The Venetian Estate is a stunning venue often used for wedding sand other celebrations. They're currently working on opening up a more formal restaurant. But in the meantime, they've opened their pub.



Even on a drab, dreary day, this property was lit up with string lights and rope lights wrapped around the trees out front.



To be on the safe side, Sara and I opted to sit outside. With giant heaters and a gentle breeze, it was actually a perfect space. Fresh and cool.



The menu features items like pizza, soups, buffalo chicken cheese fries, wings, sandwiches, salads, steaks, fish and pasta. So, this isn't your typical "pub" fare.




For example, my dish was a ribeye over penne pasta with a side of garlic and parmesan focaccia - plus a side of fried green beans. I admit, my eyes were larger than my stomach.



And, it was pretty good. In theory, it is lovely. In practice, it's very difficult to cut a steak overtop pasta. So a larger dish or even putting the pasta on the side would make it a bit more practical. Of course, that did not stop me from chowing down.




And I have to give a special shoutout to that bread, because wow.



The green beans were interesting, too. Not too outstanding, but I also wasn't mad about having some crunch to add to my meal.



Sara went with a burger and fries, which is a step up from any typical pub burger and fries.



And the dessert. Do NOT miss dessert. This maple blondie was everything. And the presentation - does it get any cuter? You need this in your life STAT.

Grade: A

Mia's Panaderia is a sweet, small business that sells Mexican and Honduran sweet breads and baked goods. I found her on Facebook, and she is related to the folks at Melange Cafe, so products are also sold there.



But there are so many goodies that you can order on Facebook - rather than seeing what's available daily at the cafe - that I wanted to make my own mixed box. I took a look at the menu available and pretty much ordered one of everything available at the time! PLUS, she happened to be making Tres Leches Cake that day, so I opted for a slice of that, as well. 



These couple of photos are actually from her - I love that she labeled each of these items! The wedding cookies were slightly sweet little balls; the azucarada was like a strawberry sugar cookie! The marranito is like a gingerbread; besos are coconut and jelly; and my empanada was filled with pineapple - delish.



But look at this absolutely beautiful concha. I'm not kidding when I say these should be the next Instagram food trend. They're beautiful, reminiscent of sea shells and are tasty. But my absolute favorite was the tres leches cake. It was ... maybe the best cake I've EVER had. It was moist and sweet and rich and just ... perfect. I could've eaten an entire cake. It was unbelievable.



And, she even sells pepperoni rolls. Did I mention her items are vegan? The pepperoni roll has a vegan pepperoni and cheese. I can say it's the best vegan pepperoni roll I've had. They're probably a good option for vegan friends who miss that taste of home. For me, I might stick with a more traditional roll ... but I love that these exist.

As a side note, the owner is just the absolute sweetest. Not only did I get super excited upon seeing this bakery and placed an immediate order, but the owner met me in the middle of quarantine (in complete PPE!), taught me how to pay her with Apple Pay (just via text - without a machine!) AND make the transaction super quick since I was *possibly* not in a correct parking spot. Just an all-around lovely experience.

Grade: A

On my way to visit my parents recently, I stopped in Wheeling to pick up a ton of food so we could have a mini feast at home.



Bridgelin Chinese Restaurant is not unlike many other Chinese restaurants in the area - you have General Tso's, lo mein and eggrolls. But items like steamed flounder, peking duck and lobster tail were not ones I see every day.



Here's a sampling of what we tried: veggie lo mein, sesame chicken, walnut chicken, sweet & spicy Thai chicken, general tso's, garlic shrimp, crab rangoons, udon noodles and spinach dumplings.



Overall, not too bad. Nothing was especially standout - as either good or bad. But I did appreciate the udon.

Grade: B

Los Agaves has a few locations in West Virginia: Charleston, Parkersburg and Dunbar.



And, you know, every so often, you get a craving for some Mexican food. The majority of these restaurants in the area have a very similar menu, so I had an idea of what I wanted already (I.e. something covered in cheese).



First up - Fiesta Rolls. Think eggrolls but with black beans and cheese. Plus some special dipping sauce. These had a good flavor, but I do wish they were a bit crisper (again, problems with takeout).



For the main meal, we split up two things. The Yolandas - which were enchiladas and the Burrito Tampico, which had mushrooms.



The enchiladas were the winner here. Flavorful, moist. And lots of cheese.



The burrito wasn't bad, but the mushrooms were overcooked. And I love me some mushrooms, but these lifeless, charred bits were not it.

Grade: B

You know the drill at this point: We're trying all the Tudor's locations in the state and working our way through the menu.



We've now marked off all the named biscuits, and now I'm working my way through the other breakfast. biscuits. On this trip? It's the fried steak biscuit (which I think is a chicken fried steak).    



This drive-thru is kinda cute. It has like a little awning for the drive-thru, so I appreciated seeing the little unique touches.



So, let's take a look. The biscuit has no extras - though I wouldn't mind some cheese or maybe even jam. But it's good. The biscuit was fluffy. The steak wasn't overcooked (which is a real possibility). Overall, pretty good.



Grade: B

This pandemic has really affected so many businesses. So, I'm thrilled to see some small ones opening up, despite all the difficulty. One of which is AntiquiTea in Morgantown.



The coffee and tea house is located on University Avenue on the bottom floor of a building, with its own separate side entrance.



The interior is nice. It's clean and new and has some spots that would be perfect for studying or writing - if I wasn't trying to do only takeout in light of the pandemic.



The menu features tea, coffee, sandwiches, soups, salads, and sweet treats.



And, they also have tea and teapots for sale.



There were a few things that caught my eye. First, the drinks. I've learned a bit about tea thanks to Appalachian Tea in Charleston. I stood at the counter, looking over the options.



They have loose leaf tea (black, Assam, Oolong, Puerh, Rooibos, Green, Herbal), lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, hot chocolate, iced tea or coffee, frappuccinos and TEA frappuccinos (peppermint or french vanilla). I had never heard of a tea frappuccino, so that was quickly my choice - the french vanilla version. And, it was good! The flavor of tea, but cooling and refreshing. 



Plus I ordered a turkey and swiss panini, which was tasty - even with the fresh veggies, which can either go one way or the other.



Sandwiches come with chips, so I tried these ones from Pennsylvania.



Overall, a nice addition to Morgantown that I could see myself spending some time at. And, I know they're only going to keep adding and evolving

Grade: A

Here's another Jamaican restaurant that has popped up in Morgantown: Big Cock Jerk Pit. No, I'm not joking about the name. I almost wish I was.




Located on Stewartstown Road, the restaurant is located in a small building behind a home with a giant rooster in the yard with a sign.



As a single woman approaching this place, I wasn't sure what I would be met with. I had called in an order, and the man on the other end did not take my name or give me an order number. He just said OK come down, as though he was just going to put it together once I got there. Spoiler.



The interior is all wood, and there was no seating from what I could see - unless it's tucked around back behind the counter. He asked if I called in an order. I said yes. And he then went to the back to assemble it.



After a few moments, I was presented with my meal wrapped up and ready to go: jerk chicken, beans, and slaw. I dug in before I even left the parking lot because the smoke from the grill had me craving it immediately.



PROS: The meat was hot and tender. It had some good char on the outside. Even though it was chopped, bones were easily identifiable so you don't end up chipping a tooth.



CONS: A bit dry. The sides could use some more flavor. The name.



Try it out. Let me know what you think. And what I need to try next time.

Grade: C

The old-school Tudor's Biscuit World/Gino's combos are my favorite. I like the look of these buildings, which remind me of a barn. Like this one in Eleanor.



The Eleanor Tudor's location was my chance to try one of the biscuits I've been waiting for - the fried apple biscuit. It's the only one that has a sweet take on the classic biscuit (with the exception of the blackberry special that's currently running). It's a staple.



Think of the middle of an apple cobbler - thick like apple butter and soft apples - all on a savory biscuit. Not too shabby. A little messy. But not bad.

Grade: B

Didn't I tell you recently that West Virginia is having a bit of a Jamaican takeover? Quite a few Jamaican restaurants have popped up. This is the first of two in Morgantown - Jamaican Spice.



Located on Greenbag Road, Jamaican Spice is set apart with its unique gray shingled roof on the corner of a small plaza area.



Their menu has staples like jerk chicken, goat curry, oxtail and more. Take a look at their website to see when they host specials.



I put in an order for quite a few things. Let's start with the "Sweet Jamaican Chicken." I've had jerk chicken a number of times, but I've never heard of this. The description states: pan-fry chicken, stewed in a sweet sauce until fork-tender, Served with red bean and rice or white Rice with steamed cabbage. WOW. Yes, it's sweet, but not cloyingly so. I could bottle that sauce and put it on literally everything. Almost like a BBQ, but fruity with a nice sear on the meat, which gives some smokiness.



Then, I got a side of pasta salad, which was in a creamy sauce and added corn and peas. The beef patty was phenomenal. Flavorful, flaky and delicious. And finally, "Jamaican Festival Bread" is a slightly sweet cornmeal. Almost like a sweet-ish cornbread - I'm all here for adding beans for a Jamaican-Appalachian mashup here.


Grade: A