The Donut Shop has been a much beloved donut and pepperoni roll purveyor for years. Recently, though, they went through some ownership changes and is now known as The Donut Spot.



The "new" restaurant gave me an excuse to stop by - especially during ramperoni roll season. For the uninitiated, a pepperoni roll with ramps is often referred to as a ramperoni roll.



Fortunately, it appears nothing has changed at The Donut Spot and the ramperoni rolls have remained untouched: ground pepperoni with optional American, mozzarella or hot pepper cheese.



The hot pepper and American cheese options are my favorite. Interesting texture plus some heat plus fluffy bread plus creamy cheese. They're really delicious.



Don't sleep on the donuts, either. My favorite donut anywhere is a blueberry cake donut. It's like breakfast and dessert in one.



I also tried the filled strawberries & cream donut, because how can you pass that up? It's like a little cloud of dough filled with a heavenly filling. All in all, same delicious food, slightly new name.



Grade: A

T&L Hot Dogs is a North-Central West Virginia chain of hot dogs joints.



"The Proprietors, Dave and Barbara Henderson along with their children Scott, Mike, Lori, and daughter-in-laws Joyce and Bev, began an adventure that is still going strong after a quarter of a century. Now, Third generation managers/owners and grandchildren Kristin, Corey and Troy are continuing that adventure in their parent’s footsteps. In the early 1990’s the Henderson’s added a new “twist” to their already popular restaurants. The Oldies Diners were created in an effort to re-create the happy and carefree lifestyle of days long gone by. The walls are covered with antique pictures, toys and memorabilia for customers viewing pleasure. You can listen to the sounds of the oldies as they play on the restored 1950’s juke box only 5 cents a play, and enjoy the great hot dogs, famous “fresh cut” fries, and fabulous specialty sandwiches. Don’t leave without looking at the restored antique gas pump with its unique glass dial. Welcome back to the 50s! “Being West Virginia’s #1 selling hot dog, we are grateful for our faithful customers and to the hundreds of employees, who over the years have been the secret to our success. Hot dogs are still our specialty and the original homemade chili sauce (prepared daily in our stores) continues to attract customers from all over the country. We invite you to visit any of our seven locations throughout Harrison, Taylor, Marion and Monongalia Counties. Bring the kids, but don’t be surprised if you’re asked to explain who “Howdy Doody” was!



The Buckhannon location looks like a new build and has a drive-thru with signs plastering all their offerings - sundaes, shakes, cones, mac & cheese, beans & cornbread, and more. 



I think it's only fitting to get a hot dog, though. So I got one with chili, plus a side of potato salad. 



Both of these were good. Sometimes a down and dirty hot dog is just what hits the spot. Nothing fancy. Just a few components, but all of them together make for a tasty bite. The potato salad was full of nice hunks of potato, and the mayo just held it together - rather than the other way around. I was happy with a quick, tasty meal.



Grade: A

Mama Roma Pizzeria and Restaurant in Buckhannon is an Italian-American restaurant complete with a character tossing pizza on the window and red/white checkered tablecloths inside. 



"Mama Roma Pizzeria and Restaurant is a place where you can simply relax and enjoy the company of your favorite people while enjoying traditional Italian food at its best. Our team is pleased to welcome you – and honored to serve you. We know many of you by name and view all of our customers as family. Nothing brings us greater joy than sharing the tradition of good food and hospitality with our guests while sharing experiences and making memories!"



The menu features pizza, pasta, subs and a whole host of entrees categorized by their protein. The menu is pretty huge, and I can't imagine someone not finding something that caught their fancy - chicken marsala, sausage cacciatore, veal scallopine piccata, eggplant rollatini, and so many more. 



If pressed, I think one of my favorite pasta shapes is rigatoni, which is what I was drawn to on the menu. I went with the rigatoni with vodka sauce - their house pink sauce (which is usually their red marinara and white combined). 



So, I was loaded up with my entree, a soup and a side of garlic bread.



First, I enjoyed a simple soup - a minestrone with carrots, onion and more.



Not bad - nothing too notable, but not offensive either.



The garlic bread was tasty - I loved the soft rolls, though they did get a biiit too dark on some portions.



And now for the main attraction - the largest portion of rigatoni I've ever been served. I enjoyed the sauce - a little sweet, a little acidic, lots of good flavor. The rigatoni were a nice al dente, so not so soft they just lost all texture. But, regarding texture, I would've loved maybe some veggies or something to break up the carbs. I could've added chicken or sausage, but I wasn't feeling it on this day. In retrospect, it would help with that mouthfeel. 



All in all, a fairly decent meal that is comforting and filling. 

Grade: B

Oinks BBQ in Buckhannon is a new restaurant focusing on pulled pork, chicken, ribs and brisket.



"Smokin' low and slow for that perfect flavor that pairs wonderfully with our homemade sides. Come in as hungry strangers and leave as family with your belly full of BBQ!" 



They also have a handful of sauces - hot, sweet, mustard. I got one of each to go along with my meal.



That meal? Pulled pork sandwich with cornbread, slaw and macaroni & cheese. The sandwich is served on grilled Texas toast, which is not something I've seen often. So, starting with the slaw, it was a mayo based as opposed to a vinegar base. I liked the crisp of the red cabbage, though I wouldn't have minded it more chopped up.



The sandwich was piled with pulled pork, which was tasty. The buttery bread makes me crave a cheese or something, unlike other buns where the bread is mostly an afterthought. Here, it's a crucial part of the experience. I shoveled bites of mac & cheese - which I wish was a bit creamier - into my mouth between bites of the sandwich for a pretty decent flavor overall. 



Grade: B