Bourbons featured at Fairways Prime are shown in this undated contributed photo. From left are: Weller Special Reserve, Eagle Rare, Blanton's and Col. E.H. Taylor Small Batch.
Steven (at left) and Sam Keith are shown on March 5, 2026 at Fairways Prime in Hurricane.
STEVEN KEITH | For the Gazette-Mail
I’ve often said that the company you’re with contribute to a great meal, just as much as the food, ambiance and service do. Although it seems more and more rare in today’s busy lifestyle, shared connections around the dinner table are truly special.
We’ve always valued that as parents, which is why we’d force our three boys to sit down for family supper almost every night when they were growing up, no matter how busy our lives were.
And through the years, they also grew to cherish this ritual as well, so much so that a family dinner together now — whether at home or out at a restaurant — remains one of our favorite ways to reconnect, even though those boys have since grown into young men.
I enjoyed a similar experience last week when my Dad and I attended an exceptional bourbon tasting dinner at Fairways Prime, 3706 Teays Valley Road in Hurricane.
Bourbons featured at Fairways Prime are shown in this undated contributed photo. From left are: Weller Special Reserve, Eagle Rare, Blanton's and Col. E.H. Taylor Small Batch.
Courtesy photo
Both bourbon fans, we enjoyed samples of Buffalo Trace, Weller Special Reserve, Blanton’s, Eagle Rare 10-Year and E.H. Taylor Small Batch, which were expertly paired with delicious dishes.
After individual charcuterie boards to get us started, we had a bright and balanced smoked salmon salad with salty-smoky salmon, earthy microgreens, tart Dijon vinaigrette, diced red onion, briny capers and poached egg yolk crumble that was one of the best dishes I’ve had in some time.
The slow bourbon-braised and pot roast-like brisket with shiitake mushrooms and gorgonzola whipped potatoes that came next was a perfect hearty and homey plate as the rain whipped outside, plus our date and praline bread pudding with warm bourbon glaze was a decadent way to top off the evening.
Smoked salmon salad with capers, onion, dijon and poached egg crumble are shown at Fairways Prime in Hurricane on March 5, 2026.
STEVEN KEITH | For the Gazette-Mail
But as flawless as the food was, my lasting memories of the night will be the conversations Dad and I had about the food and bourbon we were appreciating — and life in general.
The Dunkin and the Buffalo Wild Wings Go in Hurricane are shown in this undated contributed photo.
Courtesy photo
With Marshall University football players Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Toby Payne helping cut the ribbon, a new Buffalo Wild Wings GO opened March 4 just off the Teays Valley exit of Interstate 64 next to Dunkin.
The fast, order-ahead concept features traditional and boneless wings with 26 signature sauces and dry rubs, plus chicken dippers, burgers, fried chicken sandwiches and wraps, cauliflower wings, fries, tater tots and desserts.
Owned by Little General Stores, the new location in Hurricane also includes a dedicated pickup window for third-party delivery drivers and order-ahead guests.
“As we welcome guests in Hurricane, we’re focused not only on delicious food, but being a reliable part of the community — whether that’s providing an easy dinner option for busy families or showing up when locals need support,†said Greg Darby, franchise and co-owner of Little General Stores. “We’ve seen how much this area rallies around its schools and neighbors, and we want this restaurant to reflect that same sense of connection while delivering a consistent menu guests know they can count on.â€
Ahead of the grand opening, the Little General Store team presented the Loughery family with a $2,000 donation during a recent basketball game at Winfield High School to help ease medical expenses. The family’s son, a player on the team, was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing treatment.
Buffalo Wild Wings, founded in 1982, is the largest sports bar brand in the country, with more than 1,300 restaurants in nine global markets.
Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy.†Reach him at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.
