My boys think it's hilarious that the Cold Spot restaurant in North Charleston sits right next to the Hot Spot video lottery parlor. I think it's appropriate, because when you put hot and cold together you get something lukewarm.
Which is pretty much my assessment of the "new" Cold Spot. It's OK, but nothing especially hot or cool.
Listen, I know it's a treasured place for many and was once known as THE place to go for the area's best wings. And I'm truly happy to see a local, family-owned business rebuild after a devastating fire destroyed the original restaurant back in late 2013. Many of its longtime patrons are thrilled, too.
For those reasons alone the new bar will thrive as a fine place to go for beer and bar food, no doubt. But as a restaurant - a place to go relax and have a nice meal - it's been a little hit or miss so far. I've visited a handful of times over the past month, experiencing different levels of food quality, service and atmosphere each time.
That inconsistency is a little worrisome.
You walk in and place your food order at a counter, then choose a seat in a dining area featuring a large rectangle bar with tables, booths and high-tops situated around the room. A smattering of TVs broadcast the day's big sporting events and the place is usually buzzing with energy.
There's no waiter or waitress service, per se, but your food is brought to you when it's ready. You also have to walk up to the bar to get your own adult beverages.
You can choose from a selection of typical bar appetizers (french fries, fried onion rings, fried mushrooms, fried cheese sticks, fried jalapeño poppers) or a hummus platter served with pita, olives, celery, carrots, cucumbers and feta.
Salad options include Greek, Caesar, Italian, spinach, raspberry and garden, with a selection of add-ons like boiled eggs, grilled or crispy chicken, steak, gyro meat or grilled shrimp.
Or you can try a variety of baked flat pitas or wraps (topped or stuffed with Philly, Greek, Mediterranean or a host of other ingredients) or a selection of gyros and burgers.
Finally, the wings. This is what the Cold Spot has long been known for and I used to put them on a pretty high pedestal myself. Somehow, they're just not as good now. They're smaller, less meaty and some of the sauces are woefully flat.
We liked the medium, honey mustard and Agent Orange OK, but were less impressed with the sweet barbecue and sweet Asian, both of which needed a jolt of extra hot sauce just to add some sort of flavor. The fries we ordered were pretty solid, but our soggy onion rings tasting of raw batter were a big letdown.
On subsequent visits we liked the flavors featured in the Greek pita and gyro, although there was precious little meat in both of them. The hummus platter was nice - and a nice change of pace being the only non-fried option on the appetizer lineup. And I will say the cheeseburger is fantastic. Load that baby up with your favorite toppings and you're in for a really satisfying treat. I will go back for that burger.
And then there's the beer. I was blown away when I first walked in and saw an impressive lineup of 64 taps (64, people!) offering a diverse selection of local, regional and national craft brews, plus all of your big-box favorites like Budweiser and PBR.
I was so mesmerized that I started circling the bar to see every single tap, but was later frustrated when I learned that's the only way to see what beers are offered. There's no updated beer menu (or even a simple printed list) just a board showing beer names with no information on what type they are or where they come from.
I've heard so many people lodge this same complaint, which is super-easy to fix. Just type up a current list and print it out. When taps are changed, update the list and make new copies. Simple as that.
We've also experienced bartenders who were fairly friendly and attentive, but others who seemed only interested in serving the "regulars" on hand. We've sat long periods of time without anyone checking to see if we needed anything, but I also saw a young man named James hustling around one day making sure every customer was happy. He never stopped. (Note to management: You need more employees like James and fewer indifferent bartenders.)
All visits considered, the new Cold Spot is fine. It's just probably not a place I'll seek out unless they address some of the food and service issues mentioned above.
But they don't need my blessing to succeed. I predict the new place will thrive just fine as a laid-back place to throw back a brew or two with your crew.
IF YOU GO: The Cold Spot, 4005 Washington St. W., is open from 11 am to 11 pm Monday-Saturday and 1 pm to 10 pm Sunday. For more information, call 343-WING, 344-BEER, 744-6319, 747-WING or visit www.thecoldspot.com.
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Moving on to something sweet, the West Virginia Chocolate Festival takes place this Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm at Ripley Elementary School just up I-77.
"This is the ninth one and it only keeps growing," said event co-founder Sheree Knotts. "We'll have tables and tables of chocolates, every kind you can imagine."
In addition to all of those confections, Knotts said there will be a parade, balloon animals and plenty of entertainment. Even better, the event offers free parking, free admission and free chocolate samples.
For more information, call 304-531-1133 or visit "West Virginia Chocolate Festival" on Facebook.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and an occasional food blog at http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/foodguy/. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or by e-mail at wvfoodguy@aol.com. You can also follow him on Facebook as "WV Food Guy" and on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest as "WVFoodGuy".