Samurai Hibachi & Sushi in Ripley is a Japanese and Asian fusion restaurant that runs the gamut of offerings - from teriyaki and bento boxes to ramen and poke.



The space is one that has seen many restaurants come and go. But it's easy to find with plenty of parking. Inside, it is not unlike other similar restaurants in the area. Bar seating, high-tops and red/black hues dominate:



I ordered Cheese Wonton (5), Lava Drops, Chicken Teriyaki and Strawbery Thai Boba.



These lava drops were pretty tasty bites of deep-fried sushi with spicy mayo and eel sauce on top. A nice combo of salty/sweet.



The teriyaki left a bit to be desired. I think the sauce could be more viscous so it could adhere to the chicken. Plus, a few gristley pieces turned me off.



Wontons were decent (but could have used more filling), as was the strawberry boba. The ginger salad is always a no for me. What's your favorite item?



Grade: B

Cafe Appalachia recently opened a second location in downtown Charleston. The original is located in South Charleston. But, both are more than just restaurants.



"Café Appalachia ... is a social enterprise that is open to the general public as a coffee house and popular breakfast and lunch destination.

The Café offers farm-to-table foods grown on-site and/or locally sourced. ReIntegr8 participants are trained at Café Appalachia and Café Appalachia Catering, where they learn how to grow food, prepare wholesome, nutritious meals and gain valuable skills and employment experiences.

Café Appalachia allows you to experience their garden-raised meals in your own home through GrubHub or business through its catering services, Café Appalachia Catering. The Cafe' hosts private events such as wedding rehearsals, receptions, bridal and baby showers, holiday parties, board retreats, and more," reads the website.



The downtown location is fairly small, with just a handful of tables. But the standout visual is a wall decorated with mountain imagery and a powerul quote.



The menu features standard sandwiches, salads and breakfast items. I ordered the "flat iron steak - Seared flat iron cooked to medium rare, sliced thin and served cold. Wrapped in naan, topped with baby arugula, fresh tomatoes, shaved parmesan and a house made parmesan horseradish aioli." I really enjoy horseradish, so that is what sold me here. The sandwich was pretty average; not bad, but nothing you couldn't make at home - and there's nothing wrong with that! It is fairly healthy, too, so bonus points. If you're looking for a good standard sandwich, this is for you. If you're looking for something with big and bold flavors, you might want to find out how to punch it up.



Grade: B

Mama K's Kitchen is one of my favorite new finds in Morgantown. Located in Star City, the restaurant has a nice little back story.

"In 1906, Mama Kay was born in a modest village in Italy, San Giovanni in Fiore. By the age of 5, she immigrated to a small coal-mining town in the United States where she married a fellow Sangiovannese immigrant, Papa Joe. By 19 years old she had 5 children, no formal education and they had been thrown out of company housing for Papa Joe's labor organizing efforts.

It was in the midst of this that Mama Kay became devoted to feeding not just her family, but the entire community. Well before formal programs existed, she opened her home and kitchen to nourish those around her, especially those in need. She was known for handing out fresh-baked bread on Sundays, while necessity led Papa Joe to open a local grocery store. It was the best way to feed their family and everyone else, too. Mama Kay mastered simple recipes that allowed her to open her kitchen to everyone. She had very little, but resourcefully built an experience of togetherness and plenty. There was no room for waste while she built a social framework her town relied on.

In continuing her spirit and that of so many immigrant families, we open Mama K's Kitchen to share at your table."



The space is upstairs and in the back of a building, so it's a bit like a secret. But once inside, it's bright and airy, if not a bit small. They serve meals in this space, though they also rent out a space and do catering, as well.



Let's get to the food. The menu has some fun items - like artisan toasts, pastas, salads, sandwiches and specials. I could have ordered anything on the menu and been happy, but I went with the following:



- Sausage Broccolini with orecchiette, pepper oil, garlic

- Mushroom Toast with roasted mushroom, shallot, ricotta



Both of these were tasty on their own. A nice mix of textures, plus bits of freshness. And I like the creativity behind of each of these. It's like taking classic flavor combos but kicking them up a few notches.



But they both would have benefitted from a drizzle. Truffle oil? Balsamic? Some chive cream? I think I just want some more richness to round it out to perfection.



Grade: B

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

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