DubVmenus Dining

Premier restaurant reviews and dining guide for Morgantown, West Virginia.

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Regatta Bar & Grille

My friend, Ben, and I went to the Regatta Bar & Grille located at the Waterfront Place Hotel to celebrate my birthday. It's a higher priced restaurant, typical for most located inside a hotel, but for a special occasion, I splurged. I think their menu changes occasionally, so be aware of that.

Parking is available in the neighboring garage, and the restaurant validates it so you don't have to worry about paying. However, when I went this time, our dinner lasted about two hours today. That's fine, because we were chatting. But apparently 2 hours is around $4, and the validation is only good for $3. So I had to call for help, as I was already at the gate with cars behind me. I was disappointed that there's a pretty short time they allow you to park. Luckily, the parking attendant let me go, not that he had another choice, but I'll keep that in mind for next time.

Back to the dining experience. I had a short wait while they cleaned the table, then we were seated next to a flickering fireplace. The dining area isn't too large, but there were a few booths lined along the wall and tables in the center. A nice bar was situated behind us. Monorail yellow and pink lights were overhead and made for a romantic setting.

We were served a small basket with two dinner rolls and some breadsticks, along with some butter and a cream cheesey butter. Basic flavors here.

Looking over the menu, the first thing that caught my eye was the "Spicy Chili-Garlic Seared Atlantic Salmon." It was served with a house salad, as well as sweet mirin rice and julienne vegetables on the side for $18. The suggested wine pairing was a MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir '08 ~ Sonoma, California, which was a tasty, smooth wine.

First, though, the house salad came out. I wasn't expecting much, since it was packaged with the entree. But it was something, alright. Packed with iceberg, romaine, spinach, bacon, gorgonzola, red onion, roasted tomatoes, all in a white balsamic. This was phenomenal. Creative, delicious, yet simple.

My entree was out not too long afterward. A long, white plate housed a large, pink filet of salmon, coated with a red chili sauce, all on top of that sticky rice and julienne veggies. I took for granted their definition of "spicy." I took a bite, and my lips were warm and tingly. But the flavors were powerful. The fish was tender, delicate even, and the spicy sauce added a nice kick. I paired it with the rice to add a base so I didn't get too heated. It really was delicious; it wasn't just hot for the sake of being hot. The chili flavor was fantastic, and the heat only enhanced the flavors of the salmon. The sides were a great pairing to keep the spice from overtaking my tastebuds.

I'm two for two on dishes so far, so I ordered dessert: World Famous "Carnegie Deli" cheesecake. Large: check. Creamy: check. A couple strawberries and whipped cream were nice. I think some stripes of strawberry or caramel sauce could have done wonders, but it's hard to mess up a cheesecake. Pretty tasty.

While I'm usually skeptical of hotel restaurants, this one did pretty well with my meal. I'd be happy to check it out again.

Grade: A

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Rio Grande III

Located in Sabraton, this Mexican restaurant is often in competition with Los Mariachis for the best food in town. A good friend of mine just came back from Mexico, and she was wanting to head to her favorite local restaurant: Rio Grande III.

This is the third location. Others are in Beckly and Nitro, I believe. Tons of parking, a few different dining areas and strong margaritas are some features of this restaurant. The food is also mighty tasty. It's tex-mex, really. It's not truly authentic Mexican food, but nowhere in Morgantown is. But it sure is delicious.

                        Our waiter was extremely nice, and my friend even spoke Spanish with him for a few minutes. I don't, so I was left out of that conversation and used the time to look over my menu. I already knew a margarita was necessary - one glass, frozen, strawberry. That'll cost you $5.95, but it won't be lacking in the tequila area. I also order a water to help balance out. While we looked over the menu, we were brought a basket of chips and salsa. This salsa has some bite to it. My mouth was on fire after a few bites, nothing the margarita couldn't put out, but I held off.

I ordered the quesadilla relleno chicken, which is a flour tortilla stuffed with chicken, cheese, beans, grilled peppers and served with a side of lettuce, sour cream, tomato and guacamole. It came out, it seems, within minutes. This thing was so big, it took up most of my plate. The chicken was tender, the veggies grilled soft with a slight bite and the cheese combined everything into one cohesive delicious taste of Mexico.

In the fight for top Mexican restaurant in town, I think Rio Grande can put up a tough argument.

Grade: A

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China Wok

                      China Wok is a Chinese restaurant in Westover. I’ve passed this place probably 100 times, but I never stopped in. Chris and I were in the mood for Chinese food the other day, so we decided to try a new place instead of the usual go-tos.

I logged onto DubVmenus and places my order for a combination plate of General Tso’s chicken. It comes with an eggroll, and you can also choose a shrimp eggroll or pork-fried rice. I chose pork-fried rice, but in the comments section, I asked for white rice. We also put in an order for crab cheese rangoons. My total was around the average: I spent about $25 for two combination plates, the rangoons and delivery charge/tip.

I really wasn’t sure how long it would take since this place is located in Westover, and I am not. Much to their credit, they made it to my place in about 25 minutes. A lovely man knocked on my door, handed me a smiley face plastic bag and went on his way.

Two large white plastic containers contained our entrees (I love these and save them for Tupperware) and a smaller plastic bag had some deep-fried crab cheese rangoons. The General Tso’s sauce was spicy and sweet. Thick, laden with chili peppers, and packing a little heat, this sauce was perfection. I wish I could have said the same for the chicken, but the quality wasn’t the best, with stringy, chewy pieces of chicken occasionally.

The crab cheese rangoons’ mixture is very smooth and creamy. I prefer it to be slightly more crumbly, but it was tasty. I was surprisingly impressed with this restaurant, and I’m happy I gave it a try. It’s a nice change from what I usually order because it’s just as tasty but a little different.

Grade: B

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PeppeBroni's Pizza

PeppeBroni’s Pizza (ignore the name) is a new pizza place on Chestnut Ridge Road in place of where the Original Pizzeria used to be. I’m sad to see it go, as I’ve often said it’s my second-favorite in Morgantown. Alas, its time has come to an end and a college-named pizza joint is in its place.

This plaza has a good bit of parking, unlike most restaurants near the WVU campuses. Walking inside, the PeppeBroni's looks nearly identical to the old Original Pizzeria. A half dozen booths and a large countertop where customers order are the core components of this small place.

A small markerboard had their special listed: A $5 14” cheese pizza for WVU students. Sold. Fourteen inches is their “small” pizza by the way. Their medium is 16” and the large is 18”. Not too shabby. I also got a small fountain drink, which would probably be a large anywhere else, for around $7 total. They boast their New York-style pizza, but they’re dishing out West Virginia-size portions. I’m a fan.

                   I filled up my fountain drink, which I love having the option to choose. This is because I tend to mix Coke, Cherry Coke and Mello-Yello. I know it’s weird, but it’s honestly really good. Anyway, that’s why I like fill-it-yourself fountain drinks. My friend and I took our seats and awaiting our pizzas.

They came out served on giant metal trays, with a side of a paper plate for an individual portion. Thin crust, tangy tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese made this pie delicious. It’s very similar to the Original Pizzeria – not sure what the connection is here – but it was good. Was it exactly the same? No. I think the crust here is actually slightly thicker here on the edges. But is it damn close? Yep. This place is pretty high in my ranks of favorite pizzas – within the top 5.

The service wasn’t bad. The guy who waited on us was polite, but a friend or two were inside the restaurant, and they were joking back and forth. Not the most professional, but it wasn’t offensive, either. They gave us some boxes to pack up the rest of our huge pizza, and I was on my way.

For a convenient, cheap, tasty pizza try this place. Again, the name of the place isn’t the most appealing for those hoping to get a quality pie. Give it a chance; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Grade: A 

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Great Wall

Great Wall is one of the most popular delivery/take-out Chinese places in Morgantown. I think it's because of its convenient location on High Street, because the food isn't overwhelmingly great. It's not bad, but it's not enough for me to name it my favorite Chinese place.

I ordered from Great Wall not too long ago just because my go-to, China One, was closed this particular day. I was feeling some delivery, so I hopped on DubVmenus.com. I called three times before it finally got through. Since the phone was busy, I was expecting a long wait time. I was pleasantly surprised that my wait was only 45 minutes. A knock on my door, and a plastic bag with a smiley face enveloped a brown paper bag full of Chinese delights.

A large plastic container contained half breaded chicken pieces and half pork-fried rice. I prefer white rice, but pork-fried is the default and I forgot to mention otherwise. A small container filled with sweet and sour sauce and an eggroll accompanied the combination platter. I also ordered a side of crab cheese rangoons.

The breaded chicken breast wasn't bad, but it mostly tastes like the breading - grease. The sweet and sour sauce is fairly runny and not bursting with flavor. The pork-fried rice taste like the same greasy, fried batter. The same can go for the crab cheese rangoons. I could barely taste the cheese - I just tasted the greasy outer shell. My mouth was coated with this grease that made everything I ate from this place taste the same. It was heavy, but that's partly my fault. Next time I'll order a chicken and sauce entree or something with veggies. I thought the sweet and sour sauce would help offset all the breading, but it didn't have much flavor either.

The best part of my meal, though, was the eggroll. It was perfect. The outside was golden brown and crispy, and the inside was light with delicious veggies. I usually skip over eggrolls when given the option, but Great Wall's are the best.

The price was reasonable: $16 for everything, including delivery tip. And I'm sure a lot of college kids wouldn't have the aversion to grease that I've developed. In smaller amounts, it wouldn't be so bad. I definitely need to switch it up next time, though.

Grade: C

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Archie's Restaurant & Pub

A little while ago, I tried to eat at Archie's. When my group of friends and I walked in the door, a man requested $5 from us. What? Apparently there was a band playing, and you had to pay $5 to enter. But I just wanted to eat dinner. No go, according to that doorman. So we left.

Recently, I decided to give this place another try. When my friend and I walked into the Sabraton restaurant this time, we were greeted much more warmly. A man from behind the bar straight ahead told us to sit wherever we liked. There was a dining area to the left and another to the right. We headed right, amongst tons of high-top tables, to sit next to their Christmas tree.

                                We had a very, very friendly waitress. She took our drink orders, brought our menus and then asked our names. That was confusing, but I guess she just wanted to be friendly. We put in an order for honey BBQ wings as an appetizer. When they came out, I must say, I wasn't very impressed. The flavor was okay - not very zesty - but the texture kind of threw me. The skin was like a slimy, fatty coating. I much prefer them to be a little crispier. And these had bone-in. I really like the boneless ones, but these were okay. I probably wouldn't order them again, though.

For the entree, I ordered the whale of a fish sandwich. It was 10 oz. of haddock on a sub bun with tartar sauce, tomato and lettuce. This sandwich was huge! It was cut in half, so it really did look like two full sandwiches. The first bite I took was a ton of breading and a little fish. That made for a pretty dry sandwich. Once I got further into the sandwich, I could taste the tartar, just not very well in proportion to the rest of the sandwich. I asked the waitress for extra tartar sauce to help this sandwich out a bit - it was too dry without it. The extra tartar cup definitely added some flavor and made the sandwich more cohesive. It did, however, contain a ton of relish. That's not my preference. So, it was okay. The sandwich came with a side of chips, which was a nice crunchy, salty addition.

As we were getting ready to leave, other people started to trickle in. Unfortunately, you're still able to smoke in there, so I'm glad we got out before it got too smokey inside. All in all, a pretty average experience and food.

Grade: C

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Saffron

Sometimes I just get a craving that I cannot shake. This happened to be the case recently with Indian food. My usual go-to is Mother India, but it was a Monday, so it was closed. But then I remembered there is another Indian restaurant, tucked away on the Mileground: Saffron. 

So a friend and I ventured to the Mileground to quench this craving. Saffron is, luckily, open on Monday. The restaurant is quite small, with a handful of booths and tables. To my dismay, the buffet was not available. We arrived at around 8 p.m., and they are open until 10 p.m., but I suppose we were too late. That's okay - I know my favorite dishes anyway.

Our waiter brought us waters and menus. It was honestly quite different ordering off a menu in an Indian restaurant - I've really only tackled the buffet. But they had appetizers, vegetarian dishes, chicken dishes, seafood dishes and others. I scanned the menu until I found "chicken tikka masala," one of my favorite all-time dishes. This dish is boneless chicken, simmered in onions, bell peppers and tomatoes, all in a creamy sauce. At Saffron, you get to choose how spicy you want your dish on a scale of 0 to 10. I opted for a 2. I know, I know, not crazy adventurous. But, hey, I don't like super spicy things, and I want to really enjoy my meal.

I unfolded the fancy napkin and waited. The dining area has some interesting decorations, like a sculpted elephant head on the wall and some art made out of fabrics. A curtain hid the entryway to the restrooms. It wasn't indulgent and decadent with golds and reds, but it was simple, with a few luxurious touches.

My food arrived in two small dishes - one with the basmati rice and the other full of chicken tikka masala. I scooped some of each onto my plate - the delicious, mouth-watering smell alone was enough to give this dish an A. The dish has a very creamy, curry-based sauce. Big chunks of tender roasted chicken soak up the goodness. It had an amazing blend of spices and flavors - cumin, paprika, lemon, cilantro - just fantastic.

I also ordered the kheer for dessert, which is basically a rice pudding. It, too, was creamy in a sweet, light way. The food was delicious. It was a bit pricey - $20 for a main dish and a small dessert - but it really was delicious. I'll need to double-check their buffet times, though, as that may be the more cost-efficient way to go.

Grade: A

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Peking House

Peking House is one of the few sit-down Chinese restaurants in town. Want Chinese food, but without the tackiness of a buffet? Peking House is definitely the way to go. Peking House is located on Van Voorhis Road, with plenty of parking, and some great service.

When my friend and I walked in, we were immediately seated, with a pot of hot tea awaiting us as well as two glasses of water. Our waitress was very sweet and accommodating - she even asked us if we had a preference where we sat. The menu consisted of a page of chef specialties, and then the usual dining options - some appetizers, then pork, beef, seafood and chicken options.

                              I ultimately decided on my old faithful options: an order of cheese wontons and sweet and sour chicken. I had been craving rice pudding all day. On a whim, my friend asked if they happened to have it. While our waitress had no idea what we were talking about, she then brought out her manager who talked to us about rice pudding. He wasn't really sure what we were asking for either, but he joked with us about it for a minute and tried to address our question the best he could.

                           Our waitress brought out a big platter of rice, which you share. This communal rice dish is kind of cool because it's more intimate. Plus they bring you as much as you need.

The cheese wontons were a little different than what I'm used to. They were basically all cream cheese inside. I like it when there's a good bite of crab and some other herbs in there, rather than plain cream cheese.

Our food was served on these large dishes. We also had smaller dishes where we could combine the rice and our entree. Mine came out piping hot and delicious. Large chunks of battered white chicken with some green bell peppers, carrots, and pineapple chunks in a tangy sweet and sour sauce. I can't say a bad thing about this dish. It seems like it was prepared meticulously with a lot of love. It was delicious. The veggies were fresh. The chicken was of good quality, and I loved the textures of the veggies and flavors of the sauce.

My whole meal was cheaper than what I'd pay for delivery for a single entree. And the quality is much better. This restaurant is truly a little gem in Morgantown. I even had some to take home. But, I think my fortune is a little off.

Grade: A

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Dragonfly

I tried Dragonfly closer to when it first opened, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. I thought I'd give it a second try since it's been around for awhile and has recently come under new management. I can say my experience has definitely changed from the first time to the most recent time.

                    When I walked in the restaurant, the overall look is very swanky and posh. The interior is very nice. It's sophisticated and sleek, but very dimly lit. A large bar area is lit, and a raised area near the windows has some a few tables to people watch. When I walked in, our waiter, John, greeted us and asked us if we had reservations. He asked if we had a preference for where to sit, and I chose an area close to the window. He set down this small service bar, which has buttons for service, refills or checks. What a great idea. Our service was so impeccable, though, that we never needed it. He also immediately brought out two glasses of water while we looked over the menus.

I really wanted to try a little bit of everything here. I ordered some sushi first: Dynamite Roll and Tempura Shrimp Roll. The Dynamite roll contained crab meat, cucumber, avocado and baked spicy, crunchy salmon with spicy mayo and eel sauce for $12. It consisted of about 10 rolls. It was phenomenal. It's almost like a fantastic California roll, but amped up with some delicious salmon on top. The ingredients were fresh, the rolls were tight, and the flavors were refreshing and dynamic. No raw fish in this roll, so it's also an easy on for beginners. This is one of my new favorite rolls.

The tempura shrimp roll has tempura shrimp, avocado, and cucumber, which is topped with spicy mayo and green onion. This one is $9.50. It comes with only five rolls, and in typical fashion with shrimp tempura rolls, two of the rolls are ends of shrimp. These are always kind of awkward to eat, but they're pretty. The flavors were tasty here, as well. The tempura was crispy, the veggies were fresh, and the sauces added a nice delicate touch.

For my entree, I ordered the pad thai, which consists of shrimp, egg, peanuts, bean sprouts, peppers, onions, and of course, the flat noodles. My portion size was huge. The first thing I noticed were these large, plump shrimp on my plate. That was a nice surprise from the typical pad thai I get. When I bit into it, it was slightly different from what I was expecting. The sauce seem almost more condensed and stronger than I'm used to. But it wasn't bad. In fact, I liked it. Some crunchy veggies helped break up the huge carb-loaded pasta dish, and it added some freshness to the dish. I enjoyed this dish, too. The sushi was definitely hard to follow, though. I had so much leftover, our waiter graciously boxed it up, and even wrote the date on the box for leftovers for later.

Since our experience so far had been fantastic, we decided to try dessert. Boy, was that a good decision. We ordered their specialty that night - a deep-fried raspberry cheesecake with ice cream. Oh my goodness, it was one of the best desserts I've had in town. The light crispy batter on the creamy cheesecake, the tart sweetness of the raspberry combined with the frigid smooth vanilla ice cream was beyond words. I hope this is a regular occurrence because I would go solely for the dessert - it was that good.

One other thing that this restaurant does and does well is their service. I'm just going to say it's the best service I've ever had in Morgantown. If all waiters are as fabulous as John, customers are in for a treat. This place is a bit on the pricier side, so special occasions would be a great time to check it out.

Grade: A

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Naticakes

I went to Naticakes when it just opened up in the Suncrest Towne Centre. It's great to see businesses finally opening up there. Naticakes has a cool story about why it was started, and 10 percent of all its proceeds go to the Natalie Wynn Carter Foundation, which is committed to improving the lives of children throughout the world.

I have never been to a solely frozen yogurt shop, so I was excited to try a new place. When you walk inside, it has a Victorian-esque feel. The decorations are slightly mismatched in a very elegant way, and some of the tables are so white, they're sterile, while others are weathered and fancy.

                             As soon as we walked in, we were greeted. The young man explained the process to me. Basically, there are a dozen choices of frozen yogurt and a plethora of toppings to put on. He asked us if we'd like to sample any of the frozen yogurts. He had small cups that he filled with whichever yogurt we wished. I tried the peanut butter - not bad, the cookies and cream - very creamy, cheesecake - had some bite to it, the original tart - a unique flavor, and a few others. They also had some sorbet - fruity and slightly tart.

                     After tasting most of them, I grabbed one of the cups that are located to the left of the machines and filled it to my heart's content. Naticakes prices your dessert upon weight. So it doesn't matter how many yogurts you put in it or how many toppings you choose, it just matters what the total weight is. So, I filled half my cup with cookies and cream and the other half with pomegranate raspberry sorbet. That way I could try the fruity toppings and the chocolate toppings.

I scooted over to the toppings area. It was packed: Reese's, Snickers, Twix, Oreos, Gummi Bears, Gummi Worms, chocolate chips, M&Ms, Heath bars, Whoppers, Butterfingers, Reese's Pieces, Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, pound cake, coconut, Junior Mints, nuts, Rice Krispie treats, sprinkles, raspberries and strawberries - I probably missed a few, too.

I scooped as much of the candy and chocolate onto my cookies and cream side, and the gummi candies and raspberries onto my sorbet side. I put it on the scale, and my total came to around $5. That's not too shabby.

The pomegranate raspberry sorbet was nice and sweet, refreshing and fruity. The small bits of fruit added another dimension with some texture. The gummi bears were fun. The cookies and cream yogurt was rich and creamy. I had a little bit of Snickers, Reese's and Butterfinger in there, which basically boiled down to the taste of chocolate chunks in the yogurt. It was fun, tasty and interactive. I'm not sure there's anything like this in town. I liked customizing my dessert, free of restriction, to my exact specifications. And it was cold, creamy and light. I'll be back.

Grade: A

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Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse

I was in the mood for hibachi the other day, so Chris and I hit up Fujiyama for a good time. Located on Venture Drive, Fujiyama is bit further out of the way, so I was hoping it'd be less busy. When we walked inside the restaurant, there were these tacky signs that said to make sure to close the outside doors before opening the inside. I understand the concept, I guess, it just really cheapens it before even walking in. Once we did walk in, there was a large fountain, with another sign, that said not to throw coins in it. This wasn't looking good.

We walked to the hostess stand and said we'd like the grill. She seated us immediately. We were the first couple on our side of the grill - the other side was already halfway through their meal. We ordered drinks as we looked over our menu. If you've been to a hibachi restaurant before, you know how it works. If you sit at the grill, you order a hibachi dinner - most of these are either chicken, steak, scallops, shrimp or fish. Sometimes a combination. These come with a side of rice or noodles and vegetables and sometimes two pieces of shrimp. I ordered the hibachi scallops. Chris opted for the hibachi salmon and shrimp. We also got an order of California rolls.

Another couple was seated at our grill. It's always a little awkward because it turns into communal dining if you're not already with a large group of people. But it makes it a fun experience, too. Our sushi came out quickly. Small rolls, but they were fine. Not entirely flavorful, but not bad either. 

Next, we got our miso soup. I'm not a big fan of miso soup - it's okay. It's a warm broth with a few pieces of tofu. I had about half the bowl. It warmed me up and got my tastebuds going. 

Next was their salad. If you're familiar with this cuisine, a small salad with a ginger dressing is typically served. I'm also not a fan of this. It's typical for the cuisine - it's just not my taste. I was ready for my entree. 

                            Finally, the chef came out and put on his show. He was very chatty. He was doing all the tricks. The onion volcano, the tossing of the egg on the spatula, and the throwing the shrimp into customers' mouths. Of course, I missed mine. Both times. Our chef even had a shot (two) of sake with the other guy at our grill. He was entertaining, and we had fun. Sometimes these things can get tacky, but he was very personable so it wasn't like he was just putting on a show with us. He was very interactive. It was welcoming.

When the whole show was over, I finally had my plate full of huge scallops, a heaping pile of noodles, some vegetables and two pieces of shrimp. We had the two dipping sauces - the darker one he said is for the red meat, and the "yum yum" sauce is good for everything else. Which it was. The scallops he cooked were huge. Delicious and huge. Fresh, cooked right in front of me, and grilled to perfection. Dipped a little in the yum yum sauce to give it a kick. It was delicious. The noodles were so flavorful - the yakisoba, like lo mein, give a carb to help balance the dish. The veggies are grilled and delicious, so that layer rounds out the meal. So a balanced meal, add a couple shrimp, and you have a huge dinner that most people can't finish in one sitting. At least I can't.

It's a good meal, enough for another meal, and entertaining. A little on the pricey side - expect to spend about $60 for two, but it's food and entertainment. It's about what I expected from a Hibachi place, so no big surprises, but nothing disappointed either. Plus it's great to see exactly how your food is cooked and get a little show on the side.

Grade: A

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Coach's Bar & Grille

Coach's takes out lots of ads on the local radio station, WVAQ, so I've heard about it fora while now. I just never had the chance to stop in here. It's located on Collins Ferry Road, so not too far a drive from my workplace for a quick lunch. I'm not familiar with that part of town, but it wasn't far at all. We just drove down Collins Ferry Road until I saw the "Coach's" sign. The parking was awkward - it looked to only be a handful of spots, but there could have been more that I didn't see. It looks to be part of an apartment complex, almost.

            Anyway, when we walked inside, the first thing I noticed was how dark it was. Yes, I know it's a bar. But they offer lunch, so it's weird to have it so dark for a lunch place. But we had someone greet us, and we could choose where to sit. It was huge inside. There was another level down some stairs, but we didn't even venture that far. We stayed in the large front room and took the last booth, which was also huge. It wasn't just two benches across from one another, it was a semicircle, so we probably could have fit four or five more people in there. TVs were plastered everywhere, and it looked like there were pool tables. The bar was pretty big. Seems like a good place to watch the game.

Menus, condiments and paper towels were already on the table. I decided on a club sandwich because ... well, there weren't a ton of options that looked appealing - hot dogs, a few sandwiches and some appetizers. I also ordered a house salad. They didn't have french, so I opted for ranch.

A few minutes later, my salad came out. A chunk of lettuce, with some cheese and about two pieces of tomato - exactly what I hate. I love some veggies, so this just wasn't what I was hoping for. I went to pour my dressing on and realized it was chunky. Hmm, that's because it was bleu cheese. Since I had already poured it on the best part of the salad, I just decided to use it instead of ask for ranch. Luckily I'm okay with bleu cheese. A lot of other people wouldn't be. 

My sandwich came out not too long after. It was huge. It was basically a giant wad of turkey and ham, with some soggy tomatoes, a couple pieces of bacon, lettuce and virtually no mayo. It's one of those sandwiches that is so tall, you have to basically unhinge your jaw to eat it, and then it's not even worth it. The ingredients weren't fresh, and there wasn't a good balance. It was basically just like eating a ham and turkey sandwich. The tomato was flavorless, and I had a few bits of bacon now and then. It was disappointing - no flavor, no creativity, no balance. But, I guess I got spoiled by some of the sports bars who can do lunch well. I'll stick to one of those next time.

Grade: C

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The Cupcakerie

America developed an obsession with cupcakes in the past couple of years. Small cupcake-only shops sprung up all over the country. I visited my first, Georgetown Cupcake, two years ago. That was before that shop had a television show. Cupcakes became the cute, trendy thing. They propelled into popularity because of their excellent portion controlled size. Even Morgantown has its own cupcake shop, The Cupcakerie.

Located right on Willey Street, this small shop is prime location for foot traffic. A shop dedicated to only cupcakes. It's a cute idea, and I love that it's something different. Yes, it might be trendy, and yes, it might be this whimsical kind of notion, but it's a nice addition to Morgantown because it's not the same burger joint or bar-trying-to-be-a-restaurant. I stopped in the other day to try it out. I had been awaiting its opening forever. I kept calling, and the opening date kept getting pushed back. But finally, it opened.

                              I walked in, and the shop is a long, somewhat narrow space. It is whimsical, with pink stripes everywhere and crystals and a chandelier. There's a small countertop with maybe a half-dozen varieties of cupcakes with small signs in front that name the flavor. A couple tables are inside to sit and enjoy your sweet treats.

I walked up to the counter and got entirely too exited. I had to think about this rationally. A regular cupcake was $2.50. But, the mini ones were $7 for 6. That didn't sound bad - all I needed was to taste each one. So I got one of nearly every one they had that day. I was really happy with the concept of these minis. I could get a bunch of different flavors, just a bite of each. I didn't need a whole cupcake. I just wanted to try a little of each. So this was perfect. I ended up getting 6 minis and one full-sized because they didn't have any of that flavor in a mini. My total came to $10. On a side note, they mix the minis and the regular size cupcakes on each of the cake stands, so it's really pretty and sweet.

I left with two small plastic containers, one with one full-sized cupcake and another with six mini ones. I took out the large, Rocky Road cupcake first. This chocolate cupcake was rich, smooth and definitely, decadently chocolately. It was topped with a creamy chocolate butter cream, sprinkled with mini chocolate chips, some mini marshmallows and some chopped nuts - pecans and walnuts. If you like chocolate, this is for you. Very rich.

Next, I tapped into my minis container. The first one I plucked was the Red Velvet. I don't know if I've ever had red velvet, but my goodness. It was so moist and delicious. The buttermilk and cocoa blended together seamlessly to create this delicious chocolate-vanilla blend. The cream cheese frosting made for a perfect combination, and the dark chocolate shavings added a new layer of flavor.

The pumpkin pie mini was next. You can imagine what it tasted like - a slice of fluffy pumpkin pie. Light nutmeg, spiced pumpkin pie cake, all topped with a fluffy whipped cinnamon brown sugar butter cream. Also sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. This is a slice of Thanksgiving in bite-sized form.

The chocolate mini was the same rich chocolate cake with a sweet vanilla icing with a few chocolate chips on top. Similar to rocky road - just with less components.

I chose the peanut butter cupcake next. It was a chocolate cake, with a hidden surprise! A small peanut butter cup was hidden inside. The frosting was a creamy peanut butter, and it was topped with some orange sprinkles. Yum.

Next was another peanut butter cupcake - I think the cookie monster. It was a vanilla cake - almost lemony - with some peanut butter chips inside. It was topped with a creamy vanilla butter cream and a few peanut butter chips. Right now, I felt like I was eating a jar of peanut butter. But in a good way. The flavors were vibrant. 

Finally was a raspberry kissed cocoa mini. It was the chocolate cake, with raspberry butter cream icing and sprinkled with pink pearls. I wasn't sure if I could eat those, but I did. Just sugar. Not too bad either.

I really like the idea of this place. It's fun. It's different, and they make a damn good cupcake. I'm not sure how often I'll be in the market for just cupcakes? But maybe enough people around town will be to keep this place afloat. It's always good to have new places that add a new flair. Try it out sometime. They have so many different flavors, it's difficult to not find something to like.

Grade: A

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Oliverio's Ristorante

Oliverio's Ristorante's original location is in Bridgeport. They opened up a lunch option, Oliverio's Marketplace, which I reviewed here, as well as an Oliverio's Ristorante in Morgantown. Since I already review the marketplace, I thought it was about time to try out the restaurant.

This one is located in the Wharf District, so there is some metered parking, otherwise the garage is your best bet. This is one of the nicer restaurants in town, so they do reservations, but we just decided on a whim to go here, so we walked in. We were handed a buzzer. We waited outside until it went off, then we ventured back in the dark restaurant. Because it is nicer, and potentially "romantic," the lights are way down. So, it was difficult to catch the decor.

As soon as you walk in, there are some green, leafy plants and small lights in the entryway. The dessert case is to the left, and a set of stairs lead you back to a few different dining areas. On this particular night, they set us out on the covered patio. Inside, the tables are gorgeous and seats comfy. Outside, we were sitting on plastic chairs, and our table rocked a bit. I wasn't super impressed, considering the inside diners have a nicer experience than the outside. There was also some miscellaneous chairs and tables laying about, so it didn't give off that high-end vibe I want to feel at Oliverio's. It was very chilly out that night, but luckily they keep it heated.

Our waitress came out with menus, and we placed our drink orders. I was incredibly hungry, so we put in an order for bruschetta. She also brought out a basket of fresh bread. I can't say a bad thing about their bread - it's fresh and warm and soft and scrumptious. And, I'm not even a big bread person. Our bruschetta came out afterward - four large pieces of bread with cheese, tomatoes and spices. The first thing I noticed was the melted cheese overtop of the bread. Normally, I would like this. But when I think of bruschetta, I think of a more light, airy appetizers with tomatoes and crunchy bread. Maybe light parmesan. But the melted cheese made the toppings warm and an awkward hearty vibe. I wasn't a huge fan. It was also served with marinara sauce. This dish was heavier, and I like the simplify of bruschetta with it's olive oil and tomatoes. This was not my favorite.

I also ordered a half Caprese salad, as well as their stuffed shells. My salad came out first, and it was doing what I had hoped it wouldn't - provide only four small pieces of mozzarella and tomato - the rest is greens. Which is okay, but if I ordered a tomato mozzarella salad, I want those to be the prominent pieces. With that being said, it wasn't bad. It was just okay. I wouldn't order it again, though.

Finally, our entrees arrived. I wasn't sure what to expect. I ordered stuffed shells, for around $13, so I was hoping it'd be plentiful. Out came my dish with three stuffed shells. Decent sized ones, but still only three. The pasta was fresh and the cheeses were delicious and creamy. While tasty, three shells was disappointing. I'm glad I got my salad, or I would've been starving still. The quality is good, in the food at least, but the outside decor left something to be desired. On another night, this could be a much more pleasant experience.

Also, it was so dark, my photos aren't barely visible. Sorry about that.

Grade: B

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Mother India

I had only been to Mother India one other time, and it was when the first opened in Morgantown. I wasn't overly impressed, but I wanted to give this place a more subjective look since spicy food isn't my forte. A friend suggested we check it out during their Sunday buffet. Sounds splendid - that way I get a sampling of a few different things.

Mother India is located at the very bottom of High Street in that plaza - one of the few places downtown where parking is provided. It's a fairly small restaurant, with all the tables in one room, and a small buffet area is at the back corner of the restaurant.

On Sundays, the buffet runs from noon to 8 p.m. Regularly, they have dine-in and takeout options. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted and taken to a table. We waited a few minutes before we ordered our drinks - I knew from previous experience that I wanted water and a coke in case the food is too spicy. After that, we went up to fill our plates. The buffet had maybe a dozen items.

Vegetable Samosas - I think of these as little potpies. They are a turnover with peas and potatoes. This is a tasty, filling little treat.

Vegetable Pankoras - There are simply veggies deep-fried in butter. Tasty? Yes. This is Indian-American in a nutshell.

Nan - This is a light "unleavened" bread, which means it hasn't risen, and it's fantastic. Lots of Indian dishes are in a base sauce, so the Nan bread is fantastic for sopping up the extra goodness.

Chicken Tikka Masala - This was by far my favorite dish. It is boneless white meat cooked in a tangy cream sauce. That's about as much as I can give you. It's not overly spicy, and it is filling on top of a pile of rice. It has the spicy flair to it, but creamy and toned down - it's really delicious.

Korma - They have shrimp, lamb and chicken korma, but I believe the chicken is what was on the buffet. It is chicken cooked with spices, herb,s nuts and raisons in a cream sauce. This was also quite tasty. The Indian food is all about the various spices put into these dishes, which cause them to have extremely different outcomes. Mother India is doing it right.

There were a few other choices on the buffet - not many - but I moved onto the smaller dessert area.

Kheer - This is essentially a rice pudding. It is sweet, and thick and delicious.

Gulab Jamun - I had no idea what this was until I read the description. It kind of looks like a soaked apricot or peach. And when you bite in, you get this honey-syrupy sweetness, like a thick pancake. What is it? It's deep-fried cheese and milk balls soaked in syrup. Yeah, just try it though. It's a little ball of heaven.

My only complaint is that I paid for a coke, but it was one small glass, with no refills. If I had known that was the case, I would've stuck with water. But the food was outstanding and delicious. I highly recommend the buffet for those, like me, who aren't as familiar with the cuisine. It's a great way to get acquainted with the various types of food offered. Otherwise, the menu is expansive, and it has descriptions for all the dishes.

Grade: A

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The Vintage Room

I've always wanted to go to Working Women's Wednesday since I moved to Morgantown. Working Women's Wednesday is a special hosted by WVAQ at the Vintage Room, the only high-end bar in Morgantown, which features $5 pies and drink specials.

So, a few fellow grad students and I headed to Chesnut Street to cash in on the deal. The Vintage Room is located right by Bent Willey's, its sister bar. It's surprising that a nice, classy place would be neighboring Bent, but it's true. Unfortunately, some of the riff-raff spills over from Bent, or acts as a pregame area . But the bar itself is very impressive.

Stocked to the max with wines, beers, martinis and liquors, the Vintage Room has many delicious drinks. Their special this night was the "cougar-tini," so I ordered it. I'm probably far too young to be a cougar, but for  less than $5, it's a bargain at this place. 

We looked over the menu, specifically the wood-fired oven pizzas, while we waited. The menu has a huge selection, and tons of things that looked delicious: crab fondue, scallops, seared duck and tuna, but pizza was our goal.

For only $5, we had a difficult time choosing which ones looked most delicious - a vodka sauce, a white pizza, a chicken parmesan, or a philly cheesesteak. Ultimately, we decided to order a Mediterranean, which has marinated artichoke hearts, garlic, red onions, tomatoes, feta cheese and kalamata olives. We also ordered their signature Margarita pizza - fresh tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella and basil.

My drink came out soon after. The Cougar-tini had a cotton candy vodka, grenadine and something else. But it tasted like a mellow cotton candy - delicious. So, of course I ordered a second one. And by the time I walked out, I was feeling a little warm. I'd say that's a good deal.

Our pizzas were also fantastic. The margarita had a rich tomato base, with creamy mozzarella and just a perfect balance of spices and herbs to bring out all the flavor. The simple pizza was tasty. The mediterranean pizza had a lovely blend of hearty base with the salty artichoke hearts and an added kick with the feta cheese and kalamata olives. These flavors were more vibrant, but just as tasty.

I was pleasantly surprised by this bar/restaurant. Their menus are extensive, and the specials were great. When it's warmer, I'd like to sit outside on the patio. But the weather is too chilly. I'll definitely be visiting again once it gets warmer. I spent under $12 - split six ways.

Grade: A

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Dirty Bird

New to the Morgantown scene, Dirty Bird made a quiet entrance with its risque name and specific cuisine. Dirty Bird features chicken, of course, but also egg sandwiches. Get it? All of their dishes involve eggs or chicken, that's why it's called "Dirty Bird." Well, I'm not so sure about the dirty part ...

This small restaurant, with only a dozen tables or so, is located on High Street. The walls are covered in photos of random chicken restaurants around the nation - pretty cool. Small takeout menus are on the counter. I grabbed one, took it back to my seat, and perused over my options. I wasn't terribly impressed - a bunch of chicken sandwiches, but nothing too elaborate. Morgantown doesn't have a local restaurant, that I can think of, that specializes in chicken, so it might have a good market. But all I could think to myself was that it was a chicken sandwich, and not much more.

Regardless, I placed my order for a "Blue Ribbon" sandwich, a chicken breast with ham, swiss cheese, mushrooms and honey mustard. I also ordered a drink and returned to my table. When my food came out, it was in two halves, and lettuce, tomato, and a pepper were on the side.

I couldn't taste the honey mustard, but the chicken was moist. The ham, swiss cheese and mushrooms were tasty. Together, the sandwich was okay. I could easily make this sandwich at home, and, in fact, I have. I was hoping for some more creative element, but it wasn't bad. I could probably get this sandwich at a dozen other places around town. But, it was a fine sandwich - exactly what you think it'd taste like.

                 What brought this restaurant's grade lower for me was the service. Like I said earlier, it is very small. So, conversations travel. A group of five or six young men came in and were chatting with the woman behind the counter. All of this is fine. The problem is when this conversation carried on, loudly, flirtaciously, for the duration of my meal. I felt uncomfortable - like I was a creeping bystander, when I was simply trying to enjoy my meal. I actually didn't even finish my sandwich, instead asking for a to-go box, to get out of the place sooner. The dining experience was uncomfortable, and the food average. I could probably find better for my money.

Grade: C