Off The Beaten Path – Cafe Cimino, Sutton, WV

Susan says:

Who would have ever thought a place like Café Cimino could be found in the little town of Sutton, West Virginia?   I had heard a lot of hype about this place and finally had an opportunity to dine there at the end of a day on the nearby Sutton Lake with friends.

We arrived as the kitchen was closing, but the owners, Tim and Melody Urbanic,  told us to order whatever we liked off the menu.   We appreciated the accommodation they made for us late-comers.  We chatted with them as they strolled through the lower level outdoor dining patio.   We asked questions about the cheeses that were included on the appetizer cheese plate.  One in particular that intrigued me tasted like it was infused with fruit.  Indeed it was, blueberries, in fact.  The goat cheese was locally made and the sharp cheddar was wonderful.

Aside from the cheese plate, we also enjoyed a smoked trout.  Delish.  The smoky flavor and the flaky texture of the fish kept me coming back for “just one more bite”.  We were also served bread with a flavored olive oil dip, swimming with flakes of various herbs and spices.   (It goes without saying, we also ordered a bottle of red wine.)

The menu descriptions of the appetizers we enjoyed:

Cheese Plate~ an assortment of  Café Cimino’s favorite Italian cheeses  with  local honey    12

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Smoked Rainbow Trout w/ apples, horseradish & capers    12

I was so glad that I could order something off the dinner menu because the appetizer course had really peaked my taste buds and I was anxious to savor other creations from this kitchen.  The server recommended the chicken with prosciutto, served alongside penne pasta coated with a  Marsala cream sauce.  I love Marsala and I love cream sauce so the combination seemed heavenly.  At a chain restaurant I would have been disappointed about the portion size, but for $21 I was satisfied here.  Maybe it was the little white lights along the roofline of the patio, the quiet sounds of the river just behind us, or all the wine I had “tasted” at the party earlier that day.

Chicken San Marino

~ Grilled chicken breast stuffed with Fontina cheese  & Prosciutto ham with penne pasta & creamy white mushroom Marsala sauce     21

My friend ordered the Tuna With Gorganzola.  I probably would not order tuna on my own accord.  Let me change that:  I probably would not have ordered tuna on my own accord BEFORE I tasted this tuna.  Now I am looking forward to my next delectable experience with this newly-discovered friend from the sea.  That tuna would literally melt in your mouth.  I know you hear people say that from time to time and it’s just a figure of speech.  But seriously, I wanted to taste it as long as possible and it melted right there on my tongue.   My chicken was good, great, in fact….but this tuna.  Words cannot describe…..

Tuna Gorgonzola

~ Pan seared Sushi-grade Yellow Fin filet with fresh sautéed spinach & creamy Gorgonzola cheese sauce over pasta      27

It wasn’t until I returned home and googled for their website that I learned Chef Tim has received many accolades for his culinary efforts, including Top 10 Restaurant in West Virginia and features in Gourmet and Food & Wine magazines.  I pasted photos from their website onto this post, but I swear – the food REALLY looks like that when they serve it to you.  Really.

I cannot give a proper rating on this fine restaurant (and bed & breakfast, I might add) due to the over-consumption of wine that day on my part.  Lucky for me, that means I’ll have to go back for the sake of this blog, if I even need an excuse.   I will leave it at this:  I had a fantastic experience at Café Cimino and would highly recommend you visit these nice folks, even if it means driving an hour from Charleston.  Make a day of it – it’s worth the $4/gallon for gas.

Dinner is served from 5 to 10 pm Tuesday through Saturday.

Cafe Cimino Country Inn
616 Main Street
Sutton, WV 26601

Tel.: 1 (877) 924-6466
Local: 1 (304) 765-2913