Just a few more places on my 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list, and we've made it to Parkersburg.

Third Street Deli has locations in both Marietta, Ohio, and Parkersburg. So, I drove back on 3rd Street, parked outside the building and walked in to see a huge menu with tons of sandwiches, salads and soups. I think a deli is a key part of a restaurant scene, and I wish Morgantown had a solid one.

The space is a substantial size with lots of smaller tables. Look over the board at the counter, order up there and then have a seat. There's also an outdoor seating area that I'll have to check out in nicer weather.

Seasonal fresh-made deli sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. Eat-in or take-out. Besides indoor seating, enjoy our seasonal outdoor patio. Complete catering service. They're the great little place you'll keep coming back to.

I ordered the #2 "Grand Gorgonzola," which had grilled chicken breast, bacon, roasted red sweet peppers, gorgonzola and a touch of Dijon mustard on a Third Street roll. I thought this was good. It's pretty simple. I think some simple touches - maybe warming the chicken so that gorgonzola melts a bit or toasting the bun so there's just a little crunch so there's texture - would really make this even better. But, still, it's a solid sandwich, and I'd love to try another!

What's your favorite? Which should I try next time?

Grade: B

The Davis/Thomas area has a lot of really great restaurants, but I learned of a new one on the most recent 101 Most Unique Places to Dine in WV list, which was released by the Division of Tourism.

Big Belly Deli, located in Davis, opened in 2013 dishing out hot pastrami sandwiches, and other sandwiches made with a variety of cold cuts and deli cheeses.

Parking is available along the main street. I walked in to see the large counter full of meats, cheeses and sides. Looking through the menu, I found the "fan favs" section, which, as you can guess, are their most popular items. "The Girl's Dream" caught my eye with turkey served warm with Swiss cheese, grilled onions and house chipotle aioli on a bun.

The woman behind the counter was friendly - a bit spunky - but welcoming. There wasn't really seating available when I went here in the evening, but I've read that during the day they use the neighboring restaurant's seating. That's a pretty cool local biz deal.

It's quaint, it's basic, and it's straightforward - just how you'd want a deli to be. After a few minutes, my finely crafted deli sandwich was ready to go. I paid, took it back to the car and let the smell of warm, oven-roasted turkey and sweet red onions overtake the space.

I didn't have high expectations for a deli sandwich, but this was very, very good. It is packed full of deli slices, grilled onion and the sweet/smoky sauce pulled it all together. It was a really satisfying meal. I also had potato salad, a cookie and a pickle spear to accompany it. Chocolate chip cookies aren't my favorite, but I liked the potato salad and the pickle. Really, a solid meal when you just want a good grilled sandwich. Yet another great addition to this small community.

Grade: A

Katz's Delicatessen is a Kosher-style deli known for huge pastrami sandwiches and as a New York City institution. It's also often cited as the location of Meg Ryan's famous fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally.

This may have been the most heavily tourist-frequented stop along our trip. We waited outside in a huge line for what seemed like forever. Once we finally got to the door, we received a ticket. This, they said, is very important and to hold onto it for dear life. Got it.

Then, we were sort of funneled into makeshift lines at the counter. There weren't single-file lines because it was just an ocean of people struggling to make their way to the front. We sort of aligned ourself to one line and waited our turn.

I put in my order for half a pastrami sandwich and a bowl of matzoh ball soup. The man behind the counter chopped off a hunk of pastrami, plated it and set it atop the counter so I could have a bite. Is this to just get a taste of what you ordered? It was the little bits, so maybe they just don't want to use those on a sandwich. I dunno. But I had a bite or two and braced myself for how much more was to come.

You go down to the other end of the counter for any sides or drinks. It was so packed in here, we had a hard time finding three seats together. Finally, as some people were standing up, we snuck in and had a place to eat.

These sandwiches are massive. Even just the half sandwich has nine or so slices of pastrami. It's a lot of meat. I was very generous with the mustard to help cut through all that meat. And yes, it is very good. It's moist and flavorful. It's just a lot.

I mixed bites of my sandwich with bites of my matzoh ball soup, which is delicious. I love matzoh ball soup.

Oh, and the pickles! Very good. And a nice, cold, refreshing bite after all that heavy food.

For just a half sandwich, a matzoh ball soup and a water, it was $20. I was pretty surprised at how expensive sandwiches were. A full sandwich is around $20 alone. But, as you can see, you do get a ton of food. Prepare your stomach and your patience.


Grade: A

One thing Morgantown is missing is a good deli. I'm talking fresh sandwiches, with pastrami and corned beef, with pickles and other Jewish specialties ala New York-style restaurants. OR, for less urban areas, deli can also be a place to get cold cuts and made-to-order sandwiches. But, that's just my interpretation. It can be ambiguous.



So, when Tony's Deli in Westover opened (in the previous Agresti's location with same owner), I had high hopes. I liked Agresti's, though I had only been once. Just not a convenient spot for me. So, I thought this place could have potential.

Tony's Deli has a counter where you can order your choice of salad, appetizer or sandwich. There's a seating area with a few tables and a cooler with a few desserts, like cannoli and a few random deli meats. Of the options available, the meatball hoagie sounded best to me. I placed that order, paid in cash (cash only!), and found a table.

My meatball hoagie arrived cold. So cold that the cheese on top wouldn't even melt. Also, there was just one large meatball in each half of the sandwich, which made eating this cumbersome. The meatball itself, though, had decent seasoning. I think it would have been more enjoyable warm, though.

My friends found their sandwiches tasty, and their housemade ribbon chips were pretty good - though I wish they came with the purchase of the sandwich. They also had fancy San Pellegrino drinks for sale.

Overall thoughts - average. Nothing really outstanding. Not yet, at least.


Grade: C