I’m still anxiously awaiting the opening of Virgil Sadorra’s three, count ‘em, three new restaurants in the downtown/East End area. He reports that Cilantros’, the oddly apostrophed Tex-Mex joint that will fill the former Delish space, will be open as soon as the new hood system is in place, hopefully by mid-September. Fish tacos, here I come! I’m not sure if the delays at Cilantros’ will affect the opening of Delish Express, which was slated to be open by October. Virgil has also posted some photos of the construction progress in the old Rose City Press building, where the revamped Delish (which is last on his “To Do” list) will be located. [Is anyone else having as much trouble as I am keeping track of Virgil’s various ventures? I blame the lack of chicken satay. Thanks to Sarah for setting me straight in the comments.]

While visions of satay dance in my head, there is yet more East End restaurant news to report. Today I learned that Blues BBQ will be opening another restaurant sometime this fall in Chef Dan’s old digs across from the Clay Center. Thank heaven, because I sure am sick of looking at the hideous facade that the predictably defunct Top Cats left behind. I never did set foot in that place — the mirrored exterior and rumors of Mardi Gras beads inside frightened me. I’ve got my fingers crossed that the folks at Blues BBQ will just do away with that ridiculous glittery mural altogether, instead of morphing into yet another version — an all animal blues band, perhaps, a la the Puppet Band from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse? (I really shouldn’t give them any ideas. Besides, Dirty Dog, Cool Cat, and Chicky Baby were a jazz trio.)

Apparently they’re going to try to maintain two locations — the new East End one and their original Jefferson Road location — but they say they’re just going to see how it goes. Blues BBQ is a great place to fill your belly on the cheap. I also think of it as being very “West Virginia.” If Alton Brown had driven through the Mountain State on his recent cross-country motorcycle tour, he surely would have wanted to stop at Blues BBQ. In his Food Network show “Feasting on Asphalt,” Alton stopped only at non-chain roadside restaurants, which are the kinds of places that give you a real sense of the flavor of a particular part of the country, literally and figuratively speaking.

The last time I visited Blues BBQ, I ordered one hot dog and three sides. I don’t eat hot dogs that often, and when I do, my favorite way to eat them is with a ton of yellow mustard and finely chopped onions. But with a mindset of “When in Rome,” I opted for a hot dog with everything — ketchup, mustard, onions, chili, and coleslaw. After all, I had to taste their house-made chili and slaw, both of which were delicious. Though it’s not something I could eat all that often, whenever I’m in the mood for a hot dog again, I might go back for this yummy, sloppy dog. However, I think I prefer the pulled pork BBQ sandwiches they serve up at Blues BBQ, which are equally sloppy.

For my three sides, I chose potato salad, baked beans, and onion rings. All three were really good, but I liked the baked beans the best — sweet and a little bit spicy and very homey-tasting, as baked beans tend to be. Josh decided to focus just on the dogs — he ordered three with everything — but of course he couldn’t keep his hands off my onion rings. Since the rings took up more than half of my basket, I was happy to share. He opted for the spicy chili, while I had the sweet chili. I like the sweet chili better, but your mileage may vary.

If you’re looking for more detailed reviews of local hot dogs, you definitely want to check out West Virginia Hot Dogs, a web site devoted to what could arguably be called West Virginia’s state food. (I suppose I can now expect angry comments defending pepperoni rolls as the state food, huh? Bring ‘em on.) I am amazed at the sheer number of places where you can get a hot dog around here. Who knew?

One important tip if you’re heading to Blues BBQ — don’t wear your Sunday best. Not that you’d get all dressed up to go eat barbeque and knock back a couple of beers, but be forewarned that if you happen to be there when they fire up the smokehouse, the whole place fills up with rather thick, pungent smoke. I find it kind of amusing to be sitting there eating and then suddenly find yourself encased in smoke, but you will definitely smell like a smokehouse for the rest of the day.

IF YOU GO: Blues BBQ, 1109 Jefferson Rd, Charleston, (304) 744-8335
HOURS: Mon-Thurs 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Fri & Sat 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun noon-6 p.m.

It’s no secret that we love pizza. We’ve written about Lola’s–as has Bob Schwarz, who all but dismissed Lola’s as “a very pricey place for pizza.” But so is Pizza Hut, especially if you haven’t been saving coupons for a couple months (and alas, Bob, there’s no beet salad or wine at the ‘Hut).

But pizza isn’t always expensive. Or “pricey,” for that matter. For really good pizza on the cheap here in Charleston, look no further than our own Graziano’s. A large with 2 toppings and two huge drinks ran us about 18 bucks. They have several locations in the area, but I’m most familiar with the ones on Capitol Street, and heck yes, the food court at the Charleston Town Center.

Although they deliver, I always want to eat in at Graziano’s on Capitol Street. It just feels like an old-school pizza parlor should–a dark, and dare I say cavernous space with a juke box and video games in the back. In the front, red and green neon light a couple generations worth of guys masterfully tossing dough in the air. Where else can you wait for your meal while listening to the best of Fleetwood Mac?

Graziano’s is a New York Style pie — thin and crispy until you get to the edge, or “crust proper,” which is generous and puffy. Thick, but crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, as New York Style pizza should be. The sauce of crushed tomatoes is applied with a light hand and topped with mozzarella cheese. The pepperoni at Graziano’s is large–deli sandwich sized. A plus for pepperoni lovers, but those of you who are indifferent should take note–there will probably be pepperoni in every bite you take. Another thing I like about Graziano’s pizza–if you order onions as a topping, they’re applied as thinly sliced whole rings–not as puny diced bits.

As much as I like Graziano’s, it’s not perfect. Their cheese leaves a little to be desired. It reminds me of the overly tangy and somewhat artificial tasting mozzarella my Mom (who’s not Italian, mind you) buys in bulk at Sam’s Club. Cheese is a big part of any pizza’s flavor, and even a small step up or down in quality will yield a tremendous difference in taste.

And the crust, perfect while piping hot, takes on a more spongy, biscuit-like quality once it cools. I think of the neon over Graziano’s like the Great Seal in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: once the pizza passes over that spot, it’s not the same. It’s really tasty, but not the same.

If you plan on ordering Graziano’s pizza by the slice, you have cause to rejoice. When individual slices of their flavorful pie are placed back into the rocket-hot pizza oven to be reheated, something magical happens. The crust is made even more crispy on the outside; the center even more warm, moist and chewy on the inside. I even think the cheese gets better. Town Center Food Court dwellers take note: for my buck, this may be the highest incarnation of the Graziano’s slice–and some of the best pizza Charleston has to offer.

If you go: Graziano’s, 243 Capitol Street, (304) 342-8554

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11:00am–9:00pm

I love pizza, sushi, cheeseburgers, steak and Thai duck. And bacon, which author Sarah Vowell called “the food of joy.”

But Indian food is the food I lay awake at night thinking about.

Alas, Indian food is troublesome to prepare at home. It often requires exotic ingredients not found locally. And you’ll usually need to take long, fussy steps in a very particular order to get the taste you’re after. (Saute this, toast that, then grind; sweat these, steam this; then combine the first 3 in the pan until browned; then remove, add the ground blah blah…)

I like to cook — I can hold my own. But more than any other type of food, I think I’d rather go out for Indian. Which is why I’m so grateful that every meal I’ve ever had at Sitar of India — and I have had many, many meals there — has been positively wonderful. I always leave full, happy and at ease with myself and the world. Is there a more consistent restaurant in Charleston?

So yeah, the weather has been hot; yes, I have what some might consider strange tendencies. In miserably hot and humid weather, I like to eat Indian food. Spicy, heavy, filling Indian food. But it’s hot and humid in India too, so maybe they’re onto something.

I’ve you’re not familiar with Indian food — well, it’s a large country, and I’m not the guy to explain the totality of their cuisine to you. But we can start with one of the big classics: chicken tikka masala. Usually considered the most popular of all Indian dishes, chicken tikka masala consists of chicken tikka (chicken marinated in yogurt and spices then baked in a rocket-hot clay oven) covered with a luxurious orange gravy, made with such varying ingredients as ghee, coconut milk, ground nuts, tomatoes, cream and lots of fresh spices.

Anyway, I guess that’s how they make it. Despite its popularity, there is no standard recipe for chicken tikka masala. But the chicken tikka masala at Charleston’s House of Sitar is of the first order, I tell you. Just know that if you’ve never had it before, you’re seriously missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures. Indeed, until you’ve tasted this combination of moist smoky chicken and sumptuous orange gravy, you cannot fully appreciate what it means to be alive.

I also recommend getting vegetable pakoras as an appetizer — deep fried dumplings spiced with fragrant coriander. And nothing goes better with your Indian meal than garlic naan, a warm round flatbread slathered in garlic and baked in the aforementioned rocket-hot oven, perfect for sopping up that wonderful orange sauce. The service at Sitar is top notch too — sometimes bordering on ridiculously friendly. It’s as if they live to keep our glasses full and make us happy.

I sometimes try sneak a peak back into Sitar’s kitchen, trying to catch a glimpse of their exotic methods. But I always end up turning my head away prematurely, not wanting to spoil the magic. Just knowing I can stroll down to Sitar and order chicken tikka masala brings me peace and joy. That’s what a great meal can do — it is one of those rare things that can take away the pain that living brings.

IF YOU GO (and you should): Sitar of India, 702 Lee Street East, Charleston, WV 25301, (304) 346-3745
HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 11:30 am to 10 pm (closed from 2:30 - 5:00), Sat. noon - 10 pm, closed Sundays

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FIRST IMPRESSIONS: First impressions of a first meal at a new local restaurant or chain.
RESTAURANT: Cazon Southwest Deli, 222 Capitol St., downtown Charleston, W.Va. Opened this August.
DETAILS: Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday.Call 352-6490. Website: www.cazonwv.com.
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FIRST THINGS FIRST: Out of the box, I’m having trouble recalling the name. I keep thinking ‘Calzone,’ which is the wrong ethnic association. What’s a ‘cazon’ anyway? Altavista’s Babelfish (Spanish-to-English translation) reveals it’s a ‘dogfish.’ A dogfish!? Plus, it’s confusing when you first walk in. Oh, I see, you’re supposed to come to the counter, nab a menu and order. But I’m not ready to order yet with all these well-meaning waitstaff eyeing me expectantly. Who’s that guy slouched against the wall, studying a menu? I’ll take his lead.

LAYOUT: Cool, tall windows fronted by a window table and stools provide superior people-watching lines of sight onto Capitol Street. The long, narrow room is a tad disorienting. On the left-hand side is the front counter, prep area and kitchen. On the right, are a thin string of tables, stools and booth seating. There are also tables way deep in the room, which you don’t know are there until a pee break. (Those ones will be good places for the money drop with corrupt state officials.)

DECORATIONS: The front room’s brick wall is adorned with a massive painting of an elephant with the yellow text: White Elephant Saloon. It’s pure cognitive dissonance and instantly one of downtown’s funkier pieces of found art.

BATHROOMS: Very nice, clean and aromatic and with a live aloe plant in the men’s room. I know where to come when I burn my fingers slaving over a hot computer terminal.

THE WAITSTAFF: Overly solicitous and chatty. Which is better than inattentive and self-absorbed.

MY MEAL: A Santa Fe Burrito Tomato Tortilla (above): a glorified gourmet wrap with red pepper jack and cheddar cheese, jalapenos, tomato, lettuce, Southwest rice, with sour cream and guacamole in those plastic tubs that will be the only remnants of our society found by 35th century archaeologists. Cost: $5.99.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT: Pretty good. Wraps with complicated ingredients are easy to screw up into messy, bulging masses of no-one-flavor-at-all. This one had crunch, taste and heat behind it.

NOTABLES: Sweet tea on the menu. Not classic, but good. And the menu features big green ‘V’s beside the vegetarian options. A useful touch more restaurants should adopt.

WILL YOU BE BACK?: I will. There are more ‘V’s I wish to explore. The Cap Street parade out the window is pleasant to view. The elephant has a friendly face.

~ Douglas Imbrogno