Fat Patty's near Marshall University gave me a fatty

Fat Patty's has a very diverse menu. They cater to the meat eaters and the vegetarians. Though they have something for everyone let's get to the inspiration for the namesake. Fat Patty's serves one of those burgers that when you first bite into it you have a vision similar to the climax of "Ratatouille". It takes you back to the first great burger that you ever had. In this case my burger was a vampire slayer.

I tried the Vampire Killer. It was cooked to order and done so masterfully. It was perfectly seasoned and the garlic had a very solid presence. The patty upon first bite was a welcome combination of savory and juicy garlic goodness. The burger patty is large enough to satisfy most and not too large to leave the diner in a catatonic state of bliss though the flavor might be capable of doing so. The french fries were fresh and the beer batter was perfectly balanced and not overpowering. The deep fried mushrooms were some of the best I have ever had and will be a staple on future visits. Even better is if you eat there Tuesdays from 5-10 PM the burgers are buy 1 get 1 free.

The atmosphere is very nice and the service was excellent. Fat Patty's is obviously decorated with a variety of Marshall University memorabilia. The parking leaves something to be desired so you might want to avoid peak hours. Check back in for future visits as I try one of the other specialty burgers and the wings.

Fat Patty's
1935 3rd Ave
Huntington, WV 25703
(304) 781-2555

Scouting Huntington, WV and Marshall University

I have researched quite a few sources and I am pleasantly surprised that there are a ton of options near Marshall University. I really thought that other than three or four places there wouldn't be a whole lot before I was inundated with suggestions.

Fat Patty's
Chilli Willi's
Rocco's
Hillbilly Hot Dogs
Sam's Hot Dog Stand
The Big Loafer
GD Ritzy
Cam's Ham
Andy's Pizza
Jim's Steak & Spaghetti House
Jewel City Seafood
Midway

I'll probably review all of these eventually as I only live about an hour from the campus. Stay tuned.

I'm shooting down the Vintage Room

The Vintage room doesn't allow sports wear. In the spirit of my blog this is unforgivable. I may eat there some day, but I can't include it on this blog. Other recommended places that I am considering are the Rusted Musket, Crockett's Lodge and the Mediterranean Market.

Stop 1 cont'd: Black Bear Burritos, The Vintage Room and Kegler's

Black Bear Burritos

This place was recommended by a few WVU fans. I plan to hit this place early next week. Owing to our own cultural bias, it was humorously described to me as serving "Hippie type wraps". Hippies had to get something right? Right?

The Vintage Room

It seems somewhat expensive but has an attractive looking menu and a good recommendation for its pizza. I'll try that and more as that money in my wallet is getting hot.

Kegler's

Their website seems to be undergoing an overhaul but any WVU fan worth his salt has apparently ate here and lived to brag about it. Kegler's is known for having huge televisions, a great atmosphere and amazing wings. We shall see. Oh yes, we shall see.

Stop 1: West Virginia University - Morgantown, WV

Morgantown, WV is the home of the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The Mountaineers have a rich history as a football program and have the most wins of any football team without a national championship. WVU was established in 1867. The first football team was created by a group of students in 1891 and were known as the Snakes.

Over the years the Mountaineers have compiled a 682–449–45 record(13-15 bowl record) and have won 13 conference championships(5 in the Big East) and have appeared in 1 national championship game(a 34-21 defeat in the Fiesta Bowl to Notre Dame). WVU managed two undefeated season in 1988 and 1993(both ending with national championship aspirations and defeats). In the BCS era of NCAA football the Mountaineers have appeared in and won the 2006 Sugar Bowl over SEC champion Georgia and the 2008 Fiesta Bowl over Big-12 champion Oklahoma.

Notable WVU athletes are Sam Huff, Jerry West(WVU basketball only), Ira Rodgers, Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt, Chris Henry, Adam "Pacman" Jones, Reggie Rembert, Anthony Becht, Grant Wiley, Brian King, Avon Coubourne, Quincy Wilson, "Hot Rod" Hundley(WVU basketball only), Greg Jones(WVU wrestling only), Jeff Hostetler, Marc Bulger, Dan Mozez, Jerry Porter, John Thornton,Todd Sauerbrun, Mike Vanderjagt, Amos Zereoue, Noel Devine, Chuck Howley, Georgann Wells(women's basketball) and the always popular Major Harris.

Other fun facts:

Jeff Hostetler won the 1991 Super Bowl in the NFL and was voted to the Pro Bowl once. He played for the New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and the Washington Redskins.

Georgann Wells was the first female basketball player to perform a slam dunk in a collegiate basketball game.

Pat White(currently with the Miami Dolphins) is the only quarterback in the history of NCAA football to start in and win four bowl games.

So here we are....

...at my new food blog. I wanted to make a food blog that seeks out the more famous campus hot spots to eat at various colleges in the Midwest, Southeast and Northeast. The catch is that I'm not a food critic or an expert on food matters. I want to chronicle the reaction of a small town guy who lacks the refined palate of famous chefs and food critics and grab his initial reaction to the mix of flavors and smells of the restaurants that satisfy the high calorie, high flavor requirements of rowdy college football fans.

I'm not poor, but I can't travel all over the United States so I'm limiting my experiences to areas that are within driving distance of my home state of West Virginia. In my selection of schools I will hit a variety of small and large colleges. My target schools and dates for 2010 are the following:

February 2010

West Virginia University
Marshall University

March 2010

Ohio State University
Ohio University
April 2010

Penn State University
Pittsburgh University

June 2010

Florida State University

August 2010

Virginia Tech
University of Cincinnati

September 2010

Rutgers University

October 2010

Michigan University

I'll post the restaurants that I plan to attend after some research and will give a preview before leaving for each one.