My friends, it seems WV Corner Kitchen is having a moment. Several, actually.
When a reader wanted to know who had the best chicken livers in town, that tiny restaurant on the corner of Bigley Avenue and Westmoreland Road in Charleston rose to the top of the list.
When its name started being tossed around for having such good homestyle cookin’, readers then started praising its desserts as well. (More on that in a minute.)
And now, unbelievably, this little underdog swept ALL THREE categories at this past Saturday’s Charleston Mac & Cheese Cook-off at Capitol Market.
That’s right, WV Corner Kitchen not only walked away with the Kids’ and Peoples’ Choice Awards, but also the Judges’ Award for having the best-tasting mac ‘n’ cheese in the entire competition.
Wow.
Known for dishing up generous portions of stick-to-your-ribs homestyle favorites, WV Corner Kitchen offers daily specials along with regular staples like sauced-up meatloaf with scalloped potatoes and green beans, baked pork chop with stuffing, grilled tilapia with (award-winning!) baked mac ‘n’ cheese and buttered corn, plus New York and ribeye steaks with all the fixings.
Rotating hearty soups, salads and desserts are made fresh daily as well. (Apple dumplings, banana split cake and peanut butter fudge, oh my!)
Reader Gary Borstein, for one, says you shouldn’t sleep on those sweet treats.
“Steve, you need to experience the pumpkin roll at Corner Kitchen,” he told me. “It has to be the finest. That restaurant really is a hidden treasure. All of their dishes are exceptional.”
Owned and operated by Barb and Mike King, this “little restaurant that could” is starting to gain quite a big reputation.
I simply must get there. And fast.
IF YOU GO: WV Corner Kitchen at 1701 Bigley Ave. in Charleston is open from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. For more information, call 304-400-4096 or visit www.wvcornerkitchen.com.
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And you know when I said last week’s column offered the last word on which restaurants serves the best chicken wings in town? Au contraire.
“I don’t understand,” reader Chelsea Smith said, apparently referring to The Cold Spot winning the “Best Wings in the Valley” award at this year’s Guy’s Night Out fundraising tailgate benefiting the YWCA Sojourners Shelter. “Pies & Pints’ wings are the best. Period.”
I love them too, Chelsea, but they weren’t in the competition.
“Saw your article in this morning’s paper about favorite wings and let me throw one out there,” added another reader named Gary. “I’ve eaten them for years, but haven’t had them for a few months. Hope they haven’t gone downhill. Main Kwong. Deep fried. Not sauced. Delicious. Next time you order from them, give ’em a try.”
Interesting. I sure will!
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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.