As much as I love trying new restaurants, I must admit, I'm not super stoked to go to a Hotdog joint. Sacrilegious, I know. But, it is a hotdog. One of the reasons I revel in going out to eat is because growing up very poor, I never had that luxury. Now that I can spare some extra dough, I try to treat myself once in a while. I had plenty of hotdogs at home. I crave that creativity and variety. But I ventured out to Haught Diggity Dogz.

However! I got some motivated when I saw how critically acclaimed it is (WV Hotdog blog - five weenies; WV Hotdog blog - Best Monongalia County Hot Dog 2008; WV Hotdog blog - Best Overall North Central Region Hot Dog 2008) If you don't follow the WV Hotdog Blog, do so immediately. These guys are great.


It has moved locations slightly from where it was a few years ago. It's now located along Earl Core Road in the Rock Forge Inn. You just keep going, toward Sabraton past the interchange area, and it's on your right (from downtown). Two separate signs for Haught Diggity Dogz and Rock Forge Inn are displayed outside. But when you walk in, it's a bar. And not just any bar, it's kind of a biker bar. It's pretty small, too. These two entities are forged into one now, but it seems like they want to keep the Haught Diggity Dogz name. Not sure how it came about, but it appears to be two identities operating out of one place.

When we walked in, nearly all the seats at the bar were taken up, but there were two small round tables that we seated ourselves at. We stood awkwardly at the bar for a moment, but one of the women at the bar said she would let the bartender know we were there. So we continued to sit down.

This looked like a very local, townie, biker bar. There was a pop-country station playing. It was a little uncomfortable at first because you could feel everyone looking at you. But then they started to crack jokes, and we loosened up. They were fun people. When the bartender walked back out, one of the customers started slow dancing with her. It was really cute. The woman said that two girls were wanting to order, and the bartender turned her gaze to us and began smiling and walked over. In a sweet, high-pitched voice, the woman asked what we wanted. Looking at the menu, they have few items but they are done well.

Their hotdogs are $1.75, regardless of what you stack it with, and there are some options: Chili (reg, med, hot), mustard, ketchup, cheese, onions, jalapenos, slaw, sauerkraut, and more. Other options include fries (with chili or cheese), salads, nachos and cheese, Frito pie, pepperoni rolls and drinks. I have learned that a true West Virginia hotdog includes the following: chili, mustard, slaw and onions. So I ordered one of those. And I also got a Frito pie because I had never heard of it, as well as a water. My total came out to $6.

In good-service-like-fashion, the sweet woman simply set our slips down and said to get around to it whenever we were finished. Our food came out so quickly, I don't even know how they had time to cook it. I was too excited to dive into my West Virginia hotdog. I must say: I've been missing out. Why don't I order all my hotdogs like this?  The bun was lightly steamed and laid home to a hot dog, perfect chili sauce, fresh, light slaw with some slightly sweet onions. I was hesitant about the chili because I was thinking the chili you eat with a spoon. This is a thinner consistency, but boy, it was my favorite part. I think I could eat that on anything. It was the opposite of offensive - it was slightly tangy but sweet and overall, I didn't think I'd have this much good stuff to say about a hotdog.

The bartender came over to check on us and genuinely cared about what we thought about the food. It wasn't that passing "Everything okay?" It was "What do you think? Do you like the hotdog? Do you need any more ___" stuff like that. I wonder if she is the same person who helped open Hot Diggity Dogz because it seems like she truly cares. That's really important when you're at a new place - you want to feel welcome. And she went out of her way to do that for us. She said "I hope you like the Frito pie! A lot of people seem to. Let me know what you think."

My Frito pie was also a pleasant surprise. It is a bowl of Fritos, with some of that fabulous chili, nacho cheese and some sour cream on top. I can't believe how good this is. The chili, again, phenomenal, lays right on top of the Fritos so they get slightly steamed, almost, which makes it easier to scoop them up with a spoon and enjoy with the other toppings. It was still crunchy, by all means, and the hot, slightly sweet chili, covered in nacho cheese and cool sour cream made for a junk food heaven. Deeelicious!

They do only take cash, though, so be sure to have some handy. The bartender came by to pick up our money and said "Your momma's don't have to worry about you coming here. I take care of you. I'll make sure your bellies are full and everyone here is really friendly. I hope you come back soon." I think I fell in love with her. That was really sweet and reassuring, too, considering we were probably the only people under 40 there.

I handed her a couple bucks for her help and then we were on our way, with a new restaurant under my belt, a good hotdog in my belly, and a new adventure to write about. I think everyone should give this place a shot - maybe you'll be surprised how decent a hotdog can be with the right, fresh ingredients.


Hot Diggity Dogz: (304) 291-DOGZ (3649)

Grade: A

I inquired about the new Mario's location. Here's what I got:

Karen Furfari 3:21 PM (0 minutes ago) to me

Hi Candace,

The name of the business is now Mario's Fishbowl Suncrest....spread the word! We should be open within the next 1-3 days; we're waiting on licenses from the state. We purchased tailgators July 1 and have been remodeling and working on improvements for the new Fishbowl! We will be open 7 days a week, have the same menu and Frosty Fishbowls of beer. We will also be serving liquor. Thanks for inquiring.

Karen and Mark

The new Black Bear location opened up in Suncrest. I found out via their announcement on Twitter. Being the devoted blogger I am, I headed over there after work to scope out the new place. It's located along University Avenue, near the party store. As you can imagine, this location is huge.

.....and we are OFICIALLY open at Black Bear Evansdale!!!
— Black Bear Burrito (@BlackBearMotown) July 16, 2012

When we walked in, I was almost overwhelmed by the amount of space. Not only was it gigantic, but it was kind of sparse, which only added to that effect. The downtown location is, well, cluttered. This one is more streamlined and neat. That may also be because they haven't accumulated memorabilia yet.

There are menus up front and large paw prints that you can follow to the register to order. It guides you over to the orange wall. I already knew what I wanted: Fish Tacos. Black Bear has changed their menu slightly - I think they offer one or two less burritos than they had before. That's not to say you couldn't make it yourself; it's just not pre-suggested for you tied up in a cutesy name. But fish tacos are now a regular on the Black Bear Burrito. It used to only be a special (if you don't like Black Bear's Facebook page to see the specials, you aren't living), but I assume, after much positive feedback, it's now a regular. What better way to celebrate than to order it?



For $8.75, you get "two soft taco tortillas filled with Monterey Jack cheese, a crunchy cabbage blend, fresh roma tomatoes, and a generous portion of seasoned Tilapia. We add an awesome 'Best Coast' dill sauce...we serve 'em flat. You fold and eat!"

It's the same order-at-the-counter, get a toy, fill-your-drink-up-at-the-fountain, find a table and have the server come find you. Is it sad that I was excited to see a new crop of toys? For the record, we had a toy bus. The fountain machine is really tall, so if you're pretty short, you might actually have trouble reaching it. Our food came out fairly quickly, especially considering it was the first day. While one member of the group had a slight mix-up with her order, the rest of ours were perfect.

I hadn't had the fish tacos before, but I was happy with my decision. They were full of tender pieces of fish, and the dill sauce was a perfect complement. A little crunch with the cabbage added some more substance to this dish. I enjoyed it. I made a mess eating it, but it was worth it. I can see how this would be a big seller. I must say, though, I might have to stick with my Irie Member or Bear Trap or Good Calypso. Love them and can't get 'em anywhere else.

I hope this location does well. It seems like it can serve a different crowd. While we were there, there were lots of children. I don't know if that's any indication of the future, but it may seem more "restaurant" -like, as opposed to the sort of loungey/bar/restaurant the downtown location has going on. It still has local art and even some of the decor is locally produced. But only time will tell what this will morph itself into.

Grade: A

Heston Farm is a fairly new addition to the dozen or so wineries in West Virginia. However, they aren't new to making whiskey. Located in Fairmont, the winery and distillery portion of the farm are only about a year old. The family has been involved in farming since the Revolutionary War, and made wine on the side.


The 200-acre farm near the Tygart River has an outdoor pavilion for weddings and other events. They have llamas! But the winery/distillery area has been the main attraction for me. It's open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Private tours are available. Downstairs, you can try all their different wines and moonshines. I think upstairs you can rent for other events.

For about $6 (that's what it was for me last time), you get a Heston Farms wine glass and a sample of all the wines: Bastion (Semi-Sweet Red), Dog and Pony Show (Sweet Red), Dolly Llama (Semi-Sweet White), Jade's Sweet Reward (Rose Table Wine), Prudence & Penelope (Sweet White), Spring Peeper (Chardonnay) and Spring Peeper (Merlot). They have even more than that now, I believe, but the website doesn't list them all.

You can even taste the moonshine. The Pinchgut Hollow Distillery has: Buckwheat, Corn, Honey Peach and Apple Pie (served in cute pig bottles). It's open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

But you know I couldn't ignore the fact that they also have food! They have specials every day, and a few places to dine outside. Recently, they had their Heston Arts & Music Festival, and I spend the majority of my Saturday there.


It was so packed, we actually had to park down near the original location with the pavilion and be carted up to the main area. They had bands playing all day long on the small stage near the building, and artisans had tents set up showcasing their work. You could do wine tastings and purchase food, of course.

Typically, the restaurant is open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The menu had things like gazpacho, bbq ribs, a meat and cheese board, a burger, and peach turnover. The thing that stood out to me was the bruschetta platter. One - I had just paid $10 for the festival, and Two - I didn't have much cash left. The platter was $9, so I went for it. After waiting in line, I put my order in and received a number to take back to my table.

Soon enough, I had a platter full of their house crostini with marinated tomatoes, olive tapenade, roasted garlic and cheese. As well as a glass of Prudence & Penelope - my fav. I must say, I was quite impressed. The flavors were delicate yet bold and everything blended together well. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I ate the entire thing, and I even scooped up the leftover toppings to eat them sans crostini, too.

I also sampled from the meat and cheese board, which had assorted meats and cheeses, with crostini, fresh fruit, and their house mustard. I loved this slightly spicy mustard - it had a little kick to it, but in a good way. Really, the food here is good, the wine is good, and with events like these, it 's a great time. If you have a chance to go, check it out. The area is gorgeous, and the people are friendly.

For more information, call 304-534-2516 or visit www.hestonfarm.com.

Grade: A

Wings Ole has operates three restaurants: two in Morgantown and one in Fairmont. I've already scoped out the Suncrest location, so I thought it was due time for me to visit the location downtown along University Ave.

As I've mentioned before, Wings Ole is a local tradition. People rave about the fries and bleu - not because it's great food, I don't think. But it's more about that nostalgia. This place has been a part of many youths' upbringings.

The downtown location is positioned right at the beginning of the bridge, so it can be slightly precarious to get into. The parking lot is a little odd, and there is some additional parking down below. But once you get situated, it's easy to navigate.

When we walked through the main doors, there was a cool mural on the wall. It kind of gave it some individual flare. But once I opened the actual doors, a musty smell overcame us. It was like the water they had been using to clean up with was old and leaving a gross smell linger. Not good.

Looking at the menu, they are like a more expensive Taco Bell. They have fast-food "Mexican" plus wings. But the wings are covered in a tomato paste-like sauce that I hear is not great. I'm not huge on wings, so I haven't tried them. I looked to their other fare: quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos. I had a burrito before from the other location - kind of soggy, bland and not good. I went the quesadilla route. And of course, a side of fries and bleu. My total came to around $11. That's not a lot for a sit-down restaurant, but it's a good bit for a fast-food place. And I consider this place the latter.

When you order the quesadilla, you get a side of sauce. I wasn't expecting that, so I asked what sauces they had. The girl said nacho cheese, verde, ombre and a few others. I asked what ombre was - she said she didn't know. So, yeah, went with nacho cheese on her suggestion.

The interior is one giant room. We went outside because it was much fresher. They actually do have a nice, small outdoor dining area because it overlooks the river and the bridge. It's nice. Our food was out fairly quickly. The servers brought out our food on trays, but then took our paper plates full of food and put them on the table and took the trays back with them. It was odd that they didn't just leave the tray with us, considering the food was on flimsy paper plates.

My quesadilla was good. It was a good fast-food-like quesadilla. Just like something I could get at Taco Bell. Maybe quesadillas are safe - if you can pack some colby jack cheese and small chunks of chicken between two tortillas, I think you're safe. But it was good. I finished the whole thing, and I'd order it again. I won't actively seek it out, but if I ever find myself there again, I'd totally order it. I didn't bother with the nacho cheese though, didn't really need it.

I do also like their fries and bleu. The fries were golden crispy on the outside, and the bleu cheese, while not really bleu cheesy, is tasty. It's basically ranch, but I really like fries and ranch, so I'm happy either way. Don't expect chunks of fresh bleu cheese or creative, mind-blowing flavors. But for what this place is, I'm okay with it. If you're feeling into a sit-down fast-food joint, why not? Plus it does have a decent view.

Grade: B