Olivia ReederShhh.
A white house sits on the right side of the road. It doesn’t draw attention to itself. It just sits there, quietly and unassuming, while a secret society bustles in its basement. Following the cracked, historic stairs to a wooden screen door and then into the main room, there are people bustling about and the scent of good food fills the air. This secret society serves sandwiches, gourmet ones.
The Secret Sandwich society is located in Fayetteville, W.Va. just about five minutes from the New River Gorge Bridge. The interior is dark and stately; a combination of a speak easy and your grandfather’s study – this restaurant should be served with a fine Scotch sipped in plush leather chairs.
The Society serves all natural products that are free of fillers and additives – everything served there is just genuine food. The restaurant prides itself on serving local food as frequently as possible as well, including the homemade bread. This is reflected in the taste. The food tastes real.
The menu is a welcome change to normal sandwich shops. Where one might normally find a Hot Turkey and Cheese at a run of the mill shop, nothing so bland would grace the pages of the menu at The Secret Sandwich Society. Instead, patrons will find The Truman – a sandwich loaded with turkey, peach jam, blue cheese spread and crispy onions. See the difference?
It would have been in bad form to order everything on the menu, so the three of us who visited each ordered something different and then sampled from each other. Our order included a Lafayette (fried chicken cutlet, ham, swiss, blue cheese spread and honey mustard on a toasted brioche bun), a Truman (turkey, peach jam, blue cheese spread and crispy onions on a toasted baguette) and an Eisenhower (seared mortadella, ham, cherry peppers, provolone, roasted garlic mayo, red wine vinaigrette, lettuce, tomato and onion on a toasted baguette).
Each sandwich is rich and the mix of flavors is nothing sort of genius. As odd as it might sound, the sandwiches are dripping with their dressings – nothing is dry or drab on them. The Lafayette (my pick) tasted like the best Chicken Cordon Bleu that I have ever eaten, only it was in a sandwich form which somehow made it even better. The Truman pairs peaches and blue cheese in a way that most people would be afraid to try in their home kitchen, but the flavors blend magically. Finally, the Eisenhower – which was probably the biggest of the sandwiches – was a true taste experience. Although I’m not usually fond of peppers, they blended seamlessly with the garlic mayo and red wine vinaigrette to really pack the punch behind this sandwich.
At the top of the menu there is a little statement that says, “Served w/ Society Chips & homemade pickle.” Now, let’s talk about Society Chips. Society Chips are not normal chips, but you probably had guessed that already. Society Chips are house made and lightly seasoned with “Society Magic Powder.” I am not a potato chip fan, but these are delicious. However tasty they are on their own, they are at least three times that good when paired with the homemade French Onion Dip. They also offer Society Chips and Dip as an appetizer, you’ll probably want that too.
There are more than just sandwiches available at The Secret Sandwich Society. Visitors can find gourmet salads and a great children’s menu as well. Overall, The Secret Sandwich Society provides a community along with a delicious meal. The next time you’re down near the New River Gorge Bridge, be sure to swing by and give them a try.