How could a place called Hogfather's not intrigue you? This little BBQ restaurant is located in Washington, Pa., and I pass it every time I head home to Wellsburg. For, like, seven years now I've passed it and never stopped. It has always caught my eye, though. I was just always in a hurry to either get home to Wellsburg or back to my home in Morgantown.

I was in the Washington, Pa., area with two friends recently, and when our tummies started rumbling I knew just the place I wanted to go. Hogfather's.


This place has only a dozen or so places inside to sit; it also has a drive-thru. We were seated quickly at a booth and scanned the menu. The "Old Fashioned BBQ Sandwich" seemd like a pretyt good standard to judge them by. It range up at $6.99 and had smoked, hand-pulled beef or pork with choice of spicy red or Carolina-style BBQ sauce with crisp onion straw and jalapeno peppers. I opted for pork and Carolina-style. I also ordered a side of macaroni and cheese.

The sandwich was different - in a really, really good way. It wasn't a pile of meat with sauce poured over top. No, this was the meat cooked in the sauce, so the meat was just full of tangy and sweet flavor. You don't catch much sauce - just lots of flavor. The jalapenos added just the perfect slight kick and the crispy onion straws really added a little crunch, little sweetness - just perfect. This is a damn good sandwich.

The macaroni and cheese? Also fantastic. Homemade, creamy, sinfully delicious. The spiral noodles sat in a delicious sauce with some shreds of cheese on top. Yum.

I couldn't believe this place was as good as it was. And I've been passing it for so long! Just order this exact thing and thank me later.

Grade: A

I fell in love with Forks of Cheat wine probably before I was old enough to drink (shh). I remember not liking any wines that I had tried because they were too bitter or dry. A friend suggested Forks of Cheat because it tends to be sweeter, and it was love at first swig.

Since then, my tastes have evolved, and I enjoy a variety of wines - not always just the sweet ones. But Forks of Cheat is still one of my favorites. I even did a photo essay on the winery during grad school where I spent some time with the owner, Jerry Deal, around the winery and with his son, Eric Deal, too. It was great learning about why they do what they do and the history and its future.

I wanted to share my love for this place with two of my good friends, Maggie and Jessica. I had never actually done a "tasting" here before - not an official one, at least. When I was working with them for my photo essay, the folks working would give me a glass to try as I was documenting them. But I never went into the main part and just tried all the different types.

There's nothing official here. You just walk in and mention to them that you'd like to try some of the wines. They have a list of everything they offer, and you can choose from there. Just standing over the counter, we tried a few different wines: Niagara (sweet white), Bad Cat (semi-sweet blush), Merlot (dry red), Van Buren (sweet red), Strawberry, Pomegranate, and Pear. They have many more than that, but we were trying not to be lushes.

Once we decided on which ones we liked the best, we each bought a bottle. We had one opened (the Niagara, I think) and took to the deck to drink a few glasses while overlooking the hills. They have small snacks - like crackers and jams - available to purchase if you're interested.

If you're looking to spend a Saturday afternoon sipping some sweet wine while overlooking rolling hills, look no further. I love the relaxation this place provides - just slightly out of town, but beautiful and calming.


WHITES
Seyval Blanc (Dry) $11
Schawrzer Bar (Semi-Dry) $11
Vidal Blanc (Semi-Dry) $11
Airmail Jones (Semi-Sweet) $11
Niagara (Sweet) $10.50

BLUSH
Bad Cat (Semi-Sweet) $10.50

REDS
Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry) $15
Merlot (Dry) $13
Burgundy (Dry) $13
Chambourcin (Dry) $13
Redbud (Semi-Dry) $11
Van Buren (Sweet) $10.50

FRUITS
(All Sweet)
Blackberry $12
Blueberry $12
Strawberry $12
Pomegranate $12
Plum $10.50
Pear $10.50
Peach $10.50
Spice $11
Spiced Apple $11

Black Jewel Port $19.50
Watson's White Port $15.50
Mon Doux (cocoa infused red wine) $15

LIQUERS
Blackberry 375ml $15
Blackberry 500ml $20
Peach $15
Pear $15
Cherry $15

Grappa $20
Ridge Runner Rum $25
AppleJack Brandy $30
Peach Moonshine $25
Apple Pie Moonshine $25

A convenience store in South Park isn't where I would typically look for a culinary haven.

South Park isn't home to many restaurants, and a convenience store is lucky to have something more than a stromboli, packaged pepperoni roll and fountain drinks.

Located at the corner of Green and Arch streets, Green Arch Market is bucking that trend.

How many convenience stores have BBQ pork, jambalaya or vegetarian risotto? I can name one. Apparently a former server from Sargasso bought the property and a former sous chef from the restaurant is now the main chef here (his family also operated Glasshouse Grille and Flying Fish). That would explain some of the creative items on their menu.

They have an array of chips, canned goods and even beer, which is great for South Park - since there isn't easy access to all of that otherwise. But what sets Green Arch apart is their hot food. They even cater.

I made a special trip out here with Vicki and Tony. There's parking available across the street. Inside, a small menu awaited us: triple grilled cheese, bbq pork platter, bacon cheeseburger, NY strip steak hoagie, pulled pork-macaroni and cheese-and vegetables, and chicken and andouille jambalaya.

For their most recent menu, check out their Facebook. They've swapped the burger for a chicken club sandwich: Ohio Valley free-range chicken breast with thick-cut bacon, caramelized onions, romaine and roasted tomato aioli.

Yeah, I can see your mouth watering.

I ordered the pulled pork, macaroni and cheese and vegetables for $12. Tony did the same. Vicki opted for the NY Strip steak hoagie. It took a little bit to get all three of our orders ready, since there is only one person working. You might want to call ahead if you're picking up for lunch.  We waited for maybe 15 minutes or so. There's no place to sit inside, so it's to-go only. They were also cash only, but now I think they do take cards.

We took our to-go boxes back to the office. Vicki messaged me: "Amazing! Crusty on outside but soft inside so stuff doesn't squeeze out. Surprisingly spicy! The sauce he drizzled on has a peppery zing. Good heat. Definitely as good as it smelled!" She was a fan.

While my plate didn't have the most plate presence ... everything was in one wide open space so it all mashed together ... it was still good. While I really think they'd benefit from a sectioned-off box, the flavors of each were totes worth it.

The pork was tangy and delicious. A little more bite than I'm used to. The macaroni and cheese was huge shells with home sauce creamy sauce. And the sautéed veggies were a perfect complement to the richness and heartiness of the other two.

It's definitely a nice little treat in an unexpected area. I would actually travel out of my way to go to this little convenience store. I don't know if I can say that about any other place.

Check out their current menu:
Grade: A

Sandwiches stacked thick and topped with slaw and a generous portion of house-cut french fries are the name of the game at Primanti Bros.

This iconic Pittsburgh restaurant has humble beginnings as a late-night cart dishing up sandwiches to truckers during the Great Depression. With success, the brothers opened a small storefront on 18th Street. When they happened upon a load of potatoes for the shop, they tried out putting them on sandwiches, and it became their trademark.

Since then, multiple locations have opened: Oakland (near Pitt), South Side, Market Square, PNC Park, Heinz Field, Consol Energy Center and more. It has 17 locations in the greater Pittsburgh area, and three locations in Florida.

And now, Morgantown, W.Va., is happy to call themselves home to the newest location. Opened just recently, the restaurant sits on the corner of a newly constructed row of buildings in the Suncrest Town Centre.

When Tony and I went, I was expecting the typical long-wait-for-new-Morgantown-restaurant-wait, but I was pleasantly surprised. Despite a full parking lot, our wait time was only about 10 minutes. They churn them out fast here.

The Morgantown location is brand new, so everything is clean and shiny (for now). There's a huge bar area that centers around the whole restaurant and to the left are garage-door type windows that I assume they will open when it's warmer. Oh, and a fire pit.


They're known for their sandwiches, but they also have wings, pizza, and, of course, beer. The menus vary by location, but they all have these sandwiches - which you can get with salami and cheese, or turkey and cheese, or roast beef and cheese, or pastrami and cheese. Their Pitts-burger is their #2 best seller (I talk about what is #1 at the other location I visited in Robinson).

To start, I had a beer. And they do have some local beer, which is always nice to see. And we ordered an appetizer of mozzarella wedges. They had a little outline around them so we thought they might be special. They were OK - nothing out of the ordinary here. Mozzarella stick with oozing cheese always makes me happy.

The sandwiches are prepped right in front of the bar area, so that's pretty cool to watch. The other items are shipped through the kitchen. But the sandwich assembly is pretty straightforward - select the meat, add cheese, top with some crunchy, tart coleslaw and then crisp French Fries all on Italian bread. Stick a knife in it (literally) and ship it out.

They are utilitarian. It's basic, requires two hands, and is monstrous. It's designed as this hearty, filling meal that you can eat in one go - instead of reaching for fries or anything else. It's all right on the sandwich. With that said, it's not full of complex flavors or interesting combos - it's a sandwich with meat, cheese, fires and slaw. It's good, for what it is.

The meat is well-seasoned, the slaw is tangy and crunchy, the fries are crispy and hearty. It's tasty.

I hear a good bit of chatter about these sandwiches having that nostalgia aspect and Pittsburghers needing them whenever they go home. But the other ice of the coin is that they're overrated. I think I fall in-between somewhere.

If you're in the mood for a decent sandwich, it's a good option. I did - gasp - add some ketchup to mine for zing and extra flavor. I know that's a cardinal sin, but with all the meat cheese and bread, it's nice to have something to tie it all together. So, it's kind of your average sandwich, supersized, with some added ingredients. I do love the environment - laid-back, boozy and comfortable. Plus local-ish. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

It is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to midnight.

Grade: B

I have been trying for months. MONTHS. to go to Russ' Ribs, a small restaurant in the Dellslow plaza with China City Restaurant.

Russ' Ribs has been a Preston County catering staple for 19 years. Just recently, he opened up this small restaurant in Morgantown that's only open select hours and days. While catering is their primary money-maker, the restaurant seems to just be getting by.

We had been calling randomly during the week - at first we thought they were open Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then discovered they're only open Wednesday and Friday. We would call randomly and wouldn't receive an answer or they'd answer and say they weren't opening that day.


When Russ himself answered the phone this past Friday and said they were open, I was not going to pass up that opportunity. I was starting to think the place was never open. So, Jake (a Preston County native), Tony and I hopped in the car and headed to the other end of Sabraton.

The outside has some flashy graphics and the smoker "Gabby" sits beside the building. Inside, though, is pretty sparse. Just three mismatched tables, a lone counter top and some framed awards on the white walls. There's no door between the dining area and kitchen, and a rack full of random ingredients sits in the dining area. Their effort is not in the interior - much more of a take-out place.

As far as the menu, don't expect options. Except for your sides. When we went, the only thing that was ready was pulled pork. He said we could wait a half hour or so for chicken wings, but we didn't really have the time. So our option was pulled pork, which I was OK with.

It comes with two sides. They didn't have the potatoes (darn!), but I got collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Plus a drink, and my total was less than $10.

After a short wait, I was brought a large pulled pork sandwich with my two sides on a Styrofoam plate.







Macaroni and cheese: Not thick and cheesy like I wanted, but still good. Sauce was thin, but they peppered it, and that reminds me of my mom. So, good.

Collard Greens: Good flavor. Mine were a little watery, but tasty.

Pulled pork: Pretty tasty. He used his original sauce, which has won awards. Falls more into the Kansas City style of BBQ, with the pork and tomato/molasses sauce. I like the thick, smokey sweet sauce. Tons of meat was packed between the sesame seed bun, and I would love to have that sauce bottled to use for dipping.

But then this is when I fell in love with Russ.

As we were getting ready to leave, Jake was saying goodbye, and Russ called us back to try his chicken wings. No charge. He just genuinely wants people to love his food. That's special. And, they were some of the best wings I've had in town. Crisp on the outside and fall apart tender on the inside. He said it's a different kind of wing for Morgantown, and he wasn't sure if they were going to do well. I can tell you, that's all I want in a wing. I hate when the skin is slimey and fatty. Crispy skin and tender meat? Just perfection. We tried two different kind of sauces that he sauced up right in front of us. They were great.

It's rare you see someone who just genuinely wants to share their food with people - not for profit - but to share the love. I love that down-to-earth feeling here. I love the time, care and passion he puts into his cooking.

These are the kinds of places we need to be pouring our money into. People who genuinely care about their food, want to share it with the town, and it's good stuff. They aren't strong on the media and marketing aspect, so spread the word. Try a great sandwich and keep going back.

Grade: A