Maggie Matsko
tracy toler
Des Barkalov, owner and founder of
The Block Restaurant and Wine Cellar,
has always had a passion for wine. Originally from Bulgaria, both his maternal
and paternal grandparents were involved
in the wine-making business. Growing up
surrounded by beautiful wineries instilled
in him this love, which is where his path to
The Block—an urban restaurant and wine
bar in downtown Charleston, WV—began.
After high school and a stint in the Army,
Barkalov accepted a position as a wine
tender with Royal Caribbean International. “The experience I gained with that
position led me to where I am now,” he
says. “For six years, I got to travel all over
the world, explore 80 countries and dine in
many different places.” That’s also where
he realized his passion for food.
With the combination of his food and
wine knowledge, it was only natural that
Barkalov put his talents to work in the
restaurant industry. When he first came to
Charleston in 2005, he opened The Wine
Valley, a quaint wine bar with a European
atmosphere, in Teays Valley. After a few
years of success, he was ready for his next
business venture: The Block.
The opening of The Block on Capitol
Street came at the perfect time for Barkalov.
“The previous owner of this space wanted
something different to be brought downtown,
and I was ready for a new project,” he says.
“Everything came into place since the entire
philosophy of this restaurant is to offer
something unique to the area.”
That uniqueness begins in the kitchen,
where every dish is prepared with fresh
ingredients and nothing is packaged or
frozen—just the way Barkalov says food
should be. Every entrée is approached with
creativity in mind by one of the restaurant’s
talented chefs, something Barkalov strongly
advocates. “Here at The Block, I encourage experimental cooking with the kitchen
staff because I believe that’s how some of
the best dishes are made, and change is
always a good thing,” he says. As a result,
the restaurant has plans to change its menu
every two to three months.
“To slightly mimic The Wine Valley’s
ever-changing menu, I want to meet a
new level in the restaurant industry by
giving our customers the highest quality
food, as well as a place that is anything
but ordinary,” he says.
Des Barkalov,
owner
The Block offers lunchtime customers
a casual feel with an urban twist with
dishes like Marcona Chicken Salad,
Eggplant Pesto Panini and Crab Cakes
with Quinoa Fresca. During the evenings,
patrons can choose from a dinner menu
of traditional entrees with bold flavors,
including the French pork
chop, spinach-stuffed chicken ExEdge
and handmade pasta.
American grapes
The Block also offers 500 are the most
different varieties of wine commonly grown
from around the world and for wine production
more than 60 craft beers, a east of the
Rocky Mountains
selection that gives Barkalov because they’re
something to boast about cold-hardy and
while enabling him to offer disease-resistant.
his customers an atypical Source: www.
take on the traditional happy agriculture.
hour. “I started building up wv.govfarmwv.org
the wine collection at The
Wine Valley four years ago, and we are
constantly adding to the selection,” he says.
“A large number of wines we have in the
cellar are from family-owned wineries that
focus on the craft of wine making while
being affordable. The prices of our wines
range from a casual dinner to a fancy night
out—we have something for everyone.”
The Block Restaurant and Wine Cellar
is located at 201 Capitol Street in Charleston. Business hours are Monday-Thursday,
11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday,
11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 12-9 p.m.
www.wvexecutive.com
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