Bill Hilton did some serious re-evaluating when it came to the quality and types of food he put in his body.
Battling numerous digestive issues necessitated such a change. That’s when he came across the Paleo diet and way of eating.
Paleo, primal, and the caveman diet, all are fairly interchangeable. In short, it’s supposed to mirror the diet humans consumed during paleolithic times. There’s a great emphasis on natural foods while staunchly avoiding processed foods. Meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and roots are good while processed sugars, grains, and seed oils, among others, are avoided.
“I got rid of the seed oils, the grains, the gluten,” Hilton recalled. “I was already really low carb, to begin with, but still used artificial sweeteners. I really cleaned up my diet. We started moving our diet this direction about 12 years ago and the last eight or so, have been 100 percent paleo.
“I feel so much better now. The aches and pains aren’t there and I feel better than I did in my 40s. The inflammation, it’s gone.”
Hilton wants others to experience the life-changing benefits of eating Paleo, all the while enjoying food that tastes incredible. Yes, Virginia, there is such a thing as healthy food that tastes amazing.
And it can be found at Paleonardo’s at 41761 National Road near Belmont, right on U.S. 40 past the former site of Jamboree in the Hills. The name stems from a combination between Paleo and Leonardo’s, which was the former Leonardo’s Restaurant and Bakery that Hilton operated in Wheeling between 2000 and 2008 on at its 97 River Road location.
While the menu differs, the premise of making everything from scratch using the highest quality ingredients remains. That restaurant was a nod to Hilton’s grandparents, who owned an Italian American place back in Baltimore.
So that’s where the second half of Paleonardo’s name originates. Hilton’s paying homage to his roots, his previous business venture, and a new philosophy about food, how it should taste, and how best to serve it.
Hilton opened the last week of September, originally operating his food truck in the parking lot of the former location of Thomas Auto Centers along E. Main Street in St. Clairsville.
The lunch crowd was great, but come dinner time, the customer count just wasn’t what he’d hoped. That’s when he received an opportunity to join forces, so to speak, with the folks at Route 40 Lumberjaxe.
For lunchtime, Hilton serves his delicious and healthy creations out of the window of his food truck in the Lumberjaxe parking lot. Come dinner time, once the drinks start flowing and the axes start (safely) flying inside, Paleonardo’s dinner and later its late-night menu become available to patrons inside.
It’s been an excellent pairing.
“The nice thing at night here is we say come for the food, stay for the drinks, or come for the drinks, stay for the food,” Hilton said. “There’s a younger crowd here on the weekends and we’ve found the younger generation is more aware of what they are eating than the older generations.”
The Food
Young or old, everyone likes enjoying tasty meals. The fact that they are healthy is an incredible bonus and, while not often found paired together successfully, at Paleonardo’s, that’s the reality.
“That’s one of the most common things we here is not only the food tastes great, but, that the (customers’) bellies still feel good afterward,” Hilton said.
Take a quick look at the lunch or dinner menus. While geared toward the Paleo eater, or simply a customer looking to eat better, carnivore-style diners can also find plenty to eat without having to make a special order or simply not eat half of the food ordered.
The ingredients are of the highest quality. Hilton noted his pork is a heritage breed that is pasture raised and not confined; the beef is grass-fed AND grass-finished, then aged. The chickens are a rare heritage breed, raised in a pasture.
But his biggest seller? Shrimp.
“All of those cuts of meat aren’t cheap because of the quality but the most expensive dish I have is the shrimp and it’s far and away the biggest seller,” Hilton said. “It goes back and forth between the shrimp alfredo and the N’awlins BBQ shrimp.”
Hilton’s kitchen is decently sized, but he’s usually a one-man crew while also receiving help from his wife. Because of the size of the truck, they try to maximize space while also being versatile with the menu. That’s why he “double and triples uses” sometimes, especially the proteins.
“The ham, which is uncured and has no sugar added, is the same ham that’s in the ham salad, same as the ham and Swiss, the same as in the Cordon Bleu,” Hilton said.
But circling back, another big seller is the BBQ pulled pork. But how? How do you get zero sugar added, while still achieving that BBQ flavor?
No, Hilton doesn’t use Stevia or other artificial sweeteners. What he’s found that works to truly meet the best of both worlds, is a “sweetener” called Allulose.
“It’s a rare sugar, but it’s not an artificial sweetener. It comes from plants,” Hilton said. “It acts just like sugar when you bake it, which the artificial sweeteners, or monk fruits, or Stevia can do. And it tastes exactly like sugar.”
The best part? There’s no impact on insulin levels or blood sugar. Hilton said he’s had diabetic customers come in with questions surrounding the allulose and he’s happy to provide more information to assure them that there’s no issue with them eating food containing allulose.
Bit of History and News
How bad were Hilton’s digestive troubles? You know the jokes people make about eating fast food and needing to rush to the bathroom even before leaving the parking lot?
Yeah, for Hilton, that was more real than facetious banter.
“Fast food was very problematic for me and I don’t want to go into the details,” he noted.
While that’s more of a reflection on his stomach issues than general post-fast food malaise, Hilton did add that he even avoids some foods considered paleo, including kale, chard, spinach, and other dark, leafy veggies. Some enjoy nuts while eating Paleo. Don’t count Bill among them. They, too, negatively affect his stomach.
What Hilton learned through trial and error, modifying and developing his new way of eating, is now available to his customers.
Lunch hours are 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., with evening hours kicking off inside Route 40 Lumberjaxe from 5-8 p.m. or later, depending on the night.
Customers wanting that Paleonardo’s experience at lunchtime are able to order ahead by ordering online at Paleonardos.com and having their food hot and ready upon arrival.
Hilton is also ironing out the details for third-party delivery with DoorDash and once that’s available, an even greater customer base will have access to Paleonardo’s full lineup.
Like health foody but don’t like doing meal prep? Paleonardo’s can help you as well, as Hilton offers some of his top creations, in family sized meals, to be purchased and eaten later. He also offers a special order menu for events.
In short, it’s about as close to guilt-free eating as you will find. No sugar, no grains, no gluten, nothing processed nor synthesized.
There was no red dye No. 40 back in caveman days and you won’t find any here either.
And yes, the Fat Man did eateth and partake in some of Hilton’s creations and there will be a full report detailed next week.
