“Appetite comes with eating; the more one has, the more one would have.” -French Proverb

By Brooke A. Brown

My Lovely Miss S, who works part time as a yoga instructor, was recently part of a conference gig at Canaan Valley Resort thanks to her affiliation with KO Yoga of Kanawha City. I owe her boss at KO some gratitude because I got to tag along for the weekend. Granted, I didn’t participate in the conference, but I did manage to rack up some impressive table time at a number of eateries between here and there.

We left on a Friday afternoon with a full tank of gas, a weekend’s worth of luggage and 5:30 reservation at Café Cimino in Sutton. I’ve been told on occasion after occasion (especially from my friend Alan “Cool-man” Kuhlman) that I absolutely had to get out that way to experience the amazing goodness of their food. I never made it to Café Cimino when it was solely a restaurant, so my first impression of the place was of its current incarnation: an incredibly comfortable and welcoming country inn.

Miss S and I were immediately greeted by hostess and co-owner Melody Urbanic. She welcomed us as if we were long lost friends and kindly led us to our quaint table for two. I was craving pasta — conveniently I suppose — and Miss S was interested in soup and salad. I chose the linguine with house marinara. The pasta was al dente (perfecto!) and the sauce, which utilizes special imported tomatoes from the Italian region of Chef Tim Urbanic’s maternal grandparents, was rich with flavor yet simplistic in its presentation. The leftover sauce was decadently absorbed by the hot focaccia bread that Miss S had so wisely ordered and was consumed – by us both – with great gusto.

The soup of the day was a New England Clam Chowder. Miss S calls it the best soup she’s ever had, and I have to agree. The clams were delicate and delicious, the broth both creamy and saline, and the potatoes tender and sweet. Her salad – the name of which escapes me – consisted of fresh-from-the-garden greens and a variety of less-traditional veggies, including braised fennel. It was beautifully plated and expertly prepared. After we paid our bill, Melody insisted on giving us a tour of the grounds. The highlight was the bar and open patio that looked out upon the Elk River. We almost wished we weren’t on our way to Canaan. Almost.

After Miss S’s Saturday morning yoga commitments, we joined her yoga buddy, Johnna, and her tag-a-long husband, Matty D, and took a road trip to Blackwater Falls. Well, before we actually made it to the falls, we decided to grab a snack at The Purple Fiddle in Thomas. Loyal readers of this blog may recall that Miss S wrote a guest review of the Fiddle back in the fall of ‘07. Menu-wise, things have really changed. They still have on hand a crazy variety of beer, including the locally brewed offerings from the Mountain State Brewing Company, but have significantly toned down their food service. Wrap sandwiches currently make up the bulk of their menu. But there’s also a daily soup and some interesting appetizers.

Matty D and I both partook of the turkey wrap with jalapeño mayo and a Mountain State brew. Johnna and Miss S each ordered the veggie wrap. The four of us split an appetizer of pita bread with hummus, feta cheese and house-made olive tapenade. The food, as well as the company, was nothing short of wonderful. (Fast-forward to the following weekend: Miss S and I are having dinner with her grandmother, who just so happened to have a copy of the latest issue of Southern Living magazine lying around. Guess what was prominently featured in the travel section? You guessed it: The Purple Fiddle!)

With full bellies, the four of us loaded in to Matty D’s car and made our way to Blackwater Falls. The water was fierce and furious as it fought its way through the magnificent canyon. The “black” water (which is actually brown like tea due to the tannins extracted from local hemlocks) combined beautifully with the frothy whitewater only to remind me of root beer. I was suddenly hungry again. Luckily, Sirianni’s Pizza Café in Davis was just a short trip away.

If you’ve seen the Food Network program “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” then Sirianni’s would definitely fit the description of the third ‘D’. It’s a tiny little place right on Davis’ equally-tiny main street. Pizza is their game, but pasta dishes also flood the menu. The four of us each ordered our own small pizza: the Margherita for me, the Artery-Clogger for Matty D, plain cheese for Miss S and the Chicken, Walnut and Artichoke for Johnna. Naturally we all shared and I must say that each pie was distinctive and delicious. I don’t think there was a consensus favorite, but for me it was Johnna’s selection that took the prize.

Johnna and Miss S needed to return to the lodge to rest and digest before an evening yoga session. This left Matty D and I free to shoot pool in the game room and enjoy a few more Mountain State Brewing Company brews in the lounge. The girls later joined us and we ended the night listening to an acoustic guitar/drums duo cover classic ’70s tunes (Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Kansas, etc.). It was a spectacular day.

Sunday morning was the final event of the yoga conference, and alas, the final game of pool. As if attending an after-party of sorts, the four of us all reconnoitered at the main lodge’s Hickory Dining Room for a final hurrah: the State Park Buffet Breakfast! I’m talking bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits, gravy, pancakes, oatmeal, Danish, fruit, muffins, and so on and so forth. It’s not that the food was good, per se, but it was plentiful. As was the scenery of the Canaan Valley, the company of friends and the pride we all shared in our fine state of West Virginia.

IF YOU GO:
Café Cimino Country Inn, 616 Main Street, Sutton, W.Va., 1-877-924-6466

Canaan Valley Resort, HC 70, Davis, W.Va., 1-800-622-4121

The Purple Fiddle, 21 East Avenue, Thomas, W.Va., 304-463-4040

Sirianni’s Pizza Café, William Avenue, Davis, W.Va., 304-259-5454

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 at 4:14 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.