I inquired about the new Mario's location. Here's what I got:

Karen Furfari 3:21 PM (0 minutes ago) to me

Hi Candace,

The name of the business is now Mario's Fishbowl Suncrest....spread the word! We should be open within the next 1-3 days; we're waiting on licenses from the state. We purchased tailgators July 1 and have been remodeling and working on improvements for the new Fishbowl! We will be open 7 days a week, have the same menu and Frosty Fishbowls of beer. We will also be serving liquor. Thanks for inquiring.

Karen and Mark

The new Black Bear location opened up in Suncrest. I found out via their announcement on Twitter. Being the devoted blogger I am, I headed over there after work to scope out the new place. It's located along University Avenue, near the party store. As you can imagine, this location is huge.

.....and we are OFICIALLY open at Black Bear Evansdale!!!
— Black Bear Burrito (@BlackBearMotown) July 16, 2012

When we walked in, I was almost overwhelmed by the amount of space. Not only was it gigantic, but it was kind of sparse, which only added to that effect. The downtown location is, well, cluttered. This one is more streamlined and neat. That may also be because they haven't accumulated memorabilia yet.

There are menus up front and large paw prints that you can follow to the register to order. It guides you over to the orange wall. I already knew what I wanted: Fish Tacos. Black Bear has changed their menu slightly - I think they offer one or two less burritos than they had before. That's not to say you couldn't make it yourself; it's just not pre-suggested for you tied up in a cutesy name. But fish tacos are now a regular on the Black Bear Burrito. It used to only be a special (if you don't like Black Bear's Facebook page to see the specials, you aren't living), but I assume, after much positive feedback, it's now a regular. What better way to celebrate than to order it?



For $8.75, you get "two soft taco tortillas filled with Monterey Jack cheese, a crunchy cabbage blend, fresh roma tomatoes, and a generous portion of seasoned Tilapia. We add an awesome 'Best Coast' dill sauce...we serve 'em flat. You fold and eat!"

It's the same order-at-the-counter, get a toy, fill-your-drink-up-at-the-fountain, find a table and have the server come find you. Is it sad that I was excited to see a new crop of toys? For the record, we had a toy bus. The fountain machine is really tall, so if you're pretty short, you might actually have trouble reaching it. Our food came out fairly quickly, especially considering it was the first day. While one member of the group had a slight mix-up with her order, the rest of ours were perfect.

I hadn't had the fish tacos before, but I was happy with my decision. They were full of tender pieces of fish, and the dill sauce was a perfect complement. A little crunch with the cabbage added some more substance to this dish. I enjoyed it. I made a mess eating it, but it was worth it. I can see how this would be a big seller. I must say, though, I might have to stick with my Irie Member or Bear Trap or Good Calypso. Love them and can't get 'em anywhere else.

I hope this location does well. It seems like it can serve a different crowd. While we were there, there were lots of children. I don't know if that's any indication of the future, but it may seem more "restaurant" -like, as opposed to the sort of loungey/bar/restaurant the downtown location has going on. It still has local art and even some of the decor is locally produced. But only time will tell what this will morph itself into.

Grade: A

Heston Farm is a fairly new addition to the dozen or so wineries in West Virginia. However, they aren't new to making whiskey. Located in Fairmont, the winery and distillery portion of the farm are only about a year old. The family has been involved in farming since the Revolutionary War, and made wine on the side.


The 200-acre farm near the Tygart River has an outdoor pavilion for weddings and other events. They have llamas! But the winery/distillery area has been the main attraction for me. It's open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Private tours are available. Downstairs, you can try all their different wines and moonshines. I think upstairs you can rent for other events.

For about $6 (that's what it was for me last time), you get a Heston Farms wine glass and a sample of all the wines: Bastion (Semi-Sweet Red), Dog and Pony Show (Sweet Red), Dolly Llama (Semi-Sweet White), Jade's Sweet Reward (Rose Table Wine), Prudence & Penelope (Sweet White), Spring Peeper (Chardonnay) and Spring Peeper (Merlot). They have even more than that now, I believe, but the website doesn't list them all.

You can even taste the moonshine. The Pinchgut Hollow Distillery has: Buckwheat, Corn, Honey Peach and Apple Pie (served in cute pig bottles). It's open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

But you know I couldn't ignore the fact that they also have food! They have specials every day, and a few places to dine outside. Recently, they had their Heston Arts & Music Festival, and I spend the majority of my Saturday there.


It was so packed, we actually had to park down near the original location with the pavilion and be carted up to the main area. They had bands playing all day long on the small stage near the building, and artisans had tents set up showcasing their work. You could do wine tastings and purchase food, of course.

Typically, the restaurant is open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The menu had things like gazpacho, bbq ribs, a meat and cheese board, a burger, and peach turnover. The thing that stood out to me was the bruschetta platter. One - I had just paid $10 for the festival, and Two - I didn't have much cash left. The platter was $9, so I went for it. After waiting in line, I put my order in and received a number to take back to my table.

Soon enough, I had a platter full of their house crostini with marinated tomatoes, olive tapenade, roasted garlic and cheese. As well as a glass of Prudence & Penelope - my fav. I must say, I was quite impressed. The flavors were delicate yet bold and everything blended together well. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I ate the entire thing, and I even scooped up the leftover toppings to eat them sans crostini, too.

I also sampled from the meat and cheese board, which had assorted meats and cheeses, with crostini, fresh fruit, and their house mustard. I loved this slightly spicy mustard - it had a little kick to it, but in a good way. Really, the food here is good, the wine is good, and with events like these, it 's a great time. If you have a chance to go, check it out. The area is gorgeous, and the people are friendly.

For more information, call 304-534-2516 or visit www.hestonfarm.com.

Grade: A

Wings Ole has operates three restaurants: two in Morgantown and one in Fairmont. I've already scoped out the Suncrest location, so I thought it was due time for me to visit the location downtown along University Ave.

As I've mentioned before, Wings Ole is a local tradition. People rave about the fries and bleu - not because it's great food, I don't think. But it's more about that nostalgia. This place has been a part of many youths' upbringings.

The downtown location is positioned right at the beginning of the bridge, so it can be slightly precarious to get into. The parking lot is a little odd, and there is some additional parking down below. But once you get situated, it's easy to navigate.

When we walked through the main doors, there was a cool mural on the wall. It kind of gave it some individual flare. But once I opened the actual doors, a musty smell overcame us. It was like the water they had been using to clean up with was old and leaving a gross smell linger. Not good.

Looking at the menu, they are like a more expensive Taco Bell. They have fast-food "Mexican" plus wings. But the wings are covered in a tomato paste-like sauce that I hear is not great. I'm not huge on wings, so I haven't tried them. I looked to their other fare: quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos. I had a burrito before from the other location - kind of soggy, bland and not good. I went the quesadilla route. And of course, a side of fries and bleu. My total came to around $11. That's not a lot for a sit-down restaurant, but it's a good bit for a fast-food place. And I consider this place the latter.

When you order the quesadilla, you get a side of sauce. I wasn't expecting that, so I asked what sauces they had. The girl said nacho cheese, verde, ombre and a few others. I asked what ombre was - she said she didn't know. So, yeah, went with nacho cheese on her suggestion.

The interior is one giant room. We went outside because it was much fresher. They actually do have a nice, small outdoor dining area because it overlooks the river and the bridge. It's nice. Our food was out fairly quickly. The servers brought out our food on trays, but then took our paper plates full of food and put them on the table and took the trays back with them. It was odd that they didn't just leave the tray with us, considering the food was on flimsy paper plates.

My quesadilla was good. It was a good fast-food-like quesadilla. Just like something I could get at Taco Bell. Maybe quesadillas are safe - if you can pack some colby jack cheese and small chunks of chicken between two tortillas, I think you're safe. But it was good. I finished the whole thing, and I'd order it again. I won't actively seek it out, but if I ever find myself there again, I'd totally order it. I didn't bother with the nacho cheese though, didn't really need it.

I do also like their fries and bleu. The fries were golden crispy on the outside, and the bleu cheese, while not really bleu cheesy, is tasty. It's basically ranch, but I really like fries and ranch, so I'm happy either way. Don't expect chunks of fresh bleu cheese or creative, mind-blowing flavors. But for what this place is, I'm okay with it. If you're feeling into a sit-down fast-food joint, why not? Plus it does have a decent view.

Grade: B

Rounding out the trifecta of Mexican invasion in Morgantown, Don Patron is the newest tex-mex restaurant to add in the mix.

Just like its two partners in Los Mariachis and Mariachi Loco, Don Patron has the exact same menu but it tackles a new area in Morgantown. Stretching from one side of town to the other, these restaurants are dominating the Mexican restaurant business.



Don Patron is located at Pierpont Landings. Los Mariachis is on Van Voorhis, and Mariachi Loco is on Hornbeck Road by the "other" Walmart.

Don Patron replaced the now defunct Penny's Diner. So it's not along the main drag, but I think that's their goal here. If you've had Los Mariachis or Mariachi Loco, you've had the same food. And as I've said time and time again, I'm not entirely impressed.

The inside of this building is quite nice - homey, clean, classic. The service was spectacular. I do love the complementary chips and salsa, but I always ask for queso. It is probably my favorite thing here. It's cheesy and piping hot and creamy. If you run out of chips, they'll give you more.


I ordered the "Jumbo Burrito" which you can have your choice of beef or chicken plus rice and beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream. I don't get the soggy, shredded, bland iceberg lettuce phenomenon. But the burrito was okay. It was very average to me - soggy, kind of bland, nothing I'd really want to spend money on again. But I would probably go back for the queso.

If you're into Los Mariachis and/or Mariachi Loco, you'd probably be a fan of this place. But if I want a burrito, I think I'm heading to Chico's ... This is one of the not-so-great dishes I've had here. Next time I'm going for a quesadilla.

Grade: C