WV Gourmet

There is quite a lot of garlic on this burger.

Although Fat Patty’s, a relatively new burgers-and-beers joint on the corner of 20th St. and 3rd Ave. in Huntington, conjures up images of vast, dripping, slabs of meat, it’s the imaginative toppings that really make the place memorable. The garlic-slathered meatslab to the right is the “Vampire Killer,” but other offerings include a Hawaiian-themed pineapple creation, a pepper-packed patty, and a delectable cajun-blue-cheese-bacon combination.

Despite the appetizing appearance of the sandwich, it’s a shame that the garlic seemed to be of the pre-prepared, out-of-a-jar variety rather than fresh: it has none of the sharpness and aggression that characterizes quickly cooked garlic. There’s still plenty of body, but it’s lacking the bite. It’s not going to worry any vampires.

On balance, though, it was a happy enough sandwich. I enjoyed the hefty chunk of red onion, and a generous helping of the other fixings, and the bun was generic but not too understated as to be overwhelmed or soggified by everything else. Decent, but I think I’ll opt for one of their blue cheese offerings next time. (Update: I did go back, and the “Black and Blue” is indeed absolutely delicious, removing my last reservation about this joint.)

But that’s not the best thing on that plate.

No, leave this place without ordering onion rings, and the Manson family will drive to your house and molest your cat. They’re that good. Just dark enough, with a pleasantly beery batter and a tasty core: some of the best around. Perhaps they’re frozen, but I’m inclined to doubt it.

(Hey, Patty’s, if you’re out there, how about doing BK’s “Mildly Upset Whopper” right?  I think you’ve got the ingredients and the attitude to make it work.)

If you go, go early. They were packed by 12pm on a Monday, and although their wait staff were obviously overstretched, they did a creditable job keeping up with our drink refills (no, not beer, although Patty’s full bar will doubtless be happy to satisfy any cravings you have in that direction). Despite the busy-ness and our onion-ring substitution, we were in and out in well under 45 minutes; just right for lunch. I’m already plotting an early evening return for beers, wings, and rings: Fat Patty’s is an easy recommendation.

Sure, they might not have been very good at paying their rent, but I was sorry to see Pullman Square’s Moe’s Southwest Grill close last year.

Fortunately for Huntington burrito lovers, Moe’s is back. Sure, it’s called “Dos Amigos“, but it’s a carbon copy of Moe’s, even seemingly down to the appliances and tableware.

This, as I discovered at lunch today, is emphatically a good thing. I grabbed their premium-priced pork burrito, piled with a tasty cilantro-lime flavored rice, black beans, a spicy home-made salsa, olives, and a sprinkle of fresh, shredded cilantro (yum) for $5.99, and left both well fed and happy.

It came with an acceptably heaping portion of hearty, fresh tortilla chips, and free access to a salsa bar where you’ll find a very passable, well-balanced pico de gallo and an excellent corn salsa, among other things.

Their menu is a lot slimmer than Moe’s, but they will make tacos or salads if you prefer, and offer ground beef, chicken, and steak in addition to the pork. The menu includes beer and margaritas, although neither are actually on sale just yet.

Moe’s Dos Amigos is brought to us, the Herald-Dispatch says, by the owners of the Hall of Fame cafe just across the road. As you’ll read in the link, they’re promising an emphasis on freshly made cuisine, and even though the staff were obviously still learning the ropes today, it’s a promise that rings pretty true. The marinated, slow-roasted pork was delicious, the range of salsas had been made with some skill, and the portion size was just right. I’ll be going back to try the chicken.

The best thing about it? There’s no embarassed-looking fool shouting “WELCOME TO MOE’S” at you when you walk through the door. That’s one Moe’s standby I am not sorry to see the back of.

So, it was Monday after Thanksgiving and after all that gluttony, I wanted something sort of light, cheap, and easy to digest for lunch.  So, I went with one of my favorite go to spots for lunch: Ellen’s Ice Cream.  I know what you’re thinking, “ice cream is not light, not even sort of light” and you’re right.  I didn’t get ice cream.  You may or may not know it, but Ellen’s as some of the best soup and salads in Charleston.  They have several salads available every day and feature a different salad/grain of the day.  The soup is a rotating stable of taste sensations.  They also  serve up a PB&J for those who are so inclined. 

Monday was no let down.  The soup of the day was Arugula and Potato Soup.  It combined all the homey soothing goodness of potato soup, with the spicy flair of arugula.  The grain of the day was Pea and Feta Couscous.  The couscous was no letdown either.  The grains were fluffy, with plenty of peas and feta throughout.  My lunch was successfully tasty and easy on my stomach.  I choose to believe that it was not very fattening (I’ll stab you in the eye if you tell me otherwise).  It, however is not cheap, and I knew that going in.  Soup and a sald will set you back about 8 bucks, which isn’t bad, but doesn’t quite fit the definition of cheap.  If Ellen’s isn’t in your rotisserie of lunch spots, it ought to be.  If it isn’t in your rotisserie of places to go for ice cream, there is just something wrong with you, though that is for another entry.

Swing by the Rio Grande on 4th Ave. in Huntington, and you might be a little disconcerted when you see the parking lot is packed with police cruisers.

Don’t be. Who knows better than the five-oh where to go for quick, cheap, and filling eats? They’re really onto something with Rio Grande, a regular lunch favorite of mine, because you can get food like the below for $6.50, and in less than five minutes.

Fajitas at Rio Grande, Huntington

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Sitar of India, Charleston’s premier only Indian eatery, reopens its much-missed lunch buffet today.

Blog In My Soup deserves the credit for spotting this one, and observes that it’ll be only open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Hmm…if I start driving now, I can just about make it before they close…

Update: I didn’t make it, but BIMS did, and it’s “better than ever”. Thanks, Brooke!

…in my opinion, anyway.

Go to Jimmy John’s, on 4th Ave. Order a Beach Club on wheat, no cheese, no mayo, and smile sweetly and see if they’ll double up the alfalfa.

The #12

That’ll get you a delicious turkey, avocado and alfalfa sandwich, a generous portion size, and according to their online nutritional info, a meal that’s under 500 calories. Plus it packs plenty of colorful fruits and whole grains. Not bad for fast food, and not bad for about $6. It certainly beats boring old, bland old Subway.

There’s a JJs in Charleston too, but you fortunate C-town folks have better local alternatives for lunch.

Nawab is one of my favorite places to eat in Huntington. And that’s not just because the fragrant cuisine reminds me of Britain. It’s also because the service is excellent, the surroundings are well-appointed and the atmosphere is top-notch. Most of all, though, it’s because you can roll in there on a Friday night, after driving past seething throngs queuing, inexplicably, outside Red Lobster or Applebee’s, and have both your choice of table and an attentive waiter. Nawab is nowhere near as popular as it deserves to be, and I’m quite happy with that.

Nawab is also one of the few local places that serves lamb, preparing it in a variety of delicious sauces. Lamb curries deliciously, in my opinion, and is so hard to find around here for reasonable money that I inevitably make sure at least one of our dishes contains this sadly overlooked meat.

Plus they’ve always been delighted to cater to our 3-year-old, even bringing him out fried potato pancakes when he was struggling a little with our spicier dishes. He loves the excellent naan and tandoori dishes, though.

Yes, the evening prices are a little steep, but it’s worth it. The lunch buffet is always outstanding and much more moderately priced, though — check it out for its range of creative and unusual salads if for no other reason.