
I went once or twice when I was a kid. I remember my parents getting some cookies from the Amish folks there. So good.
Then a few years ago, I went with Kayla to scope out the knock-off sunglasses and purses.
Fast-forward four or five years, and this time, I was on the lookout for vinyl, another globe and anything else that caught my eye.
What I did end up getting was ice cream.

I gotta say, it was good ice cream. Heavy on the cream, less on the ice.

Better be here by 11 tomorrow. 1 lonely rib. pic.twitter.com/9O4oom2oSO
— Holy Smoke BBQ (@holysmkbbq) July 24, 2014
It seems to have a religious affiliation - hence the "holy" smoke portion. They're operating out of the Colombo Law offices parking lot near Triple S Harley Davison/the new Dairy Queen/Little Caesars/Tim Hortons/Star City Exit/Toward Milan Park. You know.

They have three kinds of meat: brisket, pulled pork and ribs. I went for two meats ($13) with pulled pork and brisket. And a side of macaroni and cheese. Because duh. My total came to $15 - little pricey. I heard someone else comment on the price and the man operating the grill said "cheap food isn't good and good food isn't cheap." I can dig that. Better be good.
Side note: One of the kids who was packaging my meal made it rain with my slices of white bread.
I took it back to the office and opened it up. My first through was that the white bread seemed out of place. If I were using it as a side, why not have a roll? If I wanted to make it a sandwich, why not a bun?
The brisket was smokey and had a thick fat cap on it. Cook with the fat cap by all means. But if it's not cooked long enough or not removed, all my BBQ sauce and seasoning is on top of that slab of fat. And I'm not trying to eat that. The meat, itself, was good - both brisket and pulled pork.

The macaroni and cheese was tasty. I wish I had the chance to eat it fresh, as it got a little cold. But it was also goof.
TL;DR: Meat was flavorful. BBQ is vinegar-based = not my favorite, but good for what it is. Mac and cheese is always good.
Grade: B

Every time I travel somewhere, I want to find the most iconic places to try. What is this place known for? What has been around forever? What do the locals order? When people ask "Oh, you went to XXX, did you order the XXX?" I want to say yes!
So, I figured I could try my hand at a little handy guide for folks visiting Morgantown. Only in town for the weekend and want to check out the must-try places? Maybe not necessarily my favorite - but the ones Morgantown is known for?
You're in the right place.
1. Black Bear Burritos - burrito + queso.
Black Bear is probably one of the most identifying restaurants in Morgantown. Started by a couple of alums, this place isn't your typical Mexican burrito. Instead, they have a ton of ethnic, creative burritos - and weekly specials. Try any burrito, but you must get a side of queso. Plus lots of local beer. If you want the real feel, go to the downtown location.
2. Mario's Fishbowl - wings.
Fishbowl is a townie haven. The original location is covered in notes and paper from visitors throughout the years. Uncontested best wings in town.
3. Mountain State Brewing Company - Fire on the Mountain flatbread + beer.
One of two brewpubs in town, and they're known for fun, creative pizzas - or "flatbreads." The Fire on the Mountain is a bit spicy - but good. Check out their weekly special, too.
4. Tailpipes - burger + maple bacon shake.
Tailpipes has some crazy burger combinations, but always comes through. They also have some interesting shake combos. Grab any fun burger & try that crazy sweet, salty shake.
5. The Grind - coffee/latte.
Morgantown's premier coffee shop. Plus they have some tasty sandwiches and other goodies. If you want a place that will show you some cool latte art, check them out.
6. Puglioni's - bread.
Puglioni's has some amazing dishes - my favorite amongst them being the pasta carbonara. But everyone knows their bread. It's warm and buttery and mm.
7. Pizza Al's - pizza.
Best pizza in town. Hands down.
8. Ogawa - Love Roll.
Ogawa is known for this roll. Not my absolute favorite, but it's not bad either. Tuna, salmon, asparagus, avocado, masago and topped with crab, mayo and spicy sauce.
9. Gene's - hotdogs.
It's a fav. Try a hotdog, get a beer and listen to a good band.
10. Oliverio's Ristorante - Angel Hair Crab Balls.
They sound a little crazy, but they're a town specialty. Fried pasta with crab and a tangy sauce. So good.
11. Morgantown Brewing Company - beer.
The only brewpub currently that brews here. Getchu one. Or three.
12. Atomic Grill - fried green tomatoes. pulled pork.
The newest addition to the Morgantown food scene, but now the go-to BBQ place. Try the fried green tomatoes. And definitely get some BBQ.
Like I said, these aren't all necessarily my favorite dishes (if you want those, click here), but they are quintessential Morgantown.
Has anybody tried all of these? Or any of these on your to-try list? What have I missed!
While I've pretty much nixed any chain hotel restaurants, the locally owned places are still a go. I've been to The Montmartre in Hotel Morgan, the Regatta Bar & Grille in the Waterfront Place Hotel, Legends Sports Bar & Grill at Lakeview, and so it was time for Fusion at Lakeview.


We walked in on Saturday night and were greeted with this menu: "Asian vegetable, field green salad with toppings, Asian blend, jasmine rice, General Tso's chicken, miso cod, 'A Touch of Italy Pasta Station,' slow roasted pepper coated prime rib." That sounded OK, so we went with it.
There's no price to be found anywhere - so we asked. $25. Alright.
So the first portion was just salad toppings - and not very many. I skipped by that since it wasn't too exciting. There was the General Tso's pan, but there was hardly any sauce, and the noodles were not pan-fried - they looked boiled. Which was odd. It was like they were trying to be lo mein, but just looked like spaghetti.





Grade: C
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