ASHLAND — I’ve been hearing a lot about the new Happi Hut on Winchester Avenue in Ashland (across from Captain D’s), although I haven’t yet made it there myself.

The place is generally getting outstanding reviews and people seem to especially appreciate the car-hop service they provide. I will pass along that several people have commented they liked the Happi Hut’s fried pickles, although they quickly added the price was a bit high for the amount of pickles received.

Others have made similar comments about the onion rings, which one diner here at the newspaper has declared to be “the best in town.”

A lady who does this job better than I ever will said she tried the dressed hamburger (six ounce) with Velveeta cheese “and it was s-o-o-o-o good.” Her companion had the fried ham and cheese sandwich, she said, and liked it so much he used his own money to pay for another one (which is almost unheard of, she said). The fires were cooked in fresh oil, she testified, and the milkshakes and banana splits are apparently quite impressive.

I’ll make a point of stopping by there sometime this week. You can’t ignore those glowing word-of-mouth reviews!

Reservations for winery dinner

If you want to enjoy a great slice of the country in Carter County, RockSprings Winery invites you to dinner at the winery Friday evening.

The dinner will include a four-course meal, wine tasting and two signature wines. The wine tasting will get under way at 6 p.m., followed by dinner from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

The winery and surrounding vineyards are a wonderful place to enjoy yourself, and an ideal place to take any out-of-town guests.

For reservations or more information, call (606) 923-9085.

Need a massage?

The ladies at The Brow Spa at 211 15th St. in Ashland have announced the arrival of their new licensed massage therapist, Roberta Richards.

Richards specializes in Swedish massages as well as Thai stretching techniques “to help relax and relieve stress while managing your pain.” Richards brings a great deal of experience to her massage sessions, is trained to perform pregnancy massages and is known for her “hot rock therapy.”

Call (606) 324-BROW for an appointment with aromatherapy, threading (to remove unwanted hair) or a massage.

Pure Pit

 A few weeks back I wrote about Marvin and Tina Carey and their new business, Pure Pit Barbecue on U.S. 60, halfway between Olive Hill and Morehead. The couple were kind enough to bring a sample of their smoked pork and signature sauce by the newspaper and I’ve practically been smacking my lips since.

The couple dropped a note my way last week saying they are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, although they will be closed the week of May 11 for their son’s graduation.

They also promise to do their absolute best for all customers, regardless of the amount ordered.

“You can call ahead for orders, and we can have them ready when you get here, whether it is an order for a sandwich, a meal or by the pound, we will accommodate for whatever you need. If it is a dinner for one, or a large gathering, just call, and get some of the best home cookin’ around,” the note stated.

“We offer our hand-pulled pork sandwiches, our signature baked beans (which we use drippin’s from the smoked pork, you'll just have to try ’em), fresh cut french fries and cole slaw to round out the perfect barbeque meal.”

Perhaps the most important thing to know about Pure Pit Barbecue is the owners use their own barbecue sauce recipe, in addition to the experience required to cook the meat to perfection.

“Marvin makes his own barbeque sauce, just a little bit spicy, but the perfect complement to our barbeque sandwich,” they wrote, and I agree. The sauce isn’t too peppery, but it does have a good amount of “zing” to it and you may find yourself craving that flavor for days after you taste it.

For more information, directions or to place an order, call (606) 286-0911.

Coming soon

I’m certain many will be pleased to know Kyova Mall has announced several new food court vendors will soon be cooking and ready to serve the public.

The new restaurants at the mall’s food court will include Big Apple Pizza, Rivertowne Bakery & Coffee Shop and Red Hot Bluegrass BBQ & Seafood. Knot Just Pretzels will also be opening under new management.

Opening dates for each restaurant will be announced on at Facebook.com/KyovaMall.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.