ATTENTION: Morgantown now has a pho restaurant. "It's about time," you and I both collectively sigh in relief.

The Vietnamese noodle soup craze has swept the country for the past few years, and Morgantown is finally joining in.


Pho Hung opened on Saturday in Westover. Located in the plaza with Big Lots, there's plenty of parking, it's easy to find, and it's not too crowded. The actual restaurant has fewer than a dozen tables, so it's fairly small.

So, I had actually tried to come on Saturday when they opened, but we were turned away because they ran out of food. So, we came back on Sunday and initially were turned away at noon because they said they needed more time to prep, but then we were waved back in. So, finally! Got to try it!

The menu has spring rolls, satay, pho, entrees, bun, some vegetarian dishes, a couple Thai dishes and kids meals. It's a fairly small menu with all the basics:

Pho is a noodle soup; bun is the same noodles from the soup but atop greens and with a meat; "com" is a rice plate + whatever meat it comes with; and Vietnamese Iced coffee is darker and thicker than most American coffee but sweetened condensed milk is pour over.

Arguably the most popular Vietnamese dish in Houston, pho -- or rice noodle soup -- is a relatively new dish by Viet standards. Believe it or not, this very Vietnamese dish has Chinese and French roots: Chinese influence in northern Vietnam brought rice noodle and the signature pho spices such as anise, ginger and cinnamon, while French occupation of what was then called "Indochina" encouraged the consumption of beef. Pho is made by boiling animal bones down into a rich stock, then adding in rice noodles, spices, meat and vegetables. Although most pho has a beef base, pho ga (chicken pho) is gaining in popularity. A bowl of pho comes with garnishes and sauces that allow you to customize it to your taste. Typical garnishes include basil, lime, cilantro, jalapeños, crunchy bean sprouts, sweet hoisin sauce and spicy Sriracha. Popular combinations like pho bo vienadd spongy beef meatballs to the soup. Pho tai adds thinly sliced rare steak which cooks in the broth and pho nam adds slices of brisket (Source).

We ordered a few different appetizers so we could try a little of everything.

Fresh Spring Rolls - fresh rice paper rolls wrapped with shrimp, lettuce, basil and vermicelli. Served with peanut sauce. These were really good. They're light, fresh and simple. The peanut sauce on the side is a little sweet and just delicious.

Fried egg rolls - minced veggie with noodles in a rice wrapped & lightly fried to a golden crisp. Served with fish sauce. These remind me of the eggrolls one of my coworkers brings in that I absolutely love. I definitely think there was pork in these, and they were absolutely delicious. Very nice and crisp with a lot of seasoning inside. The fish sauce on the side made it.

Banh He - chive cake. The photo showed more of a dumpling, and these were more like fried saucers, but not bad. Not my favorite of the group, but a decent - and vegetarian - option.

Pho Tai Bo Vien - eye of round steak and meatball noodle soup. My pho came with the steak and meatballs. Usually the steak is put in rare and cooks in the broth. Mine was pretty much already done once it arrived, but that doesn't matter to me too much. I think the broth was good - flavorful and light. The meatballs and steak were tasty. I added some hoisin and some lime to make it perfect.

Sher got just the meatball one, which you can see above. Let me be clear, the serving size of this thing is huge. You could easily get two meals out of it (and, I did). The mix-ins came out a bit later. I'm a bit picky about my sprouts, but I definitely used up the lime.

Besides the wonky service (they brought out the wrong dish and then Sher had to wait quite a while before they got the right one), the food is quite good. I am by no means an expert, but I really enjoyed each of the dishes. The pho has a great broth, and the meatballs/beef were delicious with just a touch of hoisin and sriracha. The egg rolls and spring rolls were both fantastic. I also love that this is something town has been lacking for quite some time, so it's really nice that if you're feeling a craving for a giant bowl of noodle soup, you can satisfy that easily in town - and at a pretty good place, at that.

Grade: A

Morgantown is now home to a real, bonafide arcade.

Located beneath Bent Willey's on Chestnut Street, Starport Arcade and Pub is giving life to all those classics you miss from childhood: Pac-Man & Ms. Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, Centipede and more. There's also pinball, Skee-Ball, air hockey and racing games (I'm sure there's a more accurate name for these - anyone?).

The space is deceptively large and was previously used as an additional bar - and at one point a restaurant. It's right at the corner of Chestnut & Reid streets and beside the West Virginia Junior College. Since Bent Willey's is located on the upper level of the building, the arcade is ground level.

Walking in, you instantly see those old-school classics, then you turn the corner and see the driving games and a whole wall of pinball. The bar is open in the front and back, and if you move around toward the back, you see the Skee-Ball and air hockey. It's really pretty cool.

I'm always a huge advocate for local business and adding to the business scene in a new and different way. I think it complements the other offerings in town, and I love that there's something else to do in town.

I've never been a gamer, but I always love learning new things. So, I grabbed a few friends and went to check it out. On Fridays, they have "free play" from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., so all the games were free (and no cover!). Pizzas are $5, and there are drink specials, too.

Unless there's food somewhere, I don't really go. So, of course they also had a cool game-themed menu with "The Luigi" (pepperoni rolls), "Burgertime," "Dig Dug's Deep Frygar Pickles," "Sonicboom Wings," and more.

So, I ordered "The Luigi," - because A) It's a pepperoni roll and B) My love for Super Mario World is strong. Like, I'm not just one of those people that only casually knows about Mario and calls that their favorite game. I quite literally love Super Mario World and nearly bought a Super Nintendo solely for that game before realizing I couldn't get it on my Wii. So, yes, that's the only reason I have a Wii, as well. I LOVE Super Mario World.

The Luigi wasn't my absolute favorite rendition of the pepperoni roll - a bit too greasy, and the dough wasn't my favorite consistency. It wasn't soft like bakery fresh, but it wasn't crisp on the outside either. Somewhere in the middle. However, Lisa ordered the jalapeno poppers, and I thought those were pretty solid. They were filled with yellow cheese - not sour cream - and served with ranch. I definitely want to try the pizza, though, because Bent Willey's has a pretty good pizza. So, I'm guessing they should be pretty similar.

The food is a nice complement to the games - I don't think it's intended to be the star. But, it's great to have food - and drinks - while being able to play games. The drinks also have some cute names. The drink special this evening was $2.50 "rail drinks."

The management seems to be part Bent Willey's + part guy who's super into the arcade games. So, there's a real find attention to actual games and things they're bringing in and keeping them maintained, etc. So, I think for true, hardcore gamers, this is a goldmine, AND, I think for casual folks who want something fun to do - it's also a great option.

Personally, I fell in love with the Aerosmith pinball machine because I felt like it was smooth, and it wasn't scary (ha!), and it was just absolutely gorgeous. I spent a lot of time on it. Next time, I wanna try the Ghostbusters pinball machine. Someone was on it the whole time.

This was also the first time I ever played Centipede or Dig Dug or Donkey Kong on arcade machines. I spent some time playing Ms. Pac-Man, too.

Another cool thing to note is their involvement with the community. It seems as though they're dedicated to giving back, which is a great thing.

And, if you want to be even more involved, they do host events and have a league. So, have you been? What's your favorite game -- or which do I need to make sure I try next time?

Grade: B

Keyser isn't on my radar as much as it should be, so when I get the chance to pass through the area I try to make the most of it. It's a cute college town - and has a few good food options, too.

I've heard good things about Castiglia's (g is silent, apparently) Italian Eatery, so I was excited to get my grub on. Lots and lots of other folks were ready to get their grub on, too, So, I instead opted for to-go. However, if you were to eat in, there's an interesting process where you order at the counter and when your food is ready, you're seated.

Rose and Jerry will welcome you home to Castiglia’s for high-quality Italian food. Their large portions will keep you fed for a week. When you travel around the state and mention “Keyser,” more times than not people will ask about Castiglia’s and will rave about the food, especially the salads, lasagna and pizza. As Rose will tell you, Jerry cooks in the authentic, old-fashioned Italian way; he doesn’t even have a microwave in the restaurant because he values quality. Rose and Jerry recently renovated the premises to accommodate more customers and invested in custom stonework. Much like the food, the stonework is a work of art in this restaurant (WV Living). 

Once I placed my order, I had a seat and took in the scenery. Stonework, greenery and archways lined my view. Freshly baked bread wafted through the air, and giant portions were served from the kitchen - most topped with cheese and others leaving a trail of steam as they are whisked away.

Situated at the busy intersection of Mineral and Chestnut Streets, Castiglia’s (pronounced “Cas - tee - yas”) offers an impressive variety of choices, all made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Specialty items like high-quality cheeses and meats arrive weekly by the truckload from a supplier in New Jersey. Portions are generous, so come hungry. Hand-tossed pizzas, Italian rolls and baked specialties like stromboli and calzone feature freshly made dough. Chef Gerardo Castiglia’s homemade tomato sauce appears in a bevy of pasta dishes, including five varieties of spaghetti. Subs range from hot to cold, and hamburgers are made with Angus beef. Popular appetizers and side orders, several salad selections and a zuppa del giorno (soup of the day) round out the menu. For those with a sweet tooth, Castiglia’s offers Italian favorites — tiramisu, cannoli and amaretto cheesecake. This is not low-cal eating, but who cares, with food this tasty? (Mountain Discoveries)

Once my order was ready, I received my giant bag full of goodies and headed out the door. I only made it to the car before I snuck a few bites. The salad was basic, the bread was good and much needed to sop up all the delicious tomato sauce, but the ravioli parmigiana was calling my name. Ravioli stuffed with ricotta and parmigiano cheese, topped with tomato sauce. I mean, yes please.

And, I thought it was tasty! It's a huge portion and more ravioli than you should probably eat in one setting for dinner, but I'm not complaining.

Huge pockets of mozzarella melded with a sweet tomato sauce that just blanketed a pile of pasta that screams "comfort." Really, a solid dish. It's tough to compare to some of the really great Italian restaurants in North Central West Virginia, but I enjoyed my meal.

For Gerardo and his wife Rosaria, owning and operating a restaurant seems pre-ordained, given their family histories. Both were born into “restaurant families” with roots in Naples, Italy. At age 17, Gerardo moved to the United States from Naples where he and four brothers soon established restaurants in Front Royal, Culpepper and Winchester, Va. Rosaria was raised in Brooklyn, NY, by Neopolitan parents she calls “restaurant gypsies,” who left the city to set up pizzerias in places like Bedford, Pa., Berryville, Va., and Lebanon, Pa. After Gerardo and Rosaria met and married, they settled in Winchester, worked in the Castiglia family restaurant and began a family. Their son Onofrio is named after Gerardo’s father, and their daughter Giovanna, born a year later, bears the name of Gerardo’s mother. One day, Gerardo drove through Keyser and thought it looked like a nice, safe place to raise his children. The family moved there in January, 1997, and by the following September, Keyser’s Castiglia’s Italian Eatery was open for business (Mountain Discoveries).

Have you been? What's your favorite dish?

Grade: B

The hippest new spot in Fairmont just opened: The Rambling Root is a restaurant (and soon-to-be brewery!) with unique dishes, an incredible craft beer list and a really cool vibe.

We believe that “The Rambling Root” will be so much more than just a restaurant or a brewery. It’s a place you can bring your family, where you can meet with friends, and where memories are made. We believe we can help strengthen the steadily growing camaraderie of our community and local pride. We want to showcase the beauty of what Fairmont has to offer- from its agricultural resources to its local art, and native musical talent. We love our state and want to show what it really means to be a West Virginian. We believe that this venue will be able to grow and serve our needs to expand and reach the community even further in the coming years. (Vision)

Located along Fairmont Avenue, The Rambling Root provides plenty of parking, a cool outdoor dining space and an even cooler indoor space complete with two levels with bars.

There are a lot of live plants around - which I totally love. It's a little hipster chic with rocks as placeholders, mason jar decor and mismatched chairs. It's fun and comfy and even has live music in the evenings.


So here's what you do: Walk in, go take a look at the food and beer menu, order at the counter, pay, take your number, find a seat and wait for your food to be delivered.

The menu has some cool options: catfish po'boy, pulled pork sandwich, German dishes like dumplings noodles and kielbasa, and a BLT that was hard for me to pass up. Instead, I went with the classic "Ramble On Burger," which is a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickle, and gouda pimento cheese. I got an order of the dumplings on the side -- because how many places can you get dumplings on the side?!

So, I found a seat at the upstairs dining area and peeked around at the place. The downstairs area seems just as cool. And, after a short wait, I had a huge burger and side helping of dumplings right in front of me.

And, even though I am a big fan of the folks running this place and have a good friend working there (hi, Heather!), I can say that regardless of all of that - this place is really good. Like, really good. That is one massive burger on a delicious ciabatta bun and some of the tastiest pimento cheese (man, I just love pimento cheese). I love that this has some southern roots and is just an all-around solid burger. I did add some ketchup because I don't know how to have a burger without ketchup -- which is located just around the corner with the soda fountain.

The dumplings were unreal. Like, where can you get unique food, damn good beer and DUMPLINGS. And, they were so good. I love the soft bite with that slight chew. Not too mooshy, not too stiff. Seriously good. Despite having the heaviest lunch, oh, ever... I ate every last bit of those noodles. I just had to.


After I finished my meal, I went to the bar to try a few drinks. One thing I really love is that they do half pints. So, torn on what to order? No worries - just get two half pints, which is exactly what I did. I started out with the Tamarind Ale from Flying Dog Brewery. This was so solid - smooth, malty, with just a bit of the Tamarine flavor. I trust literally anything these folks put on tap, because they know beer.

Then, I went with the sour cherry gose from Southern Tier. Sour beers are my favorite, so I was super happy to see one on the menu. And, this definitely has the sour going for it. Big fan.

So, should you go? Yes. Take a friend. Go fill your belly with delicious food and amazing beer.

And, keep an eye out for when they start brewing their own. Because I. Can't. Wait.

The Rambling Root is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and they are closed Sunday and Monday.

Grade: A