Candace Lately

Morgantown

Oliverio's Ristorante's original location is in Bridgeport. They opened up a lunch option, Oliverio's Marketplace, which I reviewed here, as well as an Oliverio's Ristorante in Morgantown. Since I already review the marketplace, I thought it was about time to try out the restaurant.

This one is located in the Wharf District, so there is some metered parking, otherwise the garage is your best bet. This is one of the nicer restaurants in town, so they do reservations, but we just decided on a whim to go here, so we walked in. We were handed a buzzer. We waited outside until it went off, then we ventured back in the dark restaurant. Because it is nicer, and potentially "romantic," the lights are way down. So, it was difficult to catch the decor.

As soon as you walk in, there are some green, leafy plants and small lights in the entryway. The dessert case is to the left, and a set of stairs lead you back to a few different dining areas. On this particular night, they set us out on the covered patio. Inside, the tables are gorgeous and seats comfy. Outside, we were sitting on plastic chairs, and our table rocked a bit. I wasn't super impressed, considering the inside diners have a nicer experience than the outside. There was also some miscellaneous chairs and tables laying about, so it didn't give off that high-end vibe I want to feel at Oliverio's. It was very chilly out that night, but luckily they keep it heated.

Our waitress came out with menus, and we placed our drink orders. I was incredibly hungry, so we put in an order for bruschetta. She also brought out a basket of fresh bread. I can't say a bad thing about their bread - it's fresh and warm and soft and scrumptious. And, I'm not even a big bread person. Our bruschetta came out afterward - four large pieces of bread with cheese, tomatoes and spices. The first thing I noticed was the melted cheese overtop of the bread. Normally, I would like this. But when I think of bruschetta, I think of a more light, airy appetizers with tomatoes and crunchy bread. Maybe light parmesan. But the melted cheese made the toppings warm and an awkward hearty vibe. I wasn't a huge fan. It was also served with marinara sauce. This dish was heavier, and I like the simplify of bruschetta with it's olive oil and tomatoes. This was not my favorite.

I also ordered a half Caprese salad, as well as their stuffed shells. My salad came out first, and it was doing what I had hoped it wouldn't - provide only four small pieces of mozzarella and tomato - the rest is greens. Which is okay, but if I ordered a tomato mozzarella salad, I want those to be the prominent pieces. With that being said, it wasn't bad. It was just okay. I wouldn't order it again, though.

Finally, our entrees arrived. I wasn't sure what to expect. I ordered stuffed shells, for around $13, so I was hoping it'd be plentiful. Out came my dish with three stuffed shells. Decent sized ones, but still only three. The pasta was fresh and the cheeses were delicious and creamy. While tasty, three shells was disappointing. I'm glad I got my salad, or I would've been starving still. The quality is good, in the food at least, but the outside decor left something to be desired. On another night, this could be a much more pleasant experience.

Also, it was so dark, my photos aren't barely visible. Sorry about that.

Grade: B

2 Comments

Restaurants that serve local food

8:00 AM

Some restaurants in the area pride themselves on offering food right here from the hills of West Virginia. Whether it's the meat from grass-fed cattle or fish from the local aquaculture farm, there's not much doubt that fresher is better. Check out some of the local restaurants that serve up food West Virginia style:

Black Bear Burritos - "We support local and WV grown/produced products when possible, including Spring Creek tofu, from Spencer, WV, our Black Bear Stout, brewed by Mountain State Brewing in Thomas, WV, and Conquering Lion hot sauces made in Fairmont, WV." As well as the local food, Black Bear celebrates local art on their walls and local music.
Terra Cafe - "We take advantage of locally sourced produce, meat and dairy product availability. This gives us a direct and intimate knowledge of the ingredients we use and allows us to build a more personal relationship with our local farmers. You will notice our menu changing from time to time to adapt to the Appalachian seasons."
Richwood Grill - "Selected by the West Virginia Department of Tourism as one of the 101 Most Unique Destinations in West Virginia and the winner of several culinary awards, Solera Cafe evolved into Richwood Grill in the summer of 2009 to better utilize the variety of ingredients available locally in West Virginia. Richwood Grill is dedicated to the essential concept of sustainable agriculture and we believe that natural ingredients are healthier and simply taste better."
Madeleine's Restaurant - "Madeleine's Restaurant Supports Local Husbandry by using locally-sourced ingredients to produce our signature Fresh, Creative, Modern Cuisine. Madeleine's proudly supports: Hawthorne Valley Farms located in Clarksburg, West Virginia [Beef] Gardner Farms located in Waverley, West Virginia [Lamb] WVU Aquaculture located in Morgantown, West Virginia [Seafood]"

What other restaurants in town serve up locally produced grub? Any favorites? I know I've had fish at Richwood Grill before that is so fresh, it's almost surprising it's not still alive. That's kind of weird. But, let me know your thoughts!

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Event

2012 Ronald McDonald House Chef's Challenge

8:00 AM

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Mother India

8:00 AM

I had only been to Mother India one other time, and it was when the first opened in Morgantown. I wasn't overly impressed, but I wanted to give this place a more subjective look since spicy food isn't my forte. A friend suggested we check it out during their Sunday buffet. Sounds splendid - that way I get a sampling of a few different things.

Mother India is located at the very bottom of High Street in that plaza - one of the few places downtown where parking is provided. It's a fairly small restaurant, with all the tables in one room, and a small buffet area is at the back corner of the restaurant.

On Sundays, the buffet runs from noon to 8 p.m. Regularly, they have dine-in and takeout options. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted and taken to a table. We waited a few minutes before we ordered our drinks - I knew from previous experience that I wanted water and a coke in case the food is too spicy. After that, we went up to fill our plates. The buffet had maybe a dozen items.

Vegetable Samosas - I think of these as little potpies. They are a turnover with peas and potatoes. This is a tasty, filling little treat.

Vegetable Pankoras - There are simply veggies deep-fried in butter. Tasty? Yes. This is Indian-American in a nutshell.

Nan - This is a light "unleavened" bread, which means it hasn't risen, and it's fantastic. Lots of Indian dishes are in a base sauce, so the Nan bread is fantastic for sopping up the extra goodness.

Chicken Tikka Masala - This was by far my favorite dish. It is boneless white meat cooked in a tangy cream sauce. That's about as much as I can give you. It's not overly spicy, and it is filling on top of a pile of rice. It has the spicy flair to it, but creamy and toned down - it's really delicious.

Korma - They have shrimp, lamb and chicken korma, but I believe the chicken is what was on the buffet. It is chicken cooked with spices, herb,s nuts and raisons in a cream sauce. This was also quite tasty. The Indian food is all about the various spices put into these dishes, which cause them to have extremely different outcomes. Mother India is doing it right.

There were a few other choices on the buffet - not many - but I moved onto the smaller dessert area.

Kheer - This is essentially a rice pudding. It is sweet, and thick and delicious.

Gulab Jamun - I had no idea what this was until I read the description. It kind of looks like a soaked apricot or peach. And when you bite in, you get this honey-syrupy sweetness, like a thick pancake. What is it? It's deep-fried cheese and milk balls soaked in syrup. Yeah, just try it though. It's a little ball of heaven.

My only complaint is that I paid for a coke, but it was one small glass, with no refills. If I had known that was the case, I would've stuck with water. But the food was outstanding and delicious. I highly recommend the buffet for those, like me, who aren't as familiar with the cuisine. It's a great way to get acquainted with the various types of food offered. Otherwise, the menu is expansive, and it has descriptions for all the dishes.