If you’re still mourning the loss of this past January’s Charleston Restaurant Week, two nearby counties are serving up current and upcoming culinary celebrations of their own.
Putnam County Tastes and Talents
The Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau is in the middle of its monthlong Tastes and Talents celebration of the area’s food and art scene with special promotions throughout March encouraging local residents to “Try Something New.”
Some two dozen local restaurants are taking part in this year’s event by offering a variety of food specials and giveaways.
Participating restaurants are The Bakerie, Barnyard BBQ, Belknap Dough Company, Billy Sundays, Bridge Café & Bistro, Dough Daddy’s Pizza, Drip's Cafe on Main, Drip Coffee House, Farley's Famous Hot Dogs, Fat Patty's, Fairways Bar and Grille, FireSide Grille, Jaxe & Jills Axe Throwing Bar, The Pallet Bar, Italian Grille, L&R BBQ, Mo Betta BBQ, Mountain Pie Company, Old Mill Bakery, Sweet Mama’s, Taste of Asia, Thai Valley Kitchen, and Valley Cakes and Café.
I know that’s quite a list, but no worries – I’m here to help!
Although there are several places mentioned I haven’t reviewed yet (but are going on my list) I can give The Food Guy stamp of approval to Fat Patty’s, Fairways, FireSide and Thai Valley Kitchen. The Pallet was featured in this past Sunday Gazette-Mail and I’ve heard much praise for Belknap and L&R as well.
But it’s not just your tastebuds that will be tantalized. Several artisan events planned throughout the month will also dazzle your senses.
FireSide is hosting an interactive artisan display all month long, Drip Café will present live music on Fridays through March and a Cajun Shrimp Boil dinner to go will be offered during an art show featuring pop-up vendors from 4-7 p.m. this Saturday at The Garage in Scott Depot, along with other events.
Even better, the Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau is giving away multiple gift cards to local business every day on their Facebook and Instagram pages, plus you can earn a free set of coasters by checking into five local restaurants during the month, either when dining in or purchasing take-out to go.
For more information on remaining events and participating locations, check out www.TastesandTalents.com.
Greenbrier Valley Restaurant Week
Meanwhile down in the southeastern part of the state, the Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce just announced that county’s first Greenbrier Valley Restaurant Week from April 19-24.
This six-day event will feature 12 local restaurants showcasing the area’s diverse culinary scene through discounted fixed-price menus for dine-in or take-out.
Locations participating there include Food Guy favorites like The French Goat, The Humble Tomato, Stardust Café, General Lewis Inn, Hill and Holler, and Sam Snead’s at The Greenbrier Golf Club, plus Del Sol Cantina, The Livery Tavern, The Asylum, Road Hog’s BBQ and Fruits of Labor.
It will also be one of your first chances to experience the new German-themed and cleverly named Briergarten (GreenBRIER plus bierGARTEN, get it?) which is alone worth a trip down in my book!
For more information on the special menus restaurants will offer that week, visit www.GreenbrierWVChamber.org/events.
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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.
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