A new pizza place has opened in University Place, the new public/private student housing on University Avenue on the Downtown Camps. Papa Allen's Pizza features traditional, white, Sicilian and gourmet pizzas, in addition to fried appetizers, wings, salads, calzones, pastas, speciality pastas, burgers, hoagies, wedgies and gyros.

So, really, it's more than a pizza place because they offer a bunch of different items. That's not always the best indication. I'd rather have a restaurant that offers just a few items - but does them all really well, instead of a restaurant that offers a ton but they are all mediocre. But we shall see.


It was lunch time, so I just wanted pizza by the slice. To my surprise, you can only order Sicilian by the slice (not traditional). I was hoping to try one slice of traditional and one of the Sicilian, but that's OK. I got tow slices of Sicilian with mushrooms.

The Bank, located at 344 High Street in Morgantown, has a new menu. Typically, when restaurants get new menus, they switch out a few items and sub in some others. Not major changes - but more subtle ones. That's not the case with The Bank, which is why I wanted to make another visit.

The Bank's menu now exclusively features gourmet grilled cheese melts and macaroni and cheese platters, in addition to their beer and cocktail menu. Grilled cheese AND macaroni and cheese? Yes and yes.

One half of the menu features grilled cheese sandwiches - like a Philly melt, a pork melt, and a cordon bleu melt. The other half features macaroni and cheese - like roasted red pepper ranch mac, Texas mac and jalapeno parm mac.

So, yes, this is super cheesy (and amazing), but I didn't want to TOTALLY overdo it. So, Tony and I ordered one grilled cheese and one mac and cheese and split the two. We ordered the buffalo chicken melt, which had buffalo tossed tenders with melted mozzarella and ranch, and the jalapeno parm mac, which was a traditional macaroni and cheese with a jalapeno parmesan cheese sauce.

The grilled cheese so good. I think it was the combination of that hitting the perfect craving, and it actually just being really good. The bread was lightly toasted, the tenders inside were crisp with a nice buffalo kick, and melted mozzarella cheese enveloped each bite. The ranch added just an extra bit of flavor. You can't go wrong with this combo, and it was executed well.

The macaroni and cheese was also quite good but less impressive. The thick cream sauce was spiked with fresh jalapenos. Lots more sauce than noodle so it could get a little soggy quickly. But, good flavor.

Check 'em out. Lots of different menu options than when they first opened.

The Vegetable Garden is a new addition to the Morgantown Farmers Market, frequenting the Westover Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoon/evenings.

The Vegetable Garden, known as Davis Brothers, Inc., on Facebook, sells a number of - wait for it - vegetables at the market.

According to Connect Clarksburg: Julie and her family have 30 acres in production, growing everything from potatoes and onions to collard greens and corn.

I snagged an onion, as you can see! Find Julie on Tuesdays at the Westover Farmers Market or give her a call at 304-376-2143.

The Osage Pecan Company of Lewisburg is quite the pleasant surprise. It's a small shop full of all sorts of nuts, candies and other treats for purchase. Chocolate amaretto covered pecans? Butter toffee pecans? Chocolate covered pecans!

The business is locally owned, with the first location in Butler, Missouri, and then the one in Lewisburg opened in April 2014. They give out free samples, so be sure to grab a handful or two!

Jim's Drive In, one of the last remaining drive ins in the state, is located in Lewisburg and serves up burgers, hot dogs and milkshakes in true drive in style - from the comfort of your car. While many of the drive ins in West Virginia have a very small indoor dining area, Jim's is strictly car-centric, though there is some outdoor seating.

This is the first drive in I've been to where I actually ate in my car. Luckily, I was close enough to the front of the restaurant to see most of the menu. Besides that, I always do my research and knew they have their "famous ranchburger," which has sweet pickles, a slice of ham, cheese, tomato, purple onion, lettuce, tomato. Add a side of onion rings and a caramel milkshake, and my mouth is watering as I type these words.

I waited for just a little bit before my food was brought out. Again, I had never actually driven up to a drive in before. So. I didn't realize they actually attach the tray to your window. I thought it just hugged my door somehow. Imagine that awkward moment when the carhop has my food on a tray. I look at her. She looks at me. I look at her. She asks me if I can roll up my window a bit. Oh. OH. Okay. Sorry.

It's kind of nice having a little bit of privacy while dining out. It's the best of both worlds: having someone else cook for me, but being able to wear whatever I want and listen to music I want. The only downside is crumbs in your car. BUT I was in a rental. So.

The milkshake was delicious. Like, so delicious. Caramel + ice cream = me in love.

The burger wasn't bad. I didn't love the ham or sweet pickles on the burger. But, minus those, it's a pretty standard burger, so I wasn't unhappy. It's a good burger. The onion rings were also pretty solid - nice, crisp, not too much residual grease.

I think next time I could just opt for a regular burger. Because it in and of itself is pretty darn good.


Grade: B