New South Hills restaurant offers a sneak taste of things to come, while readers share their love for West Virginia's "Official State Food"

I’m hearing from lots of you who can’t wait for the new 1010 Bridge Restaurant to open inside the old South Hills Market location on Bridge Road next month.

And some who REALLY couldn’t wait got an early taste of the new place during a series of popup dinners at J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works in Malden last week featuring the type of food that will be served at what I predict will quickly become one of Charleston’s hottest tables.

Why do I think that? Get a load of these creative dishes featuring fresh, local ingredients.

Guests sipped drinks and snacked on Hernshaw Farms mushroom and gruyere popcorn before sitting down to enjoy appetizers like crispy fried “Nashville Hot” oysters with buttermilk herb dressing, bread and butter pickles and toasted brioche; marinated mozzarella arancini with balsamic roasted peppers, pine nut-date chutney and torn basil; and a baby arugula-roasted beet salad with J.Q. Dickinson ricotta, candied pecans and cider-mustard seed vinaigrette.

Entrees included Dijon and dill-crusted salmon with smashed Yukon gold potatoes and citrus-roasted summer squash; an herb-marinated Joyce Farms chicken breast with brown butter and sage dumplings, “pot pie” velouté and Parmesan puff pastry; and grilled lobster “mac ‘n’ cheese” with a Cabernet reduction and truffled foie gras-shallot butter.

Those who had any room left capped off the night with a chocolate silk tart on graham cracker crust with burnt marshmallow and a French toast cheesecake with bread pudding crust.

I’m kicking myself for missing these sneak peeks, so now I’m even more excited about this soon-to-be new option on the local dining scene.

In case you missed the news last week, the new restaurant will be owned and operated by longtime Bridge Road Bistro servers Aaron and Marie Clark, who enlisted the help of local chef Paul Smith to help consult on the menu. If all goes well, 1010 Bridge (at 1010 Bridge Rd. in South Hills, appropriately enough) hopes to reopen next month.

For more information in the meantime – including a look at the menu in progress – visit www.1010bridge.com.

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I had a great time as a guest on WCHS Radio’s 580 Live program last Friday to talk about food from the Mountain State in honor of West Virginia Day this past Saturday.

As you might expect, the subject of pepperoni rolls came up pretty quickly with listeners and fellow guests sharing some of their favorites places to enjoy West Virginia’s official state food.

Although they aren’t the first ones originally created at Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, my favorite “traditional” pepperoni roll comes from Tomaro’s Bakery in Clarksburg, especially when enjoyed right out of the oven.

Closer to home, The Bucket’s deep-fried pepperoni rolls in Dunbar received some love, as did those served at Old Mill Bakery in Hurricane. The Bucket’s indulgent option is pretty righteous, but I’ll join reader Peyton Forbes in praising another local offering.

“After reading your recent column about Tidewater’s hot buttered poppy seed rolls and then you mentioned Adelphia Sports Bar & Grill’s ‘Adelphilly’ gyro/Philly cheesesteak combo, I got an intense craving for the pepperoni rolls at Books and Brews,” he told me.

Yes!

“During the first COVID lockdown, I had scratched on their door every other week in hopes of having one of their pepperoni rolls, but they were closed,” he added.

Not anymore.

“I got two orders the day I learned they reopened and smiled for the next two days,” Forbes told me. “I did a takeout order, and not at meal time, but they seemed to be in need of a few customers. Please mention them in your next column, because we cannot let this pepperoni roll Mecca be COVIDed.”

That’s the first time I’ve heard COVID used as a verb, but I like it.

And I love Books and Brews’ pepperoni rolls as well, which have also won multiple “people’s choice” awards at local events.

• IF YOU GO: Books and Brews, 222 West Washington St. in Charleston, is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. For more information, call 681-265-5014, visit www.booksandbrewswv.com or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

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Speaking of other pockets of doughy goodness, have any of you been to That Donut Place in Ripley? The folks there sent me an intriguing invite, so I’m wondering if it’s worth the trip north the check it out.

“We are a food truck that travels to fairs and festivals, but we have a home base in Ripley beside Dave’s Auto,” the invite stated. “We make fresh mini-donuts in classic flavors and specialty gourmet dishes with various toppings, cold-brewed iced coffee in six flavors, frozen lemonade in four flavors and more. On Fridays, we also offer larger donuts in various flavors.”

If anyone out there has visited this place, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

• IF YOU GO: That Donut Place, 232 S. Church St. in Ripley, is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., unless they are out at an event. For more information, visit www.thatdonutplace.com or check out the restaurant’s Facebook page.

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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.