I do not remember how we found out about it. But we did, and we are certainly glad we got to experience it even though it proved to be far less than what we would have liked.

 

It was a true “hidden gem” in every sense of the word. Although once you found it, it was easy to get to, it did require some skill getting there if your GPS was not in service or you were lacking in having one.

 

The place I am talking about is in Upshur County. And it was a restaurant.

 

The restaurant was The Hillbilly Grill. The line “was a restaurant” is not a mistake.

 

On July 30, at 6:59 p.m., The Hillbilly Grill went on its Facebook page and announced they would be closing. Not because of bad food, a lack of business, or anything related to things they could control through their actions.

 

The closure was well beyond what they could control. During the disastrous flooding of late July, The Hillbilly Grill was one of so many businesses, homes, pieces of private property, and infrastructure that just got in the way of Mother Nature. Whether good or bad, Mother Nature is undefeated.

 

After 17 years, the post was simple and to the point. The point was pointing to “too much flood damage” to continue.

 

Before I go further, I need to be clear. I was not a regular customer as alluded to in the lead. Since we found out half a dozen years or so ago, we have gone six or seven times, and it had been more than a year since we last made the trip down I-79 south as part of the journey to get there in what was usually about a 45-minute trip.

 

It was, without a question, worth every single minute of that trip. What was waiting was the best comfort food I have had in a long time, and perhaps ever.

 

Before I get to the star of the show, the food, a talk about the trip. All you had to do was hit Interstate 79 south and travel to the Weston exit and take US 33 into Upshur County. For those who know landmarks better than roadways, you would drive on 33 all the way to the stop light by Jenkins Ford and Buckhannon Toyota and take a right onto Brushy Fork Road.

 

From there, you traveled a few miles (not more than 5, but not less than 2 – I am guessing) before you turned right again onto Brushy Fork of Stone Coal Creek. It was when you made the turn here you thought your initial directions were wrong.

 

They were not.

 

You traveled on a road for about a mile that was semi-paved and less than forgiving, but far from impassable. Then, there was a clearing and in the middle of the clearing sat a restaurant, with a wood cabin style, and a large gravel parking lot.

 

Once inside, you were greeted by a wide open dining area that included plenty of pieces of taxidermy on the wall. There was also an outside dining area separated from the main space by a sliding glass door.

 

The menu was not small, but far from large. And there were specials that went from Filet Mignon down to The Redneck Burger.

 

As noted, the menu was comfort food. Plenty of meat and potato options, burgers and more.

 

What really stood out to me, however, were the portions. The amount of food you got from The Hillbilly Grill was akin to getting takeout from an all-you-can-eat buffet and feeling your Styrofoam box until it was ready to explode.

 

In fact, my first time there I ordered something I rarely ever ordered. The guy sitting at the table next to me had a country fried steak dinner and the look and smell of it got the best of me. It is obvious the price was right and the portion on his plate looked to be about the size of catcher’s mitt had me on board.

 

Then, it got better. The meal included a salad, a dinner roll, and two sides. I asked for two sides of mashed potatoes and the waitress (who to this day I wish I could remember because she was fantastic with our group) was kind enough to tell me that it would not be necessary. I told her I loved mashed potatoes, and that it was not a problem. Then, she kindly explained the portion would be gigantic, and I should consider another side. I ordered green beans.

 

First, the salad came out. Large, exceptionally large, but not the star of the early proportion size show. A piping hot roll accompanied it. The only way to describe it, and this may not apply to all, is that if you were fortunate enough to have public school cooks that made rolls that were as tall as they were wide and fluffy from first to last bite then you know what I am talking about. If not, just know it was good – and monstrous.

 

That was followed by the chicken fried steak and two sides. On this occasion, the green beans came on a separate plate because there was not enough room due to the size of the steak enough mashed potatoes for three individuals (I also got gravy on the side, and they brought it out in a bowl).

 

I never came close to eating it all. Not because I did not like it, but because I am not related to Joey Chestnut. Every single person in our group took food home, and a lot of it.

 

We would go back. A couple of times for birthday parties, and a couple of times just to eat, or in my case gorge. I got a ribeye steak special once that was as big as a hubcap and around $20 It was good; it was always good.

 

Now, it is gone. I often have food regrets, and this is one of them. I wish I had made more trips to get more of that comfort food. The only consolation is that Bridgeport and all of Harrison County have a whole lot to offer on the culinary front, but I hate that this option is gone for all the wrong reasons.

 

I hope, for those folks that kept the business going for nearly two decades, they know exactly what type of treasure they had. I hope they know that they brought a lot of happiness along the way as well by sharing that treasure.

 

Fare thee well to The Hillbilly Grill. You did your customers right and made your community proud.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the quaint building housing the former Hillbilly Grill. The remaining photos shows some of what was cooked up at the restaurant.