarrier Street, the diner had a fairytale story of sorts. It was a dilapidated, art nouveau building that a couple bought in 2010. It had been built in 1946, and was on the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia's Most Endangered Properties list. The couple restored and renovated the building. But they had trouble getting customers in due to the location, the owner had said.

Before it closed, a friend and I went to check it out for my first and last visit. It was clear the staff was kind of down on their luck. The man who waited on us was cracking jokes about it closing and ran down the list of available items left on the menu. I understand them being out of a lot of food since they were closing; I just wasn't expecting that, I suppose.

I settled on their macaroni and cheese.  It was cavatappi pasta tossed with their four cheese sauce. You could also choose three toppings to add to it: spinach, peas, black olives, jalapenos, mushrooms and tomatoes. I wanted mushrooms and tomatoes, but they were out of mushrooms. So I just opted for tomatoes.

It was good. It tasted exactly like boxed macaroni and cheese with some tomatoes in. Velveeta shells and cheese with a different type of noodle. Was it good? Yes. Could I make it for a fraction of the price at home? Yep. But I won't knock it - it still tasted good. Unfortunately, I won't get another chance to go back. But they do still operated Timothy's - a bar directly below the restaurant.

Grade: C