Another airport - this time in Chicago! Chicago is one of my favorite food cities, so I get excited to try any new restaurant here. Even if it's in an airport. Gene's Bistro is a sit-down spot that felt welcoming after getting off the plane.



"Wide ranging menu, featuring yummy appetizers, handheld sandwiches, fresh salads and a handcrafted cocktails and wine list. Elegant bistro style location with airy seating area, full bar, and flight information to keep up to date on eye on before heading to the gate," reads the website.

The menu is not huge, but it does have a little variety for each meal of the day. I ordered the penne à la vodka. It's no secret that pasta is my love language. This dish was decent - I liked the flavor of the creamy and spicy sauce. The penne was done well. And the parmesan and chili flakes added a little extra depth. But it kind of became a monotonous mouth feel with the same texture over and over. I would've loved some meatballs or hunks of sausage or even roasted garlic to make it a bit more exciting to eat.



Grade: B

"Appalachia Cookie Company makes cookies the way your grandma’s grandma made them: from scratch, with real ingredients. Our products range from the traditional (Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, etc…) to the unique (Blueberry White Chocolate Oatmeal, Apple Pie) with a few off the wall flavors like our Bacon & Bourbon cookie with dark chocolate and maple syrup," reads the website.



"It all began in 2012, while living in a small college apartment above a bar in the beautiful mountains of Boone, NC. As a student at Appalachian State University, the company’s founder, David Holloman, saw a need for an alternative to the traditional late night pizza and sandwiches. While he knew he wasn’t the first to offer late night dessert delivery, and he certainly wasn’t the first person to bake a cookie, it was his goal to make the absolute best cookies people had ever eaten. With that goal in mind he bought a mixer and began making a batch of what would come to be… some of the worst cookies anyone had ever tasted. That’s right, Appalachia Cookie Company made a lot of really bad cookies before we started making the incredible treats we have today. After a year of late nights, early mornings, burnt cookies, oven fires, final exams, capstones and lots of trial and error, the cookies were ready. A small, out-of-the-way, storefront in a subdivided warehouse was the company’s first storefront. The elegant sign that first adorned the future home of the best cookies on earth was made of cardboard and had “COOKIES” scribbled in sharpie with an arrow pointing to the front door. It was the kind of place you could walk in and stand next to the oven while your cookies baked. Within the first year we had such a large demand that we had customers from all over the country asking for our confectionary delights. We began our shipping program just over a year after the company opened and within three months we had shipped Appalachia Cookie Company cookies as far as California, Hawaii and even Ireland."



These cookies have been featured in 'Top 10 Cookies in America' by Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine and FYI's 'The Know It All's Guide To... Cookies." I ordered a dozen assorted cookies, which included:

Blueberry White Chocolate Oatmeal

Rated one of the "Top Ten Cookies in America" by Paula Deen! The flavor of tart and chewy dried blueberries with creamy white chocolate chips folded into a thick oatmeal batter. They’ve collected their fair share of fans, y'all.

Cookies & Cream

We add whole Oreos to our classic brown sugar batter and add a few creamy white chocolate chips. The Oreos are slowly added whole to the batter with the mixer running to break the Oreos into big delicious chunks.

Frosted Animal Cracker

A soft brown sugar based dough baked until golden brown. We combine this traditional dough with heaps of rich creamy white chocolate chips folded into a delectable batter rolled in sprinkles and topped with a frosted animal cracker.

The last was my favorite - maybe because of all the tiny crunchy bits. But, these are giant, creative & delicious.

The Varsity is a long-running drive-in in Atlanta serving up burgers, hot dogs, fries, shakes & other American classics.



"'What’ll ya have… What’ll ya have?' There’s no friendlier greeting than the one you’ll receive when you step up to the counter at The Varsity. And that’s just the beginning of what makes The Varsity so special. There’s not a faster, fresher, or more fun-filled dining experience like it anywhere! Gordy family-owned and operated since 1928, The Varsity is a downtown Atlanta institution, and The World’s Largest Drive-in Restaurant," reads the website.



For me, the experience was a bit stressful. Because the location is so large, it was a little bit confusing on where to park vs. where to get carhop service vs. where the drive-through was.



Once I found a parking spot, I walked in and immediately heard the "what'll ya have" phrase ringing out from all corners. I had no idea what I was going to have - because they have their own language. Here's what I ordered:



GLORIFIED BURGER
One beef patty with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on a steamed bun.

FRIED PEACH PIES
A sweet Georgia treat! A crispy fried pie shell filled with delicious peach filling, served warm.

FROZEN VARSITY ORANGE
Signature orange drink with ice cream



That drink is like a frozen creamsicle. my burger may have been more lettuce than beef, but it was fair nonetheless. And, the peach pie remind me of one of those little hostess hand pies.



Overall, I would say the food is fairly average. The experience and historical significance makes this an iconic place to visit.



Grade: B

Honey Baked Ham has always been an afterthought for me. I don't think I have ever intentionally sought out this restaurant; I have only had it as part of a catering order or because it was the only option. But that all changed recently.



Maybe Gen Z is more hip to hidden gems, because several younger coworkers have proclaimed their enjoyment of said restaurant. So, I made an intentional decision to check out the Charleston location.

While it is a chain, there aren't many locations in West Virginia. They are best known for their full-size hams, which are ideal for holiday dinners. But they also serve sandwiches for lunch.



I ordered a ham salad sandwich with a side of the broccoli bliss salad and potato salad. The sandwich comes with lettuce and tomato on multigrain bread.



The sandwich was actually really tasty. The ham salad is sweet, but in a complementary, salty, porky way. The broccoli salad added some nice crunch, but, of course, was also sweet. And the potato salad was a nice salty, creamy addition.

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this meal. It is a bit on the pricier side for a chain, but it is something different, and I appreciate that.



Grade: A

Stephanie’s is a classic Boston restaurant with an outpost at the local airport. "Stephanie’s has been serving award-winning “sophisticated comfort food” in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere since 1994," according to the website. While I couldn't visit the original location this trip, I got a taste of the experience at the airport. I ordered the skirt steak with chimichurri and truffle parmesan fries. While I wish the steak had a harder sear on the outside, I did enjoy the flavor. The fries needed some oil to adhere that parmesan so you dont inhale it while trying to eat. Again, though, solid meal for an airport.

Grade: B