Charley West BBQ Fest returns to Slack, Bad Shepherd beer tops Foam at the Dome
- Steven Keith
- 18 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Plus, Auntie Pearl's Honey Pot is closing for a brief reset
The tantalizing sights, sounds and smells of smoked meats will fill the air in downtown Charleston this Saturday when the annual Charley West BBQ Fest returns to City Center at Slack Plaza for a day of great BBQ, live music and family fun.
A cookoff featuring local amateurs and professional pitmasters will offer tasting tickets for the public to sample and vote on their favorites.
Meanwhile, a panel of lucky judges (including yours truly!) will blind-taste them all to determine this year’s winners in multiple categories, including ribs, pulled pork, best sauce and “wild card,” where teams can BBQ darn near anything they want.
Live music for this year’s event will feature the 11:11 from 2-3:30 p.m., Parachute Brigade from 4-5:30 p.m. and Matt Mullins & The Bringdowns from 6-7:30 p.m.
The festival is free to attend, plus guests can purchase 10 tasting tickets for $10.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Bob Burdette Center After School Program on Charleston’s West Side.
“The Charley West BBQ Fest is about more than just great food – it’s about bringing people together for a cause that truly matters,” said event organizer David Mincer.
“Every plate, every vote and every visit helps support local kids and families.”
For more information, visit www.charleywestbbqfest.com or check out the event’s Facebook page.
Bad Shepherd’s winning Wolf
Bad Shepherd Beer Company in Charleston bested more than 120 state, regional and national beers from nearly 50 brewing companies at this past Saturday’s 10th Annual Foam at the Dome, where their Wolf Cuddles Baltic Porter was judged top beer at the event.
Made by Paul Ross Williams at the brewery inside Black Sheep Burrito and Brews at 702 Quarrier St., this robust 8.0 ABV porter packs a subtle punch with notes of roasted barley and smoky malt with hints of dark fruit, coffee, burnt caramel and charred marshmallow.
I say “subtle” because the flavors are all incredibly well-balanced, creating a smooth sip every time.
In what I’m told was a very tight competition, The Peddler of Huntington’s I Know the Owner Hazy IPA came in second place, with Fife Street Brewing of Charleston’s P51 Porter landing in third.
This annual craft beer festival takes place each spring on Kanawha Boulevard in front of the WV State Capitol.
For more information, visit www.foamcwv.com.
Auntie Pearl’s Honey Pot closing for a reset
I’d been hearing so many positive reviews of Auntie Pearl’s Honey Pot that I recently stopped by the newish soul food restaurant at 415 Central Ave. in South Charleston to see what all the fuss was about.
Unfortunately, my visit was not one of those positive ones.
While the woman who took my order was incredibly friendly, the food they brought to my table wasn’t my order and it took a beat to get the correct food. Once it arrived, I was underwhelmed.
The fried fish platter included two large filets, but they were so thin and overly fried that there wasn’t much to them beyond the crust. There were several bones throughout one of the filets (not just a few, but a lot) which led to an unpleasant meal, to say the least.
I also noticed several uncleared dirty tables around the small restaurant (with customers looking for space to eat) while two employees sat at one of the tables on their phones, seemingly oblivious to it all.
So I was encouraged to learn that the restaurant is closing for a brief break to reset.
“To our valued customers, family and supporters, Auntie Pearl’s Honey Pot will be closed from May 15-27 as we take time to make important improvements behind the scenes,” the restaurant posted Monday on Facebook.
“During this time, we will be replacing and updating a few things within the business, fully retraining our new staff to ensure smoother operations, and allowing our head chef to enjoy a well-deserved vacation. We truly appreciate your patience, understanding and continued support while we work to grow and improve for you all.”
I look forward to giving Auntie Pearl’s another shot when it reopens later this month.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Pinterest as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at wvfoodguy@aol.com.