Another trendy Morgantown coffee shop coming in hot! But this one isn't totally new to the game. Stone Tower Brews has locations in Buckhannon, Bridgeport and now, of course, Morgantown. The signature blue-hued coffee shop joins the likes of several fairly new coffee shops in the college town fighting to keep college kids caffeinated.



I have always been fond of this mini coffee shop chain because they also place an emphasis on local art and culture, as well. They often bring a funky side to their shops - whether that's the artwork on the walls or music.



Their list of specialty coffees is long. So many different combinations! I searched the menu for something involving caramel but landed on the campfire mocha, because s'mores are also a favorite. But I don't think you could go wrong with any of the classic combos. This drink was delightful - definitely a rich chocolate background but pops of sweet marshmallow made it.



I also had a breakfast taco, which was basic with scrambled eggs, potato, cheese and sausage. I would have loved a Stone Tower spin on it with a delicious sauce to pull it all together. But that didn't stop me from polishing off my order.



Grade: B

On one of my adventures out west, I found myself in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and in need of caffeine.



Scooter's Coffee is a midwest-based coffee drive-through that offers up a standard slate of options: hot coffee, iced coffee, blended coffee drinks, smoothies, teas and even some food.



I ordered:

"CARAMELICIOUS® BLENDER - SWEET SIGNATURE - Our sweet signature drink fuses world-class espresso with rich, velvety caramel sauce, blended in our ice cream base. This classic is topped with fluffy whipped cream and drizzled with caramel sauce. Such a treat."

"PEACH MANGO QUENCHER - Here's the plot: Peach meets mango, mixes with energy-giving green coffee extract, and quenches your thirst happily ever after. This Quencher is amazing with a base of black tea! It's also available with lemonade, water, or coconut milk. Juiciest story ever. The end."

"SPICY SAUSAGE BURRITO - We jam-pack our warm, soft tortilla with spicy sausage, fluffy scrambled eggs, red peppers and our supremely smooth white cheddar cheese, melted like your heart will be, after you taste this burrito. It’s a zesty way to get your protein going for the day."

Each one of these were pretty good in their own right. The blended caramel drink was on the sweeter side – even for me – which made me love it even more. The refreshing fruity drink was a nice break from all the creamy fattiness of the coffee drink. and even the burrito was decent; I wish it held up a bit better and filled out the tortilla more, but it was a good cross-country morning snack, nonetheless.



Grade: B

"Indulge in the flavors of Modern Appalachian Kitchen with our handcrafted confections. A modern twist on Appalachian nostalgia."

If there is a more enticing phrase, I haven't heard it.

As soon as I stumbled upon Modern Appalachian Kitchen, I went to their website to see how I can get my hands on some of their goodies.



This Morgantown-based home business specializes in marshmallows -- and specifically their couch marshmallow has gained some popularity. Think about it. Burning marshmallows, burning a marshmallow couch. It makes sense for Morgantown. I did purchase one of these, and the novelty is something to behold. Maybe slightly less practical for s'mores, but entertaining nonetheless.



The vanilla couch marshmallow was good, but the Neapolitan and s'mores were even better. They are a bitch softer and stickier, almost, which really reminds me of more of a meringue.



I enjoyed a few other treats, too. The chocolate with candy toppings, known as mountain tops, were lovely, and the chocolate, caramel and nut Freddy is a classic combination that is done just right here.

All of a sudden, there are 1 billion chicken tender restaurants in Morgantown. I may be exaggerating a little bit, but I may as well check them out. Layne's Chicken Fingers is the first one on my list to visit.



"Hatched in 1994 Layne's is Famous for our Hand Breaded Chicken Tenders, Golden Crinkle-Cut Fries, Texas Toast, Gourmet Milk Shakes and Layne's Sauce," reads the website.



I tried the standard chicken fingers, fries and special sauce. The chicken fingers are good quality white meat with a thick fried breading. they do come in a spicy version, which probably would've had more flavor. The special flavor is relegated to the sauce, which the signature is a standard ketchup-mayo blend. The fries are thick and very potato-y. I like mine thin and super crispy. But they were fine. There was also a slice of Texas toast - I would love if this came with a really cool butter. This whole meal was fine. It wasn't super exciting or different, but it was solid and probably is ideal for families with kids who don't want big bold flavors, but instead want mild reliability.



Grade: B

Chief's Roadhouse reminds me of a Logan's Roadhouse, but instead of Chief's being a chain, it is local to Logan. Kind of ironic, right? It would make sense to have a Logan's IN Logan, but alas. We have Chief's.



Clad in wooden decor and serving up hearty steak and potatoes, Chief's is a family-friendly restaurant with homestyle favorites.



My meal-to-go began with bread and butter. It was not especially remarkable, but I do enjoy the complimentary items to round out the meal.



For my sides, I had macaroni & cheese and green beans. The mac & cheese lost its cheese at some point. The sauce must have been thin because it did not cling to the noodles. Just not a ton of flavor without it. The green beans were bathed in a nice salty fat that all southern dishes need.



The meatloaf was the main entree, and it had a good blend of spices. I could always use a thicker slathering of tomato sauce, especially when the meat itself is thick. Maybe they could layer meat and sauce like a cake so there is always a perfect ratio.



Grade: B

"Loveberry" may sound like a Bath & Body Works scent. But in Weston, it's a bake shop.



This bake shop carries a variety of sweets in a case at the front, some savory baked goods to the side, and there is even some seating in the middle if you would like to dine in.



The space is a decent size for the amount of product they have available. The design is a bit country chic with primitive decor.



Sweet options included cupcakes, cookies and a few other delights. But, admittedly, I arrived later in the day, so I imagine there were more goodies earlier on.



I ended up with a cookies & cream cookie. That meant there was a cookie that was topped with cookies & cream icing and even a little mini Oreo. it was definitely a sugar bomb, but I think you know that going into it. The icing was a bit thick and I could've done without the extra chocolate drizzle. You can't really go wrong with the flavors, though.



The shop also made pepperoni rolls, much to my delight. I selected a pepperoni roll with jalapeño and habanero cheese.



I was concerned because I'm not a huge fan of spice, but I really didn't taste much of that in this roll. I actually could have done with more of that flavor and more cheese overall.



Grade: B

Donatos is a Columbus-based pizza chain that boats a thin, crispy crust, with edge-to-edge toppings.

"When Jim Grote was 13, he took a job at a Columbus pizza shop. By his sophomore year at The Ohio State University, the pizza business had him hooked for life. Jim bought the shop in 1963 for $1,300. He kept the name, derived from the Latin for "to give a good thing"-the perfect way to describe the Donatos' promise: "To serve the best pizza and make your day a little better."



The chain has over 375 locations in 22 states, including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Florida and now West Virginia with a location in Parkersburg. I placed an order online and went to the pick up window to retrieve my pizza and meatball sub.



The mini pizza was made with the works: green peppers, onions, pepperoni, mushroom, sausage, smoked romano and provolone. There may have been too many ingredients for this small size, but that's on me. I do wish some of the ingredients, like the peppers, were cut a bit smaller so the flavors of the other ingredients had a chance to shine. The meatball sub was fairly average - a healthy dose of some bold marinara would be my request.



Grade: B

West Virginia is woefully lacking when it comes to bagels. So, when I travel, bagels are often at the top of my list to seek out during breakfast. On one of my most recent travels, I didn't even need to wait til my destination to get my bagel fix. Right at the Pittsburgh airport was Bruegger's Bagels.



"Everyone knows that New York City is the home of the best-tasting, most authentic bagels anywhere. So when the idea for Bruegger’s was born in 1983, the first thing we did was head for the Big Apple.

We learned the time-honored, traditional methods that had made New York famous for bagels such as kettle-cooking the bagels before baking them in a real stone hearth oven. We spent two and a half years working with a professional bagel baker to perfect our recipe and process. Then we set off on our mission to introduce the authentic taste of New York-style bagels to the rest of America.

Our neighboring state played an important role, too. Real, made-in-Vermont cream cheese provides the smooth, delicious foundation for a dozen unique blends you’ll find only in our bakeries. From Onion & Chive to Jalapeño to Bacon Scallion, there’s a spread to complement every bagel — and fulfill every craving.

Now in our 35th year, Bruegger’s Bagels operates nearly 260 bakeries nationwide. Our menu has grown to include sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, garden-fresh salads, hearty soups, desserts and custom-roasted coffee — but the essence of Bruegger’s hasn’t changed. We’re still committed to serving genuine, New York-style bagels and real, made-in-Vermont cream cheese," reads the website.



I love a lox bagel with cream cheese, capers, and red onion. Your seatmate might not appreciate it, but the combo is just *chef's kiss*. Bruegger's version on this particular visit was OK. I don't love the tomato on it because it's usually a bit lifeless and mealy. The bread and salmon were both good, though. It was still a treat to me.

There are a few things in life better than pasta. I have made my love for macaroni and cheese well-known, but I love pastas and all shapes and forms and topped in different sauces. That's why the fast-casual restaurant Noodles & Company caught my attention.



This chain restaurant is primarily found in larger metro areas, so I don't believe there is a location in West Virginia. I happened upon this location while in Virginia with my friend Kayla.

The menu features international and American noodle dishes, as well as soups, salads, and pasta: mac & cheese, spaghetti, pad Thai, roasted garlic creamy tortellini, Japanese pan noodles, chicken parmesan, and more.



I wanted to try everything, but I landed on the roasted garlic cream tortelloni: Cheese-filled tortelloni in light roasted garlic & onion cream sauce with zucchini, mushrooms and spinach finished with MontAmoré cheese and parsley. I also ordered some of the Korean barbecue meatballs, which are sweet and spicy with gochujang.



I was happy with my pasta dish, which did not have the beautiful al dente pasta that you might expect with a sit-down restaurant, but it also wasn't totally void of texture. It was somewhere in-between. The sauce was rich and creamy, but a bit too thin. The meatballs were not my favorite, as that texture was more difficult for me to get over. More on the spicier side than the sweet side, which surprised me. Overall, a fun find.

Peking Nagoya is a Chinese buffet in Weirton. Fun fact: I used to work at the former K-Mart that was next door throughout high school.



So, I have been to this restaurant throughout its various name changes in various forms. The decor is standard for Chinese–American restaurants with some big chandeliers and half-wall partitions throughout the dining space. I haven't noticed much of a change in the food over the last 15 years, but I wanted to check out this latest rendition.



I ordered coconut chicken, general tso's chicken and honey chicken to split with the family. Plus, steak hibachi with rice & veggies.



Every entrée was pretty average. The quality of the chicken is usually what sets the food apart for me. But these were a bit stringy, at least as far as the chicken goes. The steak hibachi was OK. I did like the veggie mix, but the steak was just kind of steamed so it didn't get much of a sear.



The steak lo mein may have actually been my favorite because the steak seemed less soggy and the noodles had a slight bite to them.



Grade: C

I have never been part of a country club or tennis club, but I have frequented them for events or other special occasions. Recently, I checked out the Charleston Tennis Club with some coworkers.



"The Charleston Tennis Cub is the region’s premier tennis, pickleball, swimming and fitness facility! It is quietly nestled away on 25 acres of maintained grounds. Our beautiful, newly constructed Clubhouse features indoor and patio dining during the summer months ... The club boasts 11 outdoor tennis courts, 9 Har-Tru (clay) courts, 2 hard courts, and 6 dedicated outdoor pickleball courts... The Club also includes a beautiful heated 25 meter outdoor swimming pool with a diving well. Additionally we have a baby pool, snack bar, playground, shelter area, and basketball court," reads the website.



Of course, my visit centered on the Clubhouse restaurant - and specifically lunch. The menu is fairly simple, with some finger foods, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and quesadillas. I thought it was only fitting to get the club sandwich, which can just hit the spot some days. This was a solid version, which was not SO stacked that it's difficult to eat. It was maybe just a little bit dry, so more mayo would have been my preference. Fries were decent, but I liked the chips more. Housemade chips were a nice touch - extra crispy with ranch.



Grade: B