I, along with my co-worker Danielle, hit up Varsity Club on Friday, also her birthday. We had tried to go here a few days ago when the power was out, so we decided today would be the day. Unfortunately, we picked a day when the Morgantown weather gods decided to also torrential downpour, so outside pictures were nearly impossible.

Varsity Club is located on Don Nehlen Drive, right across from the stadium and very close to Chateau Royale. I'm not usually on that side of town, so I had never visited Varsity Club before. It's situated on a small hill, and the parking lot is tiny. So tiny, in fact, that all the spots were taken up when we tried to go, so we parked illegally in a fire lane. No ticket/towing though, thank goodness. But there's a large oval sign out front that signals you're there.

When you first walk in, the dining area doesn't look too large, but there's another area behind the bar. There are frames of various sports memorabilia plastered across the wall. The bar sticks out like a peninsula, so there's an area in front, to the left and behind. As soon as we set foot inside, a waitress told us to sit anywhere we liked. That made me feel instantly comfortable - new place, but I didn't have to stand up wondering what to do for a minute. We walked around to the back, because there was a little bit more room. Our waitress noticed the table was a little close to the one next to ours and told us we can shimmy it over. Perfect - she was really paying attention and wanted to make us feel comfortable, which she did very well. She took our drink orders, then we picked up the menus already located on the table and searched.

I had been perusing their menu all morning, so I had a good idea of what I wanted: the pulled pork sandwich. It had hickory smoked pork, varsity slaw, hushpuppies, chips and slaw. She asked if I wanted fries, and I said sure. After Danielle ordered her quesadilla, the waitress asked if we'd like to just share a basket for about a dollar more, and we took her up on it. Shortly thereafter, she brought out a "sauce" carrier. In the form of a plastic 6-pack of beer bottles, this little carrier instead housed six different types of BBQ sauce. I get to choose my own sauce to put on my sandwich? I can try all of them to see which one I like best? Perfect. Major points.

Our dishes came out fairly quickly. A large basket of seasoned fries was situated between Danielle and I. The fries were medium-width, so a decent amount of potato inside. I prefer a bit crunchier french fry. My sandwich was piled high with pork on a warm bun. The pork was tender and plentiful. A heaping handful of chips accompanied my sandwich - plain, greasy ones. I also had three hushpuppies that were absolutely excellent. Crispy outside and moist and well-seasoned inside. I only wish there were more on the plate. I also had a condiment container full of slaw. It wasn't mayonnaise-based, but it was very good nonetheless. I never had a slaw like that - it was cold and moist, but I would almost say it was a water-based, rather than mayo. It tasted the same, only fresher and lighter.

I tried all the sauces out with fries. The Memphis Sweet BBQ was fairly sweet for my taste, but still good. I also liked the Golden Carolina BBQ and used it for a good bit of my fries. My favorite, however, was their very own house sauce, VBQ. It had a hint of buffalo sauce, but it was a nice combination between the sweet and tangy without relying too heavily on one or the other. I really liked all of the sauces, and I would have been happy if any were on my sandwich. But I couldn't finish my whole sandwich and opted to drizzle some VBQ on the rest of it. When I asked for a to-go box, the waitress was nice enough to ask if I'd like a container to take a sauce with me, as well. The waitress was great.

At the heart of it, this is a sports bar. It's a great location for those going to the football games, but it's not fine dining. The typical dishes are pizza, sandwiches, wings and some seafood. If you want a good, greasy meal after or before a day of drinking, this is the place. The food is exceptional for many sports bars, and I wouldn't mind going back.

Grade: B

Ogawa is, as far as I know, one of the oldest sushi bars in town. I lived in Pierpont Apartments my first year at WVU, and Ogawa is located practically next door on University Avenue. My then-roommate was much more cultured in terms of cuisines, and I owe my love for sushi to her. Other sushi bars have popped up: Dragonfly, Volcano Restaurant and hibachi restaurants, but Ogawa has that lasting power in town. I think, for quality sushi, Yama has the downtown area covered. Ogawa has Evansdale, and Volcano hits the Suncrest area.

That point, however, would be sure to cause some controversy because many are unhappy with Ogawa. It's like one of those bands who "sold out" - apparently they got new owners, a few times, and the food has gone downhill. I can't really speak much on that fact because I've only been in the Morgantown area going on five years now, and I hadn't been to Ogawa enough early on to compare. I've heard many, many people say "I used to go there, but since they got new owners..." But here's the deal, for Morgantown sushi, it's still not bad.

The location is right along University Avenue, so it's easy to find, but parking is limited in front. There is additional parking in the rear. It's also not a very large building, so the gas station or carpet store next door could overshadow it. Ogawa also has some different hours, as they close between lunch and dinner so be sure to check in to make sure they're open when you want to stop by.


After securing parking (or walking if you're close enough), you walk in the front doors. While I usually hate walking directly into the middle of the dining room, the room is situated so it's not awkward, with some privacy dividers set up. Our waiter also greeted us right away. When we said "2," he escorted us to a small table. Here comes pet peeve #1 with Ogawa: The seating spaces are so, so tiny. Where we were situated yesterday was actually not bad, as the privacy screen was next to us, but I could reach across the entire length of the table if I wanted to. And, if you're not on the sides, you kind of feel like you're out in the open, which is a little uncomfortable. After being somewhat pleased with our seating arrangements this time, though, I ordered a water and sat down to look at my menu.


A traditional menu with a few noodle, teriyaki, lunch boxes, and tempura dishes is on the table, as well as a long sheet of paper with their sushi rolls. I generally push the traditional menu away and focus on the sushi rolls. Ogawa is supposed to be known for their "love roll" - tuna, salmon, asparagus, avocado, masago and topped with crab, mayo and spicy sauce. So, I ordered that (with it's $12.95 price tag), as well as a "crunch shrimp roll," which I'm more familiar with and knew I'd like - shrimp tempura, avocado, crab, cucumber and masago for $9.95.

After those two orders of sushi rolls, I hit my max limit I wanted to spend, and I didn't even know how much food I was getting because they don't denote the number of rolls, but I was optimistic. Our miso soup came out not too long after we ordered. Was it good? Eh. Is miso soup ever good? Eh. It seemed as though we waited a little while for our sushi, as the dinner crowd was in and Ogawa was a little busy. But soon enough, two large square plates came out and barely fit together on the table.

My "crunch shrimp roll" was segmented into five very large pieces. Pretty large, in fact, that it was difficult to eat without looking crazy. I tried to bite into the first piece, failing miserably. So I tried to eat the next piece whole, failing miserably. I gave up and decided to take those home so I didn't look like a savage in public. But the rolls were delicious and exactly what I was expecting. They were fresh, packed tight and hit all the right notes with a tad bit of soy sauce. Without the soy sauce, they're a little dry, but the flavors together are a classic win.

The "love roll" was my curve ball. When I get sushi, I rarely get raw fish. If I do, it's never two pieces of raw fish (tune AND salmon), but it was masked with some crab, so I took the bite. These rolls, too, are thick, but the circumference wasn't as large, so it was more manageable. It had 8 pieces total. The love roll is good. The fish was fresh and firm, not mushy, and it didn't taste like I was eating a large piece of raw fish. The asparagus was a new touch, but the flavors all combined together were satisfying. I noticed after eating two or three rolls, though, my mouth was actually pretty warm from the spicy sauce. Everyone knows I'm a wimp when it comes to spicy stuff, so this isn't surprising, but it was spicy enough that I didn't even add any wasabi. It was good, but the texture is a little off-putting. But if you're not in the right mindset, seeing raw fish on your plate can hijack the whole experience. Sometimes, sushi is just gross - I have to be in the right mood. And I was, until I saw something that threw me off: a short, black hair on my plate. I know this happens, but it's hard for me to get around it. At that point, I boxed up my sushi and was ready to call it a day and come back to it after my stomach had settled.


My friend Kaitlynn got the "salmon cream roll," with of course salmon and cream cheese, but it was cooked. This is a great alternative for people who are a little iffy on the texture of raw fish. Hers was very, very good, too. It's a pretty basic roll, so it was much cheaper, and she got around 9 rolls. I really enjoyed all three rolls: hers was classic and almost comforting with the cream cheese. The love roll was new and adventurous, with a mixture of many different flavors, and the crunchy shrimp roll was classic crispy tempura wrapped in rice and seaweed. Ogawa isn't stingy with the ingredients: I had huge chunks of fish and huge chunks of avocado. And they were all fresh. The flavor combinations really worked well together, as most are tried-and-true combos, but their inventive ones, including the love roll, also hit the same high notes.

Our waiter brought us a bottle of water to add refills, which I like, and we received our bill. For my two rolls of sushi rolls, her one order and her rice and chicken dish, our total came out to $46, without tip. I can't say Ogawa is my favorite sushi restaurant in town, not anymore, but I wouldn't protest going there. I've seen better, but there are many worse.

Grade: B

Maxwell's is one of those restaurants you must try when you are in Morgantown. It's off the grid, and it serves different food from most Morgantown offerings. Technically located at 1 Wall Street in Morgantown, this restaurant is little more than a hole in the wall. Most locals will refer to its location as in the alley beside the gay club - Vice Versa. Hopefully that doesn't deter you, because Maxwell's is a local favorite, and it's a place to take for a spin.


Because it is located on High Street, walking distance is preferred unless you know of a parking spot near the area. My coworkers and I were so lucky, as it is summer and students are mostly away, so we gave this place a try. Walking along High Street, you'll see the chalkboard menu before you see the restaurant. Turn beside the club Karma, and begin to walk down that alley. Soon enough, "Maxwell's" will jump out at you. You go down a few stairs and open a door that you're not sure if you should open. As soon as you do, you see a small dining area open up with restaurant-goers staring at the newcomers. If you don't know to just take a seat on your own, the cooks will yell to you to do so.


The dive is definitely devoted to vegetarians and vegans, in both terms of the menu and atmosphere. The dining area is eclectic with some wood paneling and some other decorations. We sat at a table, and a waitress came over shortly thereafter to take our drink orders. I just ordered a water, as their portions for juice are extremely small and aren't included in refills. The menus are tattered brochures that have gotten some heavy use. Inside the pages, many healthy and veghead dishes await. They even have little checkmarks () beside the dishes that are good for vegetarians.

After sorting through the menu, I decided to get a spinach melt and a salad. I couldn't find regular sides, so I just opted for a salad. When I said house salad, she asked if I wanted a dinner salad, so it's basically the same thing. The salad came out first and didn't exactly wow. On the menu, it said the dressings were made in-house, so I wanted to try it. The salad came with lettuce, carrots, one cucumber slice, three slices of onion and the side of dressing: French.The French wasn't a smooth, creamy type. It was more acidic and reminded me of a balsamic vinaigrette instead. It didn't stop me from eating the salad, though I wish there was a little more to it.

My spinach melt came out next - grilled mushrooms and fresh spinach with Swiss cheese and tomato on whole wheat bread. On the side was their homemade creamy cucumber dressing. The price tag for the sandwich was $8.25. The sandwich wasn't bad, and the dressing went well with the whole wheat bread. But, it's nothing to write home about. If you're a vegetarian, this might be the next best thing to a hamburger, but I wouldn't know. I like all the ingredients, I just wasn't wowed. They were all fresh and went together okay. But when it comes down to it, it's mushrooms, cheese and fresh spinach. If the spinach was cooked, I may have been a bigger fan, but it wasn't bad. I also had a side of chips, so the crunchy with the soft was a nice balance.

This restaurant has a reputation for being fantastic and a Morgantown staple. Which, it is. The menu is eclectic, and just about everybody can find something. It really caters to that crowd, and the ingredients are exceptional. I've never had a meal I didn't like, but it's usually not the first place I'd choose either.


Grade: B

If you're looking for thin, New York-style pizza without conscience-awareness of the calorie count, the Original Pizzeria is the best place to go on this side of town. Located at 918 Chestnut Ridge Road, this small pizza shop is just a short walk from work, so a co-worker and I made the trip today for lunch.


The Original Pizzeria is located in a plaza with a Subway and a few other, less important stores. Thankfully, it is both close and delicious. The outside is nondescript, beyond a sign, and there is a large lot to park in. When you walk inside, there are only a handful of tables and booths, which aren't necessarily in the best shape. The decor is ... lacking, as is the menu, but that's okay. Their specialty, of course, is their pizzas. But they also have a couple calzones, hoagies and salads. But honestly, you shouldn't care. Get the pizza.

We put in our orders. I ordered a "small" pizza, which is 12" for $6. I also got mushrooms on it, another $1.25, as well as a coke. With tax, the total came to $9.28. Not shabby for two servings. After placing your order at the counter, you sit and wait. I grabbed my coke out of the cooler. Our pizza was done very quickly, though there was only one person working. He was taking orders and cooking. He cooks right behind the counter, so you can see your pizza in the oven and everything. Thankfully it wasn't busy in there, or I'd imagine the wait would be much longer.


Shortly after, the gentleman brought our two pizzas to us on large pans and a paper plate on the side. Typically, they call our your pizza and you walk up to get it. He was treating us, and we were sitting close. Eight large, thin pieces of pizza stared back at me. Gooey mozzarella and plump sliced mushrooms coated my pizza. The greasy, delicious pizza is second, in my book, only to Pizza Al's in Morgantown. If you like New York Style pizza that you can fold over and shovel in your mouth, you're good to go here.

Old-school without all the frills, this place just serves a good pie. You won't find delivery here. But, you haven't really experienced all the pizza offerings if you haven't gone here. I had about three slices and bagged the other 5 for later. The gentleman actually left boxes for us on the counter because he knew we weren't packing away a whole pizza. Smart man.

Grade: A 

This small plaza restaurant packed a surprise - it's not so small. Located off of Stafford Drive in a plaza, it's much larger than the outside displays. Before I headed home for the week, we stopped here for dinner.




When you walk in, it's like a different world. The ceiling is painted blue, with clouds, to mimic the sky. The walls are bright oranges, blues and greens. Art litters the walls - suns, moons, decorations. It's a Mexican restaurant alright, but it's fun, too. When we went in, it was very quiet; I only saw one other couple. We waited a minute or so at the front before the waiter fetched us and seated us.

The table had the name "El Jaripeo" embla- zoned on it, and the decor- ations were very true to the cuisine. I wouldn't say tacky, but it didn't possess the class of Campestre, another local Mexican restaurant I've become quite font of. As soon as the waiter took our drink orders, he brought out a basket of chips and salsa, with two bowls.The salsa had some kick to it. I tried a little bit, but washed it right down with my Coke. When the waiter came back, I asked for the appetizer sampler. He left, but came right back, saying they didn't have that. Quickly, I wanted to try an appetizer, so I asked if they had queso. They did, and he brought out an individual casserole dish full of queso. It was a pretty cheesy queso sauce, but it was good. It wasn't as warm as I preferred, but it was tasty.


I ordered "Cama- rones Locos" (just like my favorite at Campestre), while Chris got a shrimp diablas dish. Which essentially translates into really hot shrimp, with a side of  rice, lettuce and sour cream. My dish's description was nearly identical to the one at Campestre - shrimp, lobster, scallops, crab in a cheesy sauce with peppers, onions and a side of rice. So I thought it'd be good to test it. When my dish came out, it certainly wasn't as pretty as Campestre's - the peppers were in long strips, instead of small chunks, so it was a little more difficult to eat without looking like an animal. The scallops were plump and melted in my mouth. The shrimp, however, weren't as fresh as they could've been, and some were very, very tiny. They also weren't de-veined ... which grosses me out. But the cheese sauce was good, and it came with tortilla shells. I was excited about these, but really, they kind of masked the flavor of the dish. I opted against them afterward.

This dish really wasn't bad at all. But comp- ared to Camp- estre, I think I'd prefer Campestre. The dish was flavorful, but the seafood wasn't quite as fresh as it could've been, and I prefer the large pieces I get at Campestre. But for that side of town, it's a good deal. It's not too busy, either, so it makes for a good afternoon away from the hustle and bustle.

Grade: B