The Fort is holding strong amid change

Steven Keith
1 minute ago
3 min read

A plate with slices of seared ahi tuna with a sesame seed crust — Seared and sesame-crusted ahi tuna from The Fort Bar & Grill

WingStop opens in Teays Valley, another coming to Kanawha City

Although it suffered from inconsistent food and service at times, I was sad when Barkadas at the bottom of Fort Hill in Charleston abruptly closed this time last year. Its Filipino-inspired menu was a welcome change in town and its location was super convenient when I wanted to pop in for a drink or bite on the way home.

A large smash burger with melted cheese, lettuce and tomato on a plate with onion rings — Whiskey Bourbon Smash Burger from The Fort

I remember hoping at the time that another restaurant would take its place at 100 Cantley Dr., and I’m happy to report that The Fort Bar & Grill is a welcome addition to that space.

It opened to large crowds and great buzz last July, but then the original chef and manager who helped start up the new spot left a few months after it opened. I wanted to wait and see how they weathered that transition, which is why this review is coming later than usual.

But rest assured, The Fort is still holding strong with a menu of quality sport-bar favorites and other elevated dishes served in pleasant surroundings.

A large filet mignon steak sits on a plate with candied Brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes on the side — Filet, Brussels and garlic mash from The Fort

There are several fried apps on the menu, but your play is definitely the restaurant’s signature hot honey pimento cheese bites (pretty addictive, I’m not going to lie) and a surprisingly fresh plate of marinated and sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna.

Piled-high burgers have been extremely popular, and we can vouch for the Whiskey Bourbon Smash with white American cheese, Dijon mustard, lettuce, tomato and whiskey bacon jam; the Firestarter Smash with pepper jack, jalapeños, sautéed onions and a fried egg; and the Triple Bacon Smash, featuring three patties stacked with American cheese, ketchup, mayo and plenty of bacon.

A salad with lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and crumbled bleu cheese sits on a table in a restaurant, with a glass of wine and a bar in the background — Wedge salad from The Fort

The Black & Bleu (with bleu cheese, bacon, pickles and house sauce) and new Honey-Feta Melt Down (with whipped honey-feta, bacon jam, fried peppers, lettuce, tomato and onion) have been popular choices as well.

And while I was skeptical of The Fort’s claim of serving premium-quality steaks and seafood, the 10-ounce hand-cut filet I tried was quite nice (a top cut of beef cooked to a perfect mid-rare temp) and the grilled salmon with dill cream sauce was exceptionally prepared.

The crab cakes are decent, salads are fresh and large, plus I recently touted The Fort’s giant glistening pork shank over risotto as one of my favorite dishes from Charleston Restaurant Week, too.

Of course, I have a few notes.

A plate of fried cheese balls drizzled with honey sits on a plate garnished with lettuce — Hot honey pimento cheese bites

Our wing aficionado boys thought The Fort’s wings were merely OK and nothing to write home about. The bruschetta appetizer would be much better with toasted (and thinner) bread, rather than thick slices, at least for our taste.

And despite being loaded with flavorful toppings, some burgers have needed more seasoning in the actual beef patty itself.

But those are pretty minor items given the many dishes we’ve enjoyed. All in all, we’re thrilled to have another solid restaurant choice in that part of town.

IF YOU GO: The Fort Bar & Grill at 100 Cantley Dr. in Charleston is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. For more information, call 681-205-8051, visit www.thefortwv.com or check out the restaurant’s Facebook page.

WingStop opens in Putnam, also coming to Charleston

Although I don’t get the excitement others are squealing about, Charleston will be getting its first WingStop location, which is currently being built out at 5707 MacCorkle Ave. SE inside the former RadioShack storefront next to Optimum at the old Kanawha Mall.

Known for serving a variety of chicken wings and tenders, the international fast-food chain recently opened its first Metro Valley location a few weeks ago at 105 Liberty Square in Teays Valley. For more information, visit www.wingstop.com.

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 as “WV Food Guy.” He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.