Yo, Black Sheep! Bring back the smoked duck!
After naming my favorite local restaurants and dishes earlier this month, several readers called in to let me know they've been using my top 10 list as their own culinary bucket list, carrying it around town and checking off each item once they try it.
One, that's way flattering. Two, Su Tei's yellow curry is receiving OMGs across the board.
But several of those following the list say they've run into a little snag along the way.
Turns out more than a few of you have tried to order the Smoked Duck Eggs Benedict at Black Sheep Burrito & Brews - a drool-worthy combination of smoked hoisin duck hash, fried bacon and poached egg on an English muffin - only to learn it's no longer offered on the restaurant's weekend brunch menu.
The horror.
Sorry, folks, I never would've gotten your hopes up had I known. (It's still listed on the restaurant's website.) Maybe they'll bring it back by popular demand now, right?
In the meantime, you can't go wrong with the honey nut breaded chicken and waffles with candied jalapeños and fried onion straws; biscuits and gravy over onion-butter biscuits; or whiskey cream French toast with bacon marmalade and cinnamon-vanilla infused blueberry syrup.
Or maybe the smoked brisket hash with sautéed onions, peppers, blackstrap sauce, eggs, sorghum-horseradish pickles and sweet potato straws on a house-made biscuit; or the vindaloo curry eggs benedict with grilled chicken, cured ham and fried eggs.
Trust me, they're all good. But still ask about the duck, so we can crowdsource that gem back on the menu.
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A guy named Pat called to say I should definitely check out Chin's in Kanawha City "for the best Chinese I've found" anywhere in the area.
"The pork fried rice and shrimp egg foo young are fantastic," he said, "and for the quality and quantity you receive, you really can't beat it in terms of value. You may want to check it out."
I had gone to Chin's for dinner once years ago and vaguely remembered liking it, so I did a quick Google search and came across mostly rave reviews. I also was curious to see how the place bounced back from an electrical fire that forced it to shut down and remodel back in 2011, so it seemed like a new visit was in order.
We popped in for a family dinner Sunday night and had a really nice visit. I won't say it's the best Chinese food I've had, but no one left disappointed.
Chin's egg rolls are a bit different than most, stuffed with a celery-cabbage blend that I suspect is an old family recipe. Although I opted for roast pork instead of shrimp, the touted egg foo young was good. The egg base was stuffed with meat and veggies, I only wish they (or the sauce ladled atop them) had been spiked with a bit more seasoning.
The Szechuan spare ribs, on the other hand, were bursting with flavor after being wok-seared with onions and scallions in a sticky, dark and lightly spicy brown sauce. Also good, and impressively presented, was the Seafood in Bird's Nest with shrimp, scallops and crab mixed with a medley of sautéed vegetables and served in a shredded potato basket. (It was imitation crab, but that was clearly disclosed on the menu.)
However, the biggest surprise of the evening may have been the Tahitian chicken, a non-traditional Chinese dish featuring flash-fried breaded chicken smothered in rich yellow gravy that seemed more like something you'd get out in the European countryside - or at a good ol' American diner.
No matter, it was delish.
Chin's, located at 4114 MacCorkle Ave. SE in Kanawha City, is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 304-925-1080 or scan the menu, food photos and more on the restaurant's Facebook page.
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More feedback from The Food Guy mailbox ...
Delores Bass said she and her husband have been returning to the mountains for the last three years to escape the heat and humidity of Florida and are always looking for good places to eat here when they do.
"I want to thank you for pointing us in the direction of South Hills Cafe and Market," wrote Delores, who was born and raised in Boone County. "I thought it was more of a deli-type restaurant until I read your article. We actually went there the next night for dinner. My husband ordered the trout with a sauce of morel mushrooms. It was delicious. We also tried their appetizer special, which was wild mushroom-stuffed squash blossoms. They were amazing!"
On a separate lunch visit, they savored lightly breaded and perfectly cooked oysters and requested a "fish Reuben" that wasn't on the menu. She said the chef gladly accommodated their request and the resulting salmon Rueben was one of the best they've had.
"My husband and I really enjoy your articles and look forward to any additional recommendations you may have for excellent restaurants in the Charleston area," Delores said. "We just finished reading your latest article and are trying to Google your top picks!"
And Ichiban sushi chef Evan Wilson also extended a personal invitation for me to pop in and try his locally legendary sashimi nachos.
"Once you try them," he boasted, "I guarantee they will make your list."
I love a challenge - and good food, Evan. I'll see you this week!
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or by email at dailymailfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook and Pinterest as "DailyMail FoodGuy," on Twitter as "DMFoodGuy" and read his blog at blogs.charlestondailymail/foodguy.