This hippie store on Davis was just too cool to pass up. Wild Ginger and Spice has mood rings, leather-bound journals and a bevy of spices, herbs and loose-leaf teas.

So, I just thought it was a cool option for anyone interested in getting their hands on some crystallized ginger or maybe some organic cinnamon sticks. Or cacao nibs!

Then, there's stevia, tarragon leaves, chipotle peppers and habanero peppers.

Not your thing? What about Earl Grey, English Breakfast or Forever Fruit Herbal Tea? All organic.

Have you been? What have you purchased?

A local bed and breakfast in Davis serves breakfast to the public. And when I saw Bright Morning Inn's menu, I knew that meant I was going to get to Davis early in the morning.

My day trip to the area started with a stop at Bright Morning Inn to get my fill of their French toast. I parked just across the street easily and walked inside. No one was readily available to seat me, so I found a little area with plenty of light (best for photos!) and made myself comfortable.

The interior is clean, a bit dated, but in a sort of charming way. It was decorated for the holidays, which made it feel honey. It also overlooks the main street in Davis, so it was fun to people-watch.

The menu features lots of tasty items - pancakes, veggie specials, country breakfasts and more.

Their French toast goes by the moniker "banana dream" and comes with potato bread coasted in cinnamon batter with a hint of banana liqueur and rolled in oats and topped with fresh, sliced banana. I also got an order of sausage - though they forgot that, and they came out halfway through my meal. Always gotta have the savory with the sweet.

The French toast is extra filling. There are a bunch of triangles, but then the oats on top of it make for a pretty dense bite. I loved the fresh bananas, which add a nice smooth, fruity note to the heavily sugared dish. Not sure it's my favorite rendition of French toast, but that's a dish that's near and dear to my heart so I'm a bit critical of it. It was a solid take on it, and definitely a good option if you're extra hungry.

I struggled a bit with the service, if only because the woman who brought out my food was talking to another table as she sat mine down -- and didn't bother to ask if it looked OK or if I needed anything, but continued her conversation past me to the next table and walked back to them. If I didn't need anything, it wouldn't have been a problem, but my missing sausage had to wait until another server came back around so I could flag her down and ask for it. I know this wasn't intentionally dismissive, but I sometimes find this common when dining alone. Whether it's because I won't have the largest bill or because I'm profiled as young & not a good tipper, it's just a tad frustrating. She seemed sweet, otherwise.

But my server was actually quite apologetic and very kind, and my meal was good. Just a minor blip in an otherwise lovely dining experience. If you happen to find yourself in the area between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m., I encourage you to check it out, get something warm in your belly and enjoy this local gem.

Grade: B

Flying Pigs Breakfast and Lunchery made a "unique place to dine in WV" list some years ago, and, thus, it's been on my to-go list for quite some time. While in the Davis/Thomas area for the day, I made this restaurant part of the itinerary to assure I wouldn't miss out.

Flying Pigs is only open until about 2 p.m., so if you want to check it out, make your plans early. It serves up mainly breakfast with lunch items, as well.

I walked up and down the main street in Thomas, peering in all the cute shops and stores until seeing the pink pig sign directing me where to go. When I walked in, the waitress told me to sit anywhere I'd like. So, I browsed the space before ultimately deciding on a small table near the window. Good lighting. And a beautiful carnation.

The space has an assortment of different chairs and tables. Very homey and a bit country. No real theme beyond "mish mash."

The menu is a binder with pages full of choices. It suddenly made sense to me why I hadn't been able to find one online. So, because of that, I took photos of literally every page of the menu. Just in case anyone else wants a head's up on what's available.



They have the standard eggs, bacon and ham, as well as biscuits & gravy, breakfast burritos, pancakes and breakfast sandwiches. Lunch options include soup, chili, salads, quesadillas, burritos, sandwiches, wraps and desserts.

I asked the waitress what the most popular item was, and she mentioned the burritos. But a regular sitting across the room from me called to the waitress and asserted, "the most popular is the Karlwich, right?" And she sort of nodded in agreement. And he went back to his book. This subtle recommendation was really kind, and left an impression on me.

I ordered the Karlwich, which is a "glorified Danwich ("A most unusual sandwich. A New England style grilled bagel topped with bacon and smoked cheese."). The Karlwich is a New England style grilled bagel with one egg cooked hard, bacon, smoked cheese, red onion and Flying Pigs chipotle sauce.

As I began snapping photos (my actual camera is never discreet - often why I like to use my iPhone), another couple in the dining area asked what lense I was using. I talked with them a moment about how they used to dabble in photography, which was a cool moment.

When my breakfast sandwich came out, I snapped a few photos of it before diving in. It's your pretty standard breakfast sandwich (more cheese would always make me happy) with just a touch of the chipotle sauce. More sauce also would've made me happy. Decent, filling lunch overall, though.

The atmosphere here is what sold me on this place. The service was average, and the food was average. But the Thomas community is stellar. As I sat there eating my sandwich, looking out at the bustling town where folks were shopping local businesses, I thought to myself that I could live there. I really love that area, and I love how they all support each other. Now, if I could get some more cheese on that sandwich, I might love it, too.



















Grade: B

Pubstomper Brewing Company is a little different from other breweries in West Virginia. There isn't a physical location we can visit to get samples or growler fills, and it is using Morgantown Brewing Company's production brewery in Westover to produce its beer.

Pubstomper Brewing Company will be having its beers brewed in a cooperative arrangement with Morgantown Brewing Company’s production brewery in Westover. Co-owners Cody Cheesebrough and Christopher DeFazio plan to start with a hoppy pale ale, which they will have distributed around the state by the Eagle wholesale network. They will soon be adding an Amber, a Porter, and a White Ale. Everything will be exclusively packaged in canned six-packs. They currently do not have plans to offer a tasting room or brewpub. (Brilliant Stream)

New York pizza is known for thin, crispy crust topped with a thin layer of tomato sauce, cheese and assorted toppings. Deep dish Chicago style pizza features a thick crust with an inch-deep smothering of tomato sauce, cheese and toppings (source).

So, a new pizza place, Lefty's Place, opened up in Morgantown serving up Detroit-style pizza. Detroit-style pizza is a square or rectangular pizza that is baked in steel pans, with pepperoni, then cheese that is spread to the edges so it caramelizes against the pan and topped with sauce. The crust has a fried texture but light and chewy on the inside.

Lefty's is located on Walnut Street in the former Soul Brothers location. In addition to the Detroit-style pizza, they offer wings, salads and sides like mozzarella logs, pigs in a blanket, pepperoni rolls, chicken tenders, fries and breadsticks.

Detroit-style pizza is a style of pizza developed in Detroit, Michigan. It is a square pizza that has a thick deep-dish crisp crust and toppings such as pepperoni and mushrooms, and is generally served with sauce on top of the cheese. The square shaped pizza is the result of being baked in a square pan, which is often not a pizza pan. Rather, industrial parts trays are often used, which were originally made to hold small parts in factories.

The crust of a Detroit-style pizza is occasionally twice-baked, and it is usually baked in a well-oiled pan to a chewy medium-well-done state that gives the bottom and edges of the crust a fried or crunchy texture. Some parlors will apply melted butter with a soft brush prior to baking. The resulting pizza has a chewy texture (wikipedia).

The origins of "Detroit-style" pizza can be traced back historically to Buddy's Rendezvous in 1946, which later became Buddy's Pizza. Over the next several decades, the chain grew and developed, cooks moved on, and in some cases they opened their own pizzerias. Cloverleaf, which was later founded by Gus Guerra as an Italian restaurant in Eastpointe, serves Detroit Style Pan Pizza as does Luigi's "the Original", the Shield's Pizza chain, and Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park. In 2009, both Buddy's Detroit-style square pizza and Luigi's "the Original" of Harrison Township, Mich were singled out as two of the 25 best pizzas in America by GQ magazine food critic, Alan Richman. 

Niki's in Greektown, Buddys, Cloverleaf, Jet's in Sterling Heights, G. Willie's in St. Clair Shores, Papa Bella's in Ortonville, Green Lantern in Madison Heights, The Gathering Place & Marinelli's in Troy, and Detroit Style Pizza Company are among Detroit's specialty pizzerias with deep dish pizza and or Detroit-style pizza in Southeast Michigan. The pizza at these restaurants is square or rectangular, with a thick crispy crust. Other restaurants that serve square specialty pizzas, similar to Detroit style, but more closely related to Sicilian style include Benito's Pizza, Cottage Inn, and Alibi in Troy (only offered in round however, making it a questionable member of the Detroit-Style market). In April 2013, Detroit-based Little Caesars launched the first Detroit-style deep dish pizza that is available nationwide; and also offered a version edging its crust with bacon.

So, I stopped in the other day to see an empty restaurant. They're doing a soft opening right now while students are away so they have time to work out all the kinks. Smart. The space has a few tables up front, booths along the wall and a bar on the other side of the counter.

And, I placed an order for a cheese pizza with mushrooms, and after about 10 minutes, it was ready to go. The pizza is cut into four good-sized rectangles, and, as promised, the sauce was on top. I'm not going to lie, it's definitely a bit greasy. But oh. my. god.

It's definitely thicker than flat New York-style, but it's not casserole-style like Chicago. The crust has a nice crisp on the bottom, but it's deliciously chewy inside. The crust is perfect. And, because mine had the cheese directly beside the crust, it was almost like I was eating a cheesy breadstick dipped in marinara. The sauce has a good blend of spice and sweet, and the cheese was perfectly melty.

Look, I know you're skeptical. And I know you're probably like -- what does that random girl who has typos in all her blog posts even know anyway? Well, I've had a lot of pizza, and this is damn good. Best in Morgantown? Yeah, maybe. I think it depends on what type you're in the mood for, and there's nothing quite like this. It's made a believer out of me.