There are few reasons to go to the Mountaineer Mall (aka, the OTHER, old abandoned mall). But Hometown Hot Dogs is one of them. 

The half-occupied building has a hodgepodge of businesses or services that continue to reside there, and it is where Woodburn Shanks got its start. That restaurant has since moved out, but Hometown Hot Dogs moved in not quite a year ago to fill the lunchtime business void. 

Hometown Hot Dogs has a location in Westover, as well as ones in Fairmont and Kingwood. There's a real "hot dog culture" throughout West Virginia, though it's much stronger in the southern part of the state. But, I always enjoy seeing a little sliver of it in Morgantown.

Hometown Hot Dogs is located in the Center Court of the Mountaineer Mall (5000 Greenbag Rd., Suite B1, Morgantown, WV, 304-435-0015). There are a few tables and chairs nearby if you wish to eat in. No cards, but there is an ATM available if need be.

The menu features hot dogs, of course. But there are also pepperoni rolls, pizza, chili, chicken sandwiches or wraps, salads, fries, nachos, and weekly specials. A cooler full of sodas is available, including Cheerwine! 

These hot dogs are pretty decent. I only wish the dog itself was a bit warmer, and the slaw is pretty liquidy. It kept seeping into the bun, but the flavors are all good. I've had some pretty damn good hot dogs, so it's hard to rank this up there with them. But it's definitely one of the best you'll find in Morgantown; its competition being Haught Diggity Dogz.

Grade: B

Recently, I was in the Parkersburg area and had lunch at the mall. The food court has a few local options that I'm slowly working my way through. I started with The Pizza Place, and now we've moved on to China Max.

This isn't the first time I've come across a restaurant named China Max, though I'm unsure if they are connected in any way. I tried some of the sesame chicken, noodles and cheese wontons. The chicken was of meh quality, but I was a fan of the creamy cheese wontons. They weren't dry and crumbly like many others. But, so far, Pizza Place is winning in the race.

Grade: C

A new Asian grocery store has replaced the former Smitty's location in Chelsea Square. It joins two others in town: Vonson and Koreana.

I'm not sure we need three separate Asian stores, but I welcome one on my side of town. And, I was told they will begin serving to-go sushi, as well.

Side note: The owner works at Kroger and said he recognizes me. This could be a teachable moment for me - I clearly get Kroger sushi way too often.

It's not a huge space, but they have a little of everything - frozen fish, condiments, snacks, produce, drinks, and even ice cream in the back.

I ended up purchasing garlic Cornick, which is a Filipino variant of corn nuts. I had never actually had corn nuts before (I know, I'm an idiot), but I had read something recently about them and the various kinds. And, well, the rest is history. The little savory, crunchy bits were decent.

I also got some frozen shumai, which is a guilty pleasure. I know this is probably white girl version of any authentic food, but I love them. Drizzled with teriyaki sauce mmmm.

And, I got some sort of white milk chocolate wafers, which weren't bad.

That just goes to show you the variety of stuff they have here. From fresh to frozen and authentic to just tasty, there's a little bit of everything for everyone. Parking is easy here, and it's pretty convenient. Keep in mind that if you're using a card, there's a $10 minimum.

Have you been? What have you bought?

It's no secret I am not a huge fan of Tex-Mex, but I figured if there was a place to turn me into a believer, it'd be in Texas.

... But, maybe, choosing airport food wasn't the best option. Urban Taco has a few locations, one of which being in the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

So, I ordered three tacos from the menu:

CHICKEN TINGA
chile braised chicken & potatoes, queso fresco, avocado lime crema 3

DOS EQUIS AMBER BARBACOA
beer and chile braised beef, pickled red onions, black bean & roasted corn pico 3

AL PASTOR
chile rubbed pork, grilled pineapple, cilantro, onions, salsa roja 3

There's an entire shop in Dallas, just down the street from where I had BBQ, dedicated to pie. PIE.

So, yes, I had to go.

Emporium Pies has a few locations, but just a handful of pie options. I ordered a slice of the Drunken Nut:

A SHORTBREAD CRUST CRADLES A SWEET SAUCE OF BUTTER, BOURBON, BROWN SUGAR AND TEXAS PECANS. YOU WILL NOT FIND ANY CORN SYRUP HERE. OUR BAKER FAVORITES THIS PIE ABOVE ALL THE REST, SO WE CONSIDER IT OUR MOST PERFECT PIE TO DATE. YOU WILL NEVER TRY ANOTHER PECAN PIE QUITE LIKE THIS ONE.

They warmed it up for me, which made the brown sugar melty and syrupy and delicious. I should've opted for the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. But even without, delish.

Grade: A