Grandma Jean's Country Kitchen

With the closure of Sam & Betty's, Morgantown is pretty devoid of homestyle diners (besides Ruby & Ketchy's in Cheat Lake). However, I just heard about Grandma Jean's Country Kitchen right over in Westover along Dunkard Avenue. After doing some preliminary research, I saw some people are big fans.

Though there aren't many restaurants in that area, you could miss Grandma Jean's if you weren't looking for it. It's a small red building displaying a huge American flag. When you walk inside, a loud bell announces your entrance, so look natural. It's really small inside, but only a few tables were taken up while we were there.

We picked a bigger table to the left and sat down. There are cute tablecloths on the tables, and you're served on actual dishware - not fancy plates - just like grandma's. I noticed how tilted the floor is - I was actually sliding toward the front of my seat. One menu was on the table that my friend and I shared.

The problem with the menu is that it's old apparently, and most of the stuff on there they don't serve or are out of. So, best option is to go off the markerboard on the wall of their specials. I quickly scanned and determined the meatloaf would be a good option. Plus mashed potatoes and potato salad.

The food came out pretty quickly. My meatloaf and potatoes were covered in gravy - I usually prefer a more tomato-based sauce than a gravy just because that's what I grew up eating. I think it could've used some more seasoning, but it was still good. I like a heavy hand with the garlic, and breadcrumbs and bread pieces, etc. Ketchup solved that. The mashed potatoes creamy and thick, and the potato salad was mustardy, but added a nice cool and tangy element to the dish.

The board said their pies are all homemade, so I couldn't resist. One apple, please. It was glorious. Huge, cinnamon-covered pieces of apple in a soft, pillowy crust. If it was warm and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it couldn't be beat.

If you check it out, make sure you have cash, and pay attention to the hours. (304) 685-4496

Monday – Friday
7 a.m. – 11 a.m. breakfast
11a.m. – 4 p.m. lunch

Saturday – all day breakfast!
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Grade: B