A Long Way to the Secret Sandwich Society

A few weeks back Chris and I heard that a new 101 Unique Places to Dine in West Virginia list had been created. Inspired to try every restaurant on the list (or at least the ones we don’t already frequent) we decided we would go to Fayetteville on the first tolerable Saturday. Winter this year has been most merciful so we did not have to wait long until we packed ourselves into Chris’s Miata and headed south!

Before going to one of the state’s most unique eateries, we decided we should first work up an appetite. I proposed making the hike out to Long Point. The hike is 1.6 miles of everything that is right and splendid about the Mountain State. The hike is fairly gentle, with only the final hundred yards or so providing much of a challenge (in the summer one could probably floss pretty well on the tunnels of rhododendron).

The view of the New River Gorge Bridge from Long Point, and two nerds

The view is spectacular. It is the absolute best view of the New River Gorge Bridge as the point is about even with the center of the bridge. You also have the benefit of being closer to the altitude of the bridge deck than you do if you brave Fayette Station Road to admire the bridge from the bottom of the gorge. Chris and I were not the only ones who found the view spectacular. As we carefully stepped out onto the rocky ledge we found two people preparing part of the area for a marriage proposal. Two people may have been thinking about the next phase of their life, but Chris and I were now firmly fixed on the food.

Secret Sandwich Society is only a few years old but has already taken a legendary place on the West Virginia dining scene. Located on the edge of Fayetteville’s funky downtown district (voted one of the Coolest Small Towns in America by readers of Budget Travel Magazine in 2006), Secret Sandwich Society is located in a deceptively large building. When you realize you have to descend a flight of stairs to get to the dining area you realize it isn’t very large, especially compared to the demand! Trust me, when you’re waiting an hour for a table at 2:30pm on a Saturday, you want any excuse to feel like you’re making a good decision.

The restaurant did not disappoint! Their selection of Hansen’s sodas was a fun departure from the usual fountain offerings. We kicked off our meal with the Society Fries. I couldn’t tell you how they season them, but I know I want to eat more of them. Their burgers sounded delicious, but when a food item is in the name of a restaurant it seems wise to try that item. I ordered a Washington (ham, white cheddar, green apple, rosemary majo, and greens on a toasted baguette), while Chris tried the McKinley (spiced homemade meatloaf, chipotle-bacon jam, 1000 island dressing, and crispy onions on toasted sourdough). Both sandwiches were unique flavor combinations. The McKinley left a zesty after taste, while the green apple on the Washington seemed to amplify the flavors of the ham and cheese with a kiss of bittersweet in the finish.

If I had the day to do over again, I would’ve ordered lunch to go and either driven to the Canyon Rim Visitor’s Center (just across the bridge), down to the bottom of the Gorge via Fayette Station Road (15-20 mins), or to the ghost town of Thurmond (30 mins) and enjoyed my meal as a picnic. There is a wonderful view of the New River Gorge Bridge from the Visitor’s Center. At the bottom of the gorge there are enormous boulders along the shore that make for great picnicking (and you can watch the rafters!). Thurmond is a fantastic spot to watch trains on the CSX mainline from the safety of the platform of the train station and, after eating, you could explore the well-preserved ghost town!

After filling up, we made the short drive to Ansted, WV on the Midland Trail. The Hawks Nest Rail Trail is a 1.8 mile rail trail linking Ansted with Hawks Nest State Park. Descending down to the trailhead in Ansted seems a little unusual, but once you see two small, old, railroad-looking buildings you’re pretty sure you’re in the right place. Things seem more and more right as you head away from town on a grassy right-of-way, but when you see a sweeping, curved trestle you know you’ve arrived. Abandoned by Sherman Cahal has a really nice write-up and photo-essay of this rail trail. We walked about half of this trail to find one of the Coal Heritage geocaches. The Coal Heritage Trail is another way to interact with West Virginia’s best known history.

Over 12,000 steps later, it was time to go home. I even managed to nap in the passenger seat of the Miata. Yet to be determined, which restaurant is next?