Laura S.
Yelp
Purple Fiddle, Thomas, WV, Thurs, Dec 19. My husband and I were traveling through Davis/Thomas, WV on a Thursday afternoon in mid-December. It was rather off-season for both of these touristy towns, late for the summer's hikers in Blackwater Falls and other natural attractions and early for the winter skiers in Canaan Valley. Our daughter and SIL, who live in West Virginia, recommended Purple Fiddle. They had visited in the summer, when there was live music and a lively crowd.
We went in for a late lunch, reaching around 2:15 pm. Upon entering, we found that we were the only patrons, but the hostess assured us that they were open. We asked some questions about the menu, and my husband asked about their schedule of bands in the winter months. (It's very active, especially on weekends, even in winter). Another couple came in a few minutes after us.
FOOD. You order at the long counter where there is a chalkboard with the daily specials, plus traditional menus. My husband ordered one of the soups of the day, Creamy Tomato Basil Soup ($7.50) and a Homemade Chicken Salad Sandwich ($11.50). I ordered their Montreal Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($9.75). My husband characterized the soup (his rating: 4/5) as very good but not outstanding for his personal taste. It was served with a bag of oyster crackers. He would've preferred the soup to be thicker/more cream-based and to have more basil. His chicken salad sandwich (3.5/5), served on swirled marble rye bread, with tomato and lettuce, was also tasty -- but the bread overwhelmed the amount of chicken salad, and the rye bread fell apart along the swirls. It was served with ruffled potato chips and a pickle spear. My toasted Montreal Grilled Cheese (3/5) was also constructed on marble rye, and featured three cheeses (provolone, cheddar, and whipped cream cheese), tomato slices, and some onion. It was also served with ruffled potato chips and a pickle spear. My main issue with my sandwich was it was toasted 2-3 shades darker than I would've preferred, verging on being burnt.
We also split a dessert, the Turtle Cheesecake ($8). (4.5/5). The cheesecake featured chocolate, caramel, and some crunchies on top. The taste and texture were excellent but the slice was small for the $8 price point. The presentation also could've been better. It looked like it came directly out of the cooling case, still wrapped with Saran Wrap and a toothpick. My husband also got a coffee ($2.25, 5/5), which was full-bodied, rich, hot, and had free refills.
Overall, we rank the food as a 4/5. In all cases, it tasted fresh. It was also a good value. Our food totaled $41.58 (including $2.58 tax, but before tip). The menu is relatively small, and most of it features cold items (sandwiches, wraps, hummus plates, etc.); this is probably appropriate for a music venue. We also note that they offer a good selection of beers, which we did not want in the afternoon and while still having a lot of driving ahead of us.
AMBIANCE. (4.5/5). Overall, we liked the vibe of the restaurant. There's a stage for music performers, tables for diners/patrons, a station with hard ice creams to be scooped, memorabilia to be purchased. We suspect that it will get lively and crowded when bands are performing. We'll have to come back to check it out.
SERVICE. (4/5). The waitress took our order at the counter, delivered it to our table, and later cleared the table. She was efficient, but neither friendly nor unfriendly. She did talk a bit more with the other couple who seemed to be locals.
We would return to this restaurant.