Remember last week when I shared my love for “retro” fun, then shared the news of the cool new renovated River Alley bowling alley serving up an expanded snack bar menu with craft beers and cocktails between South Charleston and St. Albans?
Well, it seems we’re on a roll in the throwback department.
Reader Alex George reached out to tell me I should really come check out what he considers an awesome new Italian restaurant and a separate “arcade bar,” both located in Southern West Virginia. He may be a little biased, though. He owns both places.
“We are a new restaurant in the Beckley area already winning awards,” he said.
“I moved back from San Diego with my chef in January to start our two ventures, Georges’ Taps & Italian Grill and A Quarter Short. You should come give us a try!”
The restaurant menu does look enticing with a number of Italian pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and more made with house-made doughs, sauces and such. They’re also partnering with other local business on desserts and wine, which is nice.
But I’m definitely more curious about A Quarter Short, which is the arcade bar featuring an impressive lineup of pinball and video games you can play while enjoying a nice selection of craft brews and traditional bar fare.
The menu includes a selection of nachos, tacos or quesadillas (all in carne asada, carnitas, tinga or veggie options) and wings (Asian zing, Buffalo, BBQ and teriyaki) plus an Angus burger with grilled mushrooms.
There's also a Philly cheesesteak with garlic aioli, an Italian hoagie with pepperoni and salami, a gyro with pickled veggies and tzatziki, a meatball sub bathed in marinara and mozzarella, or a California club stuffed with hand-sliced turkey, crispy bacon, sliced avocado, provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato with garlic aioli and mustard.
It's nothing fancy, but sounds like perfect bar food to me. Especially paired with a side of pinball!
Have any of my Beckley readers been to these places yet? I’d love to hear if they’re worth the trip down from Charleston.
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On my way down south, I could also pop into this new-to-me place along the way.
“This may be out of your way or not your type of place to visit, but I have one for you,” wrote Jos Arden.
“It’s in Boomer on Route 60, a little past Montgomery, and it’s called New Place. They have the best hot bologna in the state, hands down. It is a hole-in-the-wall type of bar, but worth your time to try it. I tell them to burn my bologna a little to get a nice char on it.”
A hole-in-the-wall is definitely my jam every once in a while, Jos, so thanks for the tip!
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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 culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.