Rounding out the trifecta of Mexican invasion in Morgantown, Don Patron is the newest tex-mex restaurant to add in the mix.

Just like its two partners in Los Mariachis and Mariachi Loco, Don Patron has the exact same menu but it tackles a new area in Morgantown. Stretching from one side of town to the other, these restaurants are dominating the Mexican restaurant business.



Don Patron is located at Pierpont Landings. Los Mariachis is on Van Voorhis, and Mariachi Loco is on Hornbeck Road by the "other" Walmart.

Don Patron replaced the now defunct Penny's Diner. So it's not along the main drag, but I think that's their goal here. If you've had Los Mariachis or Mariachi Loco, you've had the same food. And as I've said time and time again, I'm not entirely impressed.

The inside of this building is quite nice - homey, clean, classic. The service was spectacular. I do love the complementary chips and salsa, but I always ask for queso. It is probably my favorite thing here. It's cheesy and piping hot and creamy. If you run out of chips, they'll give you more.


I ordered the "Jumbo Burrito" which you can have your choice of beef or chicken plus rice and beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream. I don't get the soggy, shredded, bland iceberg lettuce phenomenon. But the burrito was okay. It was very average to me - soggy, kind of bland, nothing I'd really want to spend money on again. But I would probably go back for the queso.

If you're into Los Mariachis and/or Mariachi Loco, you'd probably be a fan of this place. But if I want a burrito, I think I'm heading to Chico's ... This is one of the not-so-great dishes I've had here. Next time I'm going for a quesadilla.

Grade: C

With a sign reading "Chico's Fat," it's no wonder many are hesitant to try this High Street restaurant. Situated near the top, the unassuming restaurant's name is actually "Chico's Fat California Burritos & Tacos." This Cali-style Tacqueria's specialty is their fat burrito, but they also serve traditional Mexican fare.

I had tried this once a few years ago, but it somehow got lost in the shuffle. Recently, when I went to the Arts on the River festival, I discovered a love for their fish taco. Panko-encrusted tilapia with baja slaw and spicy jalepeno crème fresh. Unique and tasty, that taco lured me into checking out the restaurant.

As soon as I walked in, I first noticed the colors. Bright blues and greens and reds - reminiscent of southern Cali decor. Only one other couple was in the restaurant, which already makes me happy. I'll gladly skip the crowds. It's an order-at-the-counter, assembly line type of place, much like Qdoba. But the vibe here isn't "HEY, we're MEXICAN." It's more like, "this is a cool, chill place to relax and get a huge burrito."

I walked up to the counter to look over the menu options. Soups (like chicken enchilada), salads (like avocado salad), burritos, burrito bowls, nachos, quesadillas, tortas (a Mexican sandwich), combination plates (you can choose two or three: taco, tamale, enchilada, tostada, chimichanga), and tacos are all here. I feel like I had to try their signature burrito. They have a few different types:

• Basic Rice - Choice of beans, pico de gallo, cheese and salsa
• Regular Rice - Choice of beans, choice of meat, pico de gallo, cheese and salsa
• Vegetarian Rice - Choice of beans, tofu, pico de gallo, cheese and salsa
• Super Rice - Choice of beans, choice of meat, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, cheese and salsa
• and a Mojado - Choice of red or green sauce and cheese broiled

I chose the Super Rice because I wanted everything! So, here's how it works. You pick the general item you want, whether it's a burrito, a taco, a quesadilla, etc. Then, you choose your beans:

• Black
• Refried
• Pinto

Then you choose your meat, which is awesome:

• Carne Asada - Marinated grilled steak
• Chili Colorado - Steak & poratoes simmered in red sauce
• Barbacoa - Mexican BBQ shredded beef
• Carnitas - Slow roasted pork
• Al Pastor -  Marinated roast pork
• Chili Verde - Stewed pork in green sauce
• Pollo Asado - Marinated grilled chicken
• Pollo En Salsa Roja - Spicy stewed chicken

Seriously, who gives that many meat options? And they all look pretty killer. I decided on the Barbacoa - Mexican BBQ shredded beef.

Then, you choose your salsa:

• Mild
• Medium
• Hot
• Verde

So far, I was super happy at how easy this all was. It's not like reading some fancy dish name, then reading the description to figure out if you like every component. Instead, you get to build a burrito the way you want it with tons of options. When I was finished, I ended up with a Super Rice Burrito, with black beans, Barbacoa, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, cheese and mild salsa. It was all made right in front of my by a very friendly guy. I added on a fountain soda for a total of around $11.

Apparently the owner, a WVU grad, originally wanted to open up a BBQ restaurant, but the current location was too small. Maybe that's how the Barbacoa was formulated.

I took my basket containing the foil-wrapped burrito and side of chips and salsa to a booth that lined the slender dining way. The fountain soda dispenser was a bit different. Instead of pressing your cup against a button, essentially, you manually pull a level which pours the beverage into your drink. Rather than the gushing of a typical fountain soda, this instead slowly pours it in. It just struck me as odd.

At our table was a candle of the Virgin Mary, or Virgin de Guadalupe. Interesting. On the walls were some framed art, maybe posters of musical groups.

I took a quick bite of my salsa and chips - nothing too mind-blowing here. It was basic. But it's free and on the side, so I can't complain. I unwrapped the behemoth of burrito and began prodding it with my fork. Some of the burrito had began to rip from the sheer enormity of the thing, so I thought fork would be the best way to go. Everything was fresh and flavorful. The meat was well-seasoned and had a smokey flavor. The cool sour cream rounds out my trifecta of tastiness. Creamy guacamole and generous portions of slightly spicy rice and beans made this lip-smacking burrito marvelous.

Everything tasted as if it was made that day - the salsas, sauces and meats. I have an appreciation for that freshness and attention to the smallest details. I had a hard time finishing the entire thing, but I'll be damned if I didn't. With awesome ingredients, tremendous variety, huge portions and great service, what's not to like?

Besides, it was pretty cool to see them wrap up a huge burrito in a near-artistic fashion. What they do is truly an artform. Check it out. And you must try the fish taco if you get the chance.

Summer Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. 456 High Street, Morgantown, W.Va. 26505 (304-241-4712)

Grade: A

Seems to be lots of places moving around recently. What has been going on? So far, this is my compiled list of what I've seen:

• Mario's Fishbowl adding a new Suncrest location (Tailgators location? - if so, where is Tailgators going? I've never been here and want to try it!) EDIT: Guess Tailgators is gone as of June 30.
• Black Bear adding a new Suncrest location
• Rusted Musket has signs that they're moving (Reminds me, I still haven't reviewed them..)
• Rhythm and Brews selling?
• Bucketheads moving/selling? (Never even heard of this one...)

I need to have a post about all the places that have moved - like Tutto Gelato. Have anything else to add/negate? Just curious, folks!

EDIT: Dragonfly moved to 160 Fayette Street - but it's not going to be Dragonfly anymore. It's going to be "Blues, Brews & BBQ (Texas Smoker Style) & New Buddha Lounge"

Also, apparently a Lebanese restaurant may be going in where Synergy/Careyes was.

I also heard a rumor of another potential restaurant going in place where the furniture store is next to Chasers.

Oh and the "Fondue Factory" where Rain is.

EDIT EDIT: Plus the Soul House Bistro that is to open in Star City. It was supposed to open back in April, but still hasn't ...

As I continue to take on Princeton and the surrounding areas, I am grasping to try new restaurants. I have a few on my list to check out (is Heritage Cafe still open?), but it's quickly dwindling. If you have suggestions for places in Princeton, please let me know!

While we were shopping at the mall, I saw two places that I can add to my list of places to dine: Pizza N' More and Sunny Days. I was in a pizza mood, so Pizza N' More it was.

It's in the food court area of the Mercer Mall, and it has its own little dine-in area, complete with mismatched and wobbling chairs. This is clearly not the mall's pride and joy. It could use some love put into it.

It was pretty clear when we entered, so I walked up to the counter to see what this place was all about. A few, slightly old looking pizzas littered the countertop. I wasn't sure if those were my only options, so I looked up at the menu.

It looked as thought you can basically order any kind of slice you want. I didn't want to make them go through the trouble to making a whole new pizza with just mushrooms (yum) for me. So I figured I'd order up two slices of pepperoni and a drink, which is pretty standard. They had a few lunch combos - 1 slice and 1 regular drink, 2 slices and 1 regular drink, 1 slice and 1 large drink, 2 slices and 1 large drink. I went with two slices and a large drink, which put my total around $5. They also have some pastas, wings, burgers, subs, salads and more. That must be the N' More part.

When the server went to scoop up my two pieces from the pie, he said they were stuck and wasn't going to sell them to me like that. Instead, he had a pepperoni pizza coming out of the oven, and it would only be a few minutes. Good timing.

He handed me a cup with ice and I filled my cup up with some variation of Sprite, Cherry Coke and Coke. I took a seat at the wobbly, sticky table. What do you expect in a mall food court?

There were a couple napkins scattered on the counter - no central location in which to find them. There were just a couple straws in a random holder on the edge of the counter. Not organized.

Shortly thereafter, he handed me a paper plate with two large, greasy slices of pepperoni pizza on top. My first thought was "WOW. That's a lot of grease." But with a ton of cheese on top, it didn't matter much to me. The pepperonis weren't overcooked either. The cheese was greasy and stringy - but sometimes that's exactly what hits the spot. The dough was puffier on the crust than I expected. I'd like if it was cooked a little more so it got some more crunch to it. I ended up leaving most of the crust behind, while devouring the cheesy pieces.

It really wasn't bad. It was good enough for me to down both slices. While the organization is questionable, the pie isn't too bad. I didn't mind paying my $5 for two huge slices of cheese, with a little bread and sauce thrown in.

Grade: B

Sports Page is yet another of Morgantown's finest bars that is underground. I had always avoided this place because it was smokey. Like, so smokey that I couldn't breathe. But now that bars in town are smokefree, I was pumped to hit this spot up.


We walked in and grabbed a table. Sports Page is decorated with large TVs and other sports paraphernalia. A waitress came over with menus. This isn't just bar food, it's more than that. It's a pretty expansive menu, with appetizers, salads, wings, wraps, etc. They do have the bar specialties, but they have so much more. They had certain items that had little flaming footballs or baseballs next to them, and I asked if those were their specialties, but the waitress said they were just decoration. Ha.

I ordered a beer and a steak and bleu cheese wrap. Boy, this was probably the best thing I've ever ordered from a bar. Though I wish it was a little bigger, it was some nice shredded pieces of steak with crumbly bleu cheese with crispy bacon. It was tender, moist and everything a good wrap should be. You get your choice of fries, and and the peppered ones I got were great, too.

With a decent menu and drink options, this bar knocked it out of the park. Delicious!

Grade: A