
Demus Italian Specialty Foods is a food truck fit for a carnival with its giant lettering and multicolored bulbs. Usually, though, it is stationed in a gas station lot off Exit 125 on I79.

It started as a small neighborhood grocery store where they made their own house Italian sausage, building a loyal following for that signature flavor. Over time, the retail store closed, but the demand for the sausage never went away—so the business pivoted into a trailer/food truck operation. Now, instead of shopping for it in-store, people line up to get those same house-made sausages served hot, with peppers and sauce. Known for a coarse grind and strong seasoning, especially fennel and spices, the sausage is the star - but the steak hoagie is delicious, as well.

It's a foil-wrapped delight that's smoky, messy, and unapologetically old-school.
Grade: A

North-Central West Virginia is not wanting for wonderful Italian restaurants. So, when someone told me that Mama Di Roma in Fairmont is the best of them all, I got in my car and made a trip straight to the friendly city.

Outside, there are red, white and green stripes on the windows. Photos of the food. Lists of menu items. There's no mistaking what you're walking into. Inside, there are red vinyl tablecloths, placemats with a map of Italy, and some hanging baskets. Its decor is firmly rooted in an old-school Italian-American style, with no shortage of patriotic flair.

The menu at Mama Di Roma leans into classic Italian-American comfort, with rich red sauces, baked pastas, and plenty of pizza options. Think chicken parmesan, stuffed shells, hand-tossed pizzas, calzones, and classic starters like garlic knots and wedding soup.

The complimentary bread comes out in the form of those soft, buttery garlic rolls—warm, lightly golden, and packed with enough garlic to make them just as tempting as anything on the menu.

The wedding soup is warm and comforting, with a savory broth, tender bites throughout, and a slight richness.

I ordered the Shrimp & Crabmeat entree - Sautéed Shrimp and Crabmeat in a Creamy Garlic Sauce over Rigatoni. Plump, juicy shrimp and sweet crabmeat are coated in a creamy garlic sauce that clings to every rigatoni tube. The sauce is rich without being heavy, coating the pasta nicely and letting the seafood shine. Every bite hits that comforting, garlicky flavor you want from a dish like this.

Grade: A

The future of Sergio's is a bit up in the air with the recent sale so I wanted to share my thoughts while I still can.

The Italian restaurant has a sister restaurant already established in Hurricane and is connected to the Guadalajara restaurant family. The one thing that differs here from the sister restaurant is that there's a focus on pizzas, as opposed to steaks.

Sergio's is located in Elk City - with some historical charm and minimal decor. Tall tin ceilings and a combo of booths and tables line the dining room.

Soft, warm breadsticks sprinkled with parm set the tone for the meal. These were gloriously simple.

I had to try their house pepperoni roll, which was a long, flat roll filled with lots of cheese and pepperoni and scored in the center. It was somewhere between a calzone and a classic pepperoni roll—soft, hearty, and satisfying, though it didn’t quite stand out as remarkable.

My main entree was a hearty seafood pasta dish featuring jumbo lobster-stuffed ravioli paired with succulent jumbo sautéed shrimp, all enveloped in their rich, house-made Alfredo sauce. The ravioli are generously filled, providing a substantial bite. The Alfredo sauce delivers a creamy and flavorful coating. Rich, and right up my alley.

Grade: A
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