Jay's Getaway? The three-year-old local craft beer haven, which boasts more than 100 beers (and wine), has food? They DO. I was just as surprised as anyone else. How had I missed the paper menus behind the counter? Not sure, but recently, I saw another patron order a sandwich and I wanted to get in on the action.

This giant (yet tiny) beer garden is tucked away on Chestnut Street. It's quite small inside, but it's usually not too crowded and you can sometimes snag a seat on the comfy couches or one of the couple tables. Pick up a beer list and choose something different - this is the place to do it. The bartenders are very knowledgeable and friendly. The interior is modern, simple, neat. The crowd is generally a bit older (and by that, I mean, not 18-22).


There's a board on the wall above the entrance that keeps track of top patrons' beer progress. Some people have more than 100 next to their name. You can keep a beer card in the container to keep track. Once you hit around 80 beers, you have a chance of going up on the wall.

They have six beers on tap, tons of bottles, and some food. They have four $6 paninis, as well as some pretzel rods, nuts, pickled eggs, and a cheese/meat/olive plate. I didn't realize they had food and had just eaten before, so I opted for the small cheese/meat/olive plate so all my friends could pick at it, too.

In the meantime, I had a Wild Blue (yummily sweet) and a pumpkin cider, which pleasantly got me feeling very fall-ish. The bartender brought out the tray, and I was still shocked they had food. I don't know where they keep it. I don't think they have a kitchen.

The tray seems as though it could be a good complement to many types of beers. The olives were spicy, while the salami was dry, slightly smoked. Crackers salty and cheese was creamy and smooth. I also got a side of spicy mustard, which you could taste hints of horseradish. I ended up making tiny sandwiches all night long.

Clearly, the standout here is the beer. I'm not sure you have a better selection in the area, and if you are clueless (like me), the bartenders are totally willing to help you find something you like. Some finger foods, awesome ambiance, amazing bartenders and more beer than you can imagine - what's not to like? Open Monday thru Friday 4 p.m. to midnight and Saturday 7 p.m. to midnight.

Grade: A

I tried Milano's II before the original location, because the original location isn't necessarily the easiest to find. Try Googling it - it says 2 Brookstone. Except I don't know what Brookstone is. After some searching, I found it to be on Greenbag Road between Morgantown Printing and Binding and a dance studio in Sabraton. You go across a small bridge, and it's in a small plaza - there are signs on the windows.


The dining area is a decent size, with some booths along the wall and tables in the middle. They have basic pizzas, white pizzas, hoagies and salads. Since my friend and I are indecisive, she got a small white pizza, and I got a small mushroom pizza so we could try a little of both. Small pizzas are $6, plus $1 for a topping. One thing: You can't just get a "cup" of water - they said my friend could get a cup and get water out of the bathroom faucet, but something about city code and not having the correct filtration. Odd. I got a bottle of pop anyway.

We had a table full of pizza - two trays full of pie. The regular is a nice, flat pie, with a good tangy sauce and Italian cheeses. Many have said this is some of the best in town, and I would say it's comparable to Pizza Als and the now defunct Original Pizzeria. These NY-style pizzas are pretty frequent in town. If you try a place that's not a chain, it's most likely a nice, flat pie. It's really good. I love the sauce - tangy, slightly sweet. Cheese for days. Mushrooms add a little salt and texture for me. Loved it.

The white pizza was also tasty - garlic, herbs, cheese. It looked more like a plain cheese pizza, but the garlic was prevalent. Maybe next time I'll add some ricotta or spinach to it. Either way, this place puts out some good pies. If Pizza Al's is the best on the Evansdale side of town, Milano's is the best on the Sabraton side. They both have II locations, too. I see a trend here. I don't think you could go wrong with either.

Grade: A

In a sea of Chinese delivery/takeout restaurants, I haven't heard a lot about Grace. It's located right along Beechurst Avenue and boasts the same menu as local Great Wall, China One, China Wok...

They had a special on DubVmenus that if you buy $12 worth of food (not counting delivery fee, taxes, etc.), you get a free five-piece wonton. I thought, "what the hell?" Of course, that ended with me aimlessly adding things to my cart to get to that $12 limit, which probably would have been cheaper had I just bought them ... but I digress.

I put my order through, and it can add up quite quickly. A $2 delivery charge. A .49 cent "fax" charge. Plus tax. My total ended up coming to $16.84, somehow. Or $16.69, I'm not sure which. On DubVmenus, it said $16.69, but on my receipt from Grace, it said $16.84. Grace had 15 cents more on the tax. Regardless, this annoys me because I keep track of my money, and I don't understand why there is a discrepancy between my receipt from DubVmenus and my receipt from the restaurant. Not cool.

AND THEN, I typed in my address, but it was somehow autocorrected to a numberless "Southpoint Cir." whatever that is. So I called them to give them my actual address, which negates the convenience of it being online. However, I don't think this is really the restaurant's fault.

I got a call back about 15 minutes later from the delivery driver who said he was at an apartment with a different number than mine; I told him the correct number. He apologized and said he must've written it down wrong, but he handed it to me and I finally got from point A to point B.

The Styrofoam container had everything mashed up on one side and some sauce was leaking out. I tried some, and at first bite, I thought the General Tso's wasn't bad. But upon further review, I got those tough, stringy pieces that I always dread. They simply need to step up their quality of meat. The sauce it was in was tasty - not too thick or thin, but a good amount of spice.

The wontons were probably the best thing I ordered. They had a good serving of creamy cheese in them, and they even provided two small containers of sweet and sour sauce to dip in. The wonton wrappers were light and crisp; the interior thick and indulgent.

I wasn't crazy about the eggrolls - they almost seemed to be frozen, but were average. It seemed less greasy than, say, Great Wall. But overall, I wasn't impressed. I think I'll stick with China One.

Grade: C

Pizza Al's makes the best, most authentic New York-style pies in Morgantown. For a tasty flat slice, Pizza Al's is the place to go in town. There's even a second location, aptly named "Pizza Al's II" in Sabraton along Earl Core Road. It's in the same plaza as Rio Grande III, but its name is not written above the location; you'll just have to see the actual restaurant front to know you're in the right spot.

The best part about restaurants being a little out of the way is that it has a direct relationship with how much parking there is available. More out of the way = more parking. I'm a fan of that.

Walking in this location is a little different. First of all, there' s a good bit more room. I always felt like the other location is fairly small inside; this location has much more seating and space. I walked up to the counter, took a to-go paper menu and sat at a table to look over my options. They are also listed on a board on the wall, and they're the same as the original location. A small pizza (14") is only $6.50, and it's a pretty big pie. If you want a topping, it'll cost you an extra buck, though.

The folks at the counter here were very friendly, which is kind of a change from the typical surly attitudes at the other establishment. So, that was a little bit more comforting. I also got a fountain drink. The unfortunate thing is it's $1 for a refill, and the drinks aren't too large. You also can't get a 2-liter when you dine in - to-go only. But you pay right at the counter (yes, they take CC), and you can check them out tossing the homemade dough, spreading the sauce and sprinkling mozzarella cheese on it right before it goes into the huge oven.

It wasn't too busy this afternoon, but the other location tends to be busy all the time. After a few minutes,  I was served a huge pie and a paper plate. Dinner ... is served.

I delicately select a slice and do my best to keep the stringy cheese in tact, before delivering a thin, crispy, yet chewy, crust topped with a high-quality, bright, tasty sauce and just the right amount of fresh toppings. The edges of the pizza are thicker and softer. It is hand-tossed; you get something made right for you, with great flavor.

Want a good pie without tons of frills? Check it out. No truffles or goat cheese here. But a solid, cheesy, tasty pizza.

Grade: A

I've had my eye on The Soul House Bistro in Star City for quite some time. It was originally supposed to open up back in April, but like many restaurants, that date got pushed back. They just opened recently, and I went to check it out at the beginning of the week.

The restaurant is located at 3329 University Avenue across from the gas station, and there is plenty of parking along the side. When we walked in, we instantly saw a sign that said "cash only." If you know me, you know that means I'm out of luck. However, we wanted to try this restaurant so bad, we went back across town to an ATM to get cash to eat here. I think this is temporary (hope) because it is so new.

When we walked in, we weren't quite sure what exactly to do. There were a couple of tables that were arranged pretty close together and the front had two buffet-style islands. We took a seat and discovered the menus on the table. Essentially, you get one main meat dish and two side items. As I perused the options: BBQ ribs, pork chops, meatloaf, fried fish. Really, I wanted to try everything. But the meatloaf was jumping out to be. For the sides, I opted for mac & cheese and candy yams. All the dinners also come with a side of corn bread/biscuit. When I was done ordering, I sat down and waited for them to prepare the dish.

It's cafeteria-style. You can see all the food right there, but the workers behind the counter get it prepped for you and bring it to your table. It's fairly tight inside - I assume they're going to have to take out some tables at some point. There were a lot of two-person tables, and I'd much prefer a couple more larger tables. The walls are covered in famous African-American politicians, artists and athletes. They even have two small TVs on either wall that we have the option to change channels.

I can safely say when my plate came out, I think it was probably the biggest portion of food for the price anywhere in Morgantown ($8.99). The mac & cheese is homemade, so you get those small chunks of cheese and the ooey gooey creaminess. The candy yams were sweet and comforting, and the meatloaf was perfection. The two sides were overflowing portions, while the meat was smaller. But with that said, I still got two good size hunks of meatloaf. It was seasoned to perfection and the sauce on top had a slight sweet taste to it.

I was crazy about this entire meal. It's the best I've had in Morgantown or anywhere in a long, long time. I loved it so much I tried to eat the entire thing. I couldn't. Both of my friends got to-go boxes. Quiet frankly, I felt like rolling over and dying after stuffing myself, but my tastebuds were happy.

I think this restaurant fills a void in our community. That southern, down-home soul food is nowhere to be found. And for many of us, it reminds us of homecooking as children. I love this cuisine - heavy, sweet/salty and comforting. It's clear they put some time and energy into this food. It's not just a restaurant to make money; They're giving a part of themselves to us all.

Grade: A