One of West Virginia's most iconic restaurants has reopened.



Secret Sandwich Society, located in Fayetteville, experienced a devastating fire several years ago that required rebuilding from the ground up. And now, they're back and better than ever.



Known for their creative takes on sandwiches and salads named after presidents and first ladies, Secret Sandwich Society has increased its space inside and outside to accommodate even more folks. It's a pretty popular place, so that is welcome news.



While this is my first visit to the restaurant since it has rebuilt, I had been to the previous restaurant many times. So, I have a good idea of some of my favorites on the menu. Though, truly, you can't go wrong.



I ordered the TRUMAN - turkey, peach jam, blue cheese spread & crispy onions on a toasted potato roll. The turkey was tender and flavorful, perfectly balanced by the unexpected sweetness of the peach jam. That little hit of fruitiness played so well with the blue cheese spread, which added a tangy, creamy bite without overpowering. And let’s talk about those crispy onions - they brought the perfect crunch and just the right amount of savory to round everything out. All of it came together on a potato roll that was soft yet sturdy enough to hold up to the layers of flavor. It’s sweet, salty, creamy, and crunchy all in one bite - definitely not your average turkey sandwich. I’d order it again in a heartbeat.



Plus a side of parmesan truffle fries with a trio of dipping sauces: Roasted Garlic Mayo, Homemade spiced Ketchup and some pimento cheese for good measure. The roasted garlic mayo was rich and velvety with a mellow garlicky kick, the homemade spiced ketchup had just the right amount of heat and sweetness, and the pimento cheese - as always - was creamy, tangy, and totally perfect. If you’re a fry lover, this is the kind of side that makes the meal.



If you haven't been, what are you waiting for?



Grade: A

"The Putnam Farmers Market was established in 2009. All of our vendors are local, within a 50 mile radius or from West Virginia. You'll find in-season produce, locally raised meat, farm fresh eggs, home baked goods, local honey, fresh flowers, berries, handmade jewelry and crafts, and so much more from local farmers and artisans! Find something new every Saturday!"



The Putnam Farmers Market is held every Saturday from May through October. I stopped by a while back to check out all the vendors.



Here's a sampling of some vendors I've visited there:

Hope’s Harvest Farm, LLC - potatoes, tomatoes, beets, greens and more.

Amandus Family Farm - Family of four raising pigs, chickens, & goats through rotational grazing & pasture based principles.

Mountain State Fungi - Mushrooms



The Potager - tomatoes, peppers, berries and more.

Sycamore Farms & Primitives - pies, blueberry muffins, strawberry bread, garlic pull apart bread, yeast bread and rolls, cinnamon rolls and more.

WeeGreens - microgreens



Hammett Family Farm - eggs

G & G Heritage Farm - Pepperoni Rolls Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Smoked Gruyere and Gouda, and Scorpion Gruyere and Gouda, Jams, Pineapple Upside-down Cake, Everything Bagel Seasoned Cashews and Focaccia Bread

Vibrant Mountain Lady - eggs



Crago Country Farm - plants, bread, cookies

Vine & Branches Family Farm - sunflowers, bouquets

L&L Produce - eggs, fresh strawberries, strawberry muffins, brownies



LeJa Produce - Honey, Garlic Scapes, Choi, Kale, Collards, Asparagus, Onions, Apple Butter, Zucchini Bread, Cobbler (Blackberry, Peach), Jam (Blackberry, Peach)

Fox Run Metal Works - metal yard art

Feather Ridge Farm - eggs, quail eggs, whole chicken, and freeze dried candies!

Roo’s Flower Coop - flowers

Cooper's Cottage - microbakery

The Ugly Cupcake - microbakery

Katie's Country Kitchen - baked goods

Payne's Produce - produce

Kyndall's Kitchen - baked goods

Mountain State Farm - meat

"Located inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the iconic Indian Pueblo Kitchen offers guests an unforgettable Indigenous dining experience that showcases our creative, Native American culinary artistry and celebrated Pueblo hospitality. Indian Pueblo Kitchen is owned and operated by New Mexico’s 19 Pueblos and proudly features the flavors of our Native communities in homemade stews, fresh breads, bakery items and savory sauces. Our creations are inspired by historical Pueblo traditions and recipes and utilize ingredients such as red and green chile, blue corn, and our harvest of fresh local produce and spices. At IPK, each dish is prepared with care by a team of Pueblo heritage. Our staff’s culinary talents, passion, and traditions are part of the rich cultural experience that guests from around the world enjoy when they visit the IPCC," reads the website.



I started with a Pueblo Stew with fry bread. I opted for the Red Chile Beef Bone Posole, which was very beef forward.



For my main entree, I went with Monte Cristo - Pueblo oven bread battered and deep fried with Swiss and cheddar cheese, roasted turkey, and ham. Plated on red chile infused raspberry preserves and triple berries. Lovely.



Pueblo potato salad was a bit different than a typical potato salad, but I didn't hate it.



Mostly, I just felt really lucky to be able to enjoy this cuisine. This isn't something that is mainstream in my region, so it was exciting to be able to experience a bit of this culture through food.



Grade: A

Everything is bigger in Texas, so they say, right? That's the case with 72 oz. steak that can be found at The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery in Amarillo, Texas.



"In 1960, R. J. “Bob” Lee opened The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo Texas on Route 66, the “Mother Road”. It’s distinctive architecture soon became recognized across the Mother Road as a good stopping place for great steaks grilled over an open flame. The Big Texan is famous for the FREE 72oz steak challenge, which includes eating a salad, baked potato, shrimp cocktail and 72 ounces of beef!" reads the website.



Everything about this place is larger than life. The decor, the personalities, the menu. It's a bit of a spectacle and quite entertaining if you've been driving across the endless Texas landscape for days. At this point, I certainl had a Big Texan appetite.



"The Big Texan feeds almost half a million people each year from all over the world. It has been featured in countless TV shows, movies, magazines, and newspapers throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia. Countless movies and sit-coms have featured or parodied the World Famous FREE 72-oz. steak dinner (if eaten in 1 hour)," reads the website.



I wasn't leaving this place without a steak of my own. Not a 72 oz. one, but a perfectly reasonable 10 oz. filet.



Actually, it was served as two 5-ounce filets, plus two sides, rolls and butter.



I opted for macaroni & cheese, as well as green chili cream corn.



Plus a fruit punch, because that is one of the ultimates in beverages.



The steak was really good. I asked for medium, and it was done perfectly. That might be a perk to making hundreds - thousands? - of steaks every day. Warm, pink center. Moist. Delicious. And, you know how folks always say - if it's a good enough steak, you don't need sauce. I am firmly sinking my heals in the fact that simply everythign is better with sauce. A really great steak? Even better with some A1.



The mac & cheese and green chili cream corn were both solid. Nothing too out-of-the-box here, but a good straightforward version. The cream corn did have a bit of a kick to it, which I enjoyed.



Would you put this on your roadtrip itinerary?



Grade: A

Mintage Vintage is a market that hosts more than 100 artisans seasonally in the Parkersburg area. The open-air market spans a number of buildings at the 4H campgrounds in Mineral Wells. There is everything from stickers and clothing to dog treats and food. Of course, food.


Valley View Apiary & Breads
Valley View Apiary & Breads was a new one to me! These breads looked so good.
Sweet Ash Cookies
These beautiful custom sugar cookies are almost too pretty to eat. But don't worry, I will be devouring these carrots.
Wood Chipps BBQ
I started my day with some pulled pork nachos, complete with cheese sauce, bbq sauce, ranch, jalapenos, and, of course, pulled pork. I would've loved these even more if those toppings were layered, but tasty nonetheless.
Farmhouse Kitchen & Bakery
These pastries and baked goods made it hard to choose because each one looked delicious. I ended up going with a Reese Peanut Butter cup brownie. I'm still working my way through that beast.
Philly Twist
Braided soft pretzel with a variety of dips; I went with the honey mustard. A soft pretzel is one of those simple delights because they're not readily available everywhere. It makes me think of a carnival or other event.
Mama Maria
I was pleasantly surprised to see a locally made marinara sauce from Bridgeport. In addition to the sauce, there was also meatball mix and the base for the sauce. If you want to put your own spin on it. I've already been using the sauce as a dip for pepperoni rolls.
Willowbrook Cottage
Speaking of, I snagged a little round pepperoni roll from this bakery. They had mozzarella and pepper jack cheese. Nice for a snack sizespeaking of, I snagged a little round pepperoni roll from this bakery. They had mozzarella and pepper jack cheese. Nice for a snack size.
Fluffy Hippo
I think one of my favorite confections is homemade marshmallows. They don't last as long as the commercial ones, of course, but you can get such interesting flavors. Here, I tried a peanut butter and jelly. The texture is probably off-putting for a lot of folks, but it was so satisfying for me. Like flan, but with more bite.
Timmy’s Originals
As "home of the Smashburger," this food truck made it easy on me. I knew what I had to order. I got one smash burger with cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, and ketchup. I don't think that it was as flat as I expected from a smashburger, but it was still tasty.
Leslie's Grub Shack
Hands-down, my most favorite bite of the day: a sloppy joe. It was the perfect blend of sweet and tangy, and the huge portion kept me full all day. I'm still thinking about it days later.
Kettle Pop Company
Last, but not least, who doesn't love some kettle corn?