Not to be confused with the Brew Pub, Mountain State Brewing Co. opened up a nice little bar/restaurant in the Wharf District of Morgantown. Melanie and I decided to try it out after a long day at work. We had to park at a meter because there isn't direct parking available for the MSBC, at least not that we saw.
When I walked in, I was blown away at the size. The restaurant is huge and very spread out. The bar area is first, with a dozen tables, high and low, for patrons who want to be near the bar. We opted for a booth, near the right side of the restaurant. The restaurant is reminiscent of a large, cozy cabin. The booth could have sat six people comfortably.
We were handed small clipboards with loose leaf papers containing the menu. Without much hesitation, we both knew we wanted to try the sampler, which consisted of four beers. I wish I knew the names, but the only one I really like was the light-colored one because it was easy to handle, smooth and refreshing. The further you move to the right, the stronger the beer. For me, the more gross it tastes. We came to the conclusion that the dark stout tasted similar to coffee. I ended up ordering the lightest one, which was a good complement to the pizzas we ordered.
Don't make the mistake of asking where the pizzas are. Here, they're referred to as "flatbreads," and they're not the typical pies at a pizzeria. I ordered the "Olive Another" with olive tapenade, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella. Melanie opted for the "Buffalo Chicken" with chicken breast, buffalo sauce and bleu cheese (lots of bleu cheese!). We both ordered small pizzas and ended up taking the majority of it home. They're made in wood-fired brick ovens that give the pizzas that extra flavor.
I was hoping there would just be a regular cheese and pepperoni pizza, but there wasn't. I was happy with my pizza, but I was hoping for some more robust flavor. I thought the fresh mozzarella would really kick it up, but the flavors were more muted. Not that olives are powerful, but I was looking for the kick. The artichoke hearts were tender, as were the peppers, but the mozzarella was lacking. Most pizzas need that cheesey goodness to make it feel like a pizza. Instead, this was a gourmet flatbread, but tasty nonetheless.
Melanie's buffalo pizza, on the other hand, had that kick and then some. I really liked the taste of it, though some of the chicken was dry, and the bleu cheese was overpowering at times. I think the pizza would've fared nicely with a healthier dose of hot sauce and less bleu cheese. I liked this one more though. The flavors were so powerful, it was like a tug-of-war in my mouth. Regardless, both of the pizzas tasted delicious, and the atmosphere was very comfortable.
Grade: B
