Morgantown's nanobrewery has expanded -- and now includes a full-fledged taproom.

Chestnut Brew Works, home of my favorite beer Nate's Nut Brown Ale, has opened its brewery and taproom in South Park at 444 Brockway Avenue and will have a grand opening Friday at 4 p.m.




Owner and head brewer Bill Rittenour graciously allowed me to feature him in a story for a magazine a few months back, and we've had kept in touch. He invited me to a soft opening last weekend before opening up to the public.

And, you're in for a treat.



This place is great! It's small, but easy to find, being right along the main road. About five parking spaces are located to the left of the building. The front side is glass, so it's nice to have a little view of the busy Morgantown street. There are only a couple high-top tables and the main bar, so if you'd like a seat, get there early.



I quickly ordered a flight, which includes Class II Wheatwater, a light-colored and refreshing wheat beer brewed with coriander and orange peel; Halleck Pale Ale, a delectably hoppy beer without the harsh bitterness; Nate's Nut Brown Ale, an English-style brown ale with hints of chocolate and nuts; South Park Porter, a black-colored robust porter with roasted coffee and dark chocolate character; and finally, Your Best Hoption, an IPA with a ton of hops flavor, which accentuate the citrus, piney and fruity characteristics. Start at 12 noon and work your way around so your palate isn't blown out with the hoppiest ones. All five samples of the beer for just $7.



I honestly love all of these beers. Yes, I'm biased. But Bill is very, very smart. He knows the science behind crafting a perfect beer - and it shows. They all have excellent flavor profiles, even though they're all quite different. I love the Wheatwater for an easy drinkable beer, while I truly enjoy the flavor of the Nate's Nut Brown Ale. The Halleck gives you that hoppy flavor without being overwhelming. South Park Porter gets a bit more intense with the coffee flavor, and Your Best Hoption is for the serious hopheads.

Easily my favorite brewery in the state ... and maybe beyond.

But wait, there's more.



The taproom? It has food! Just a few menu options to help complement the beer. There are the options of dips - hummus, back bean hummus or buffalo chicken dip. And you can choose your chip - tortilla, pita, pretzel or quinoa. Quinoa? Yep, quinoa chips. They're actually really quite good. I'm a fan.

We ordered the buffalo chicken dip with quinoa chips. Delicious! The chips are good and less greasy than most. The dip was cheesy and rich. Seriously so good.

There are also two options for paninis: a cheese melt and a pepperoni roll melt. The cheese melt has American and cheddar cheeses, while the pepperoni roll melt has mozzarella, provolone and American cheeses and pepperoni, of course. Each are $6.

I ordered a pepperoni roll melt (which comes with a side of humus). I went with the black bean hummus and tortilla chips. I love the taproom take on a regional food - the pepperoni roll. It's definitely more indulgent with a nice layer of melted cheese, but it's a nice version of that food we all love so much.

Oh, and I can't forget the best part: growlers. I can now take a growler - branded with Chestnut Brew Works - home filled with my favorite beer. There's also some merchandise like shirts and pint glasses available.

I left with a full belly from tasty food and a flight of beer plus a full growler for just about $26. That's a pretty damn good deal.

You're going to want to check this place out. Just be sure to let me know what you think. :)

Grade: A

Batton Hollow is a newcomer to the winery business in West Virginia. I first saw them at the Clarksburg Italian Festival, but I wasn't able to visit their actual location until recently.

The winery, located in Lost Creek, has a tasting room and the owners are very friendly and accommodating.

In general, Batton Hollow wines are not as sweet as others typically found at other local breweries.

My favorite was the Vidal Blanc, which was a dry white, but with some fruity notes. The Seyval Blanc was also semi-dry, but I wasn't too keen on it. The Chardonel was a sweet white wine, which I really liked, and the Riesling was sweet - but not as sweet as you'd expect from a Riesling. The classic red was a nice dry red wine, and the rustic red was a semi-dry red wine.


 Has anyone else been here? What are your favorite wines?

Have you missed your Mediterranean food fix in Morgantown? Fear not, for Ali Baba is back up and running.

The restaurant had closed, then reopened under a different name, and then some other confusion. But now it's back under the original owner.

I've been here a handful of times, with my review being three years ago (THREE YEARS AGO?! HOW?!). But since it's a new place under a new owner, I wanted to give it another go.

Ali Baba is located in the Morgantown airport. It is a bit odd, still, to walk through an empty airport and right through waiting areas. But once you see the elaborate decorations and rich fabrics, it no longer feels quite so empty.

In fact, the restaurant was pretty busy when I was there for dinner.

I ordered the gyro platter, which came with a choice of two Mediterranean salads: I chose hummus and tabbouleh.



Our server brought out a single thing of hummus and put it in the middle of the table. I wasn't sure who the hummus belong to - me or my friend, Kayla, but we both ate it anyway. I love their hummus. It's a nice blend of garlic and spices and has a good flavor overall. Pair it with their fluffy pita, and it's delicious.





While we're devouring this hummus, I see another table order the crispy onion appetizer. We ordered it, too. The fried onion pieces were good, but I would love if they had a signature sauce - like a spicy ranch or something. I dipped them in ranch, and they were OK.

My entree, which I ordered on the recommendation of our server, was fantastic. Everything is so flavorful and fresh here. A block of feta cheese, slices of meat and fresh pita made for mini sandwiches with some hummus and tabbouleh on the side. Freshness is key here.

For dessert, I ordered the knafa, which is this shredded dough stuffed with sweet ricotta cheese. Syrupy and sweet and a satisfying ending to a meal.

Grade: A

2002 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh PA 15222
412-281-0809
21streetcoffee.com

1711 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15222
412-391-3737
contact: Robert Wholey
www.yahoo.com/wholey





Penzeys Spice Company: AN ENTIRE STORE DEDICATED TO SPICES!! I like spices because, even though I can't cook, spices make my cooking mostly edible. I picked up some garlic, sandwich sprinkle, pasta sprinkle and crystalized ginger. Mmmm.

1729 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15222
412-434-0570
www.penzeys.com







Little Bangkok: We had been snacking a bit, but when it was time for lunch, we settled in at Little Bangkok. There were a number of thai dishes, but I wanted to try the pad thai because the only other I've ever had was in Morgantown. Spoiler alert: I actually liked Morgantown's better, but the drunken noodles were delicious. I'll definitely have to get those if I go back.

1906 Penn Ave