Fluff Bakery in Athens wasn't open for me to go inside and visit. But, they did have a pick-up window that I took full advantage of. 



The bakery opened in 2010 "to fulfill a lifelong dessert and bakery obsession, and to showcase the talents of local farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs committed to making good food and drinks. Our Mission is to introduce our version of comfort food to the people of Athens, Ohio, and the surrounding region, and to support as many local people, businesses and non-profits in the process."



The bakery had a lineup of quite a few delicious goodies, like cannolis, pumpkin cookie with caramel icing and peanut butter bars with chocolate ganache. 



I went with just a couple desserts because the made-to-order sandwiches were a bit more difficult to come by.



The first was a cream cheese swirled brownie that was more of a dark chocolate. That's not my favorite, but the cream cheese topping was a perfect sweet touch to balance out any bitterness. 



The other was a much lighter dessert with some shaved almonds on top that I enjoyed. Just a few delights made for a nice morning.



Grade: B

Donkey Coffee and Espresso in Athens is a beloved local coffee shop.



This artsy and funky shop serves up coffee, as well as pastries and snacks.



Bright purple walls and little nooks make for great spots to sip on your drink. I went with a simple hot chocolate - my guilty pleasure. But perfect when homemade.



The drink was good, and I liked the vibe of the place.



Have you been?



Grade: A

I love, love, love a good bagel. And the cool college town of Athens, Ohio, had the perfect place for me: Bagel Street Deli.



This shop has an online ordering system, which made it super easy for me to take some time to look over the menu. It is quite extensive. From breakfast bagels and blts to bbq tofu and pizza bagels - there's a little bit of everything.



I opted for their Larry David bagel, which has lox, cream cheese, capers, onions, and tomato all on an onion bagel. After placing my order online, I picked it up at the shop and went on my way - super easy peasy. And the bagel was delicious. Sometimes a lox bagel has way too much cream cheese - or even way too much lox. Or not a good quality lox. This one checked all the boxes with the silky lox, the briney pop of the capers and the creaminess of the cheese all matched perfectly with a touch of sweetness from the onion. All in all, v good.

Grade: A 

Buns is a really cool-looking burger restaurant in Weston.



It has a modern look, and I actually thought it was maybe a new chain restaurant when I first passed it.



But rest assured, this local spot is one that you should check out.



The interior has sleek chairs, some dark floors and menu boards displayed on the wall. The menu has burgers, wings, pizza and wraps. 



I ordered the Buns Burger, which has lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese and house sauce. 



I didn't taste much of the house sauce on my burger, so I would've enjoyed more. But otherwise, it was a decent burger. It could be punched up a few notches with some heavy seasoning and more sauce or something to make it really outstanding.



Without that, though, it's still a good burger. The fries were OK - could definitely be crispier. The milkshake - delish. I don't know that I've ever met a milkshake I didn't like.



Grade: B

Hiro Japanese Express is a new-ish restaurant in Hurricane that I visited some time ago and am just now getting around to talking about it!



The restaurant is pretty small and features ramen, sushi, and hibachi. I almost think you have to be all things to all people when you're one of the few games in town.



Speaking of, they had bao buns that I was really excited about. I can count on one hand where you can find them in West Virginia, and I love the texture of that bun. This one had a tasty sweet and spicy pork belly, kimchi and some crisp pickled cucumber.



I would wager that most folks would order some crab rangoons because they're a crowd favorite. These little purse shapes are one of my favorites. They were creamy and tasty.

Finally, I did a simple Philly roll for something light and refreshing. All things were tasty and just a bit more creative than other offerings in the area. I regret not getting ramen on this visit, because there aren't many places who did it - fewer who do it well. Next time.

Grade: A

Mi Pueblito in Milton is an orange building with a red roof that sticks out a bit on the main drag.



I've spent more time in Milton recently, as my favorite local baker operates there. 



Inside the restaurant, it's bright and colorful with depictions of scenery on booths and tables. 



I placed a call to pick up an order that included chips & salsa, camaron con arroz, and burrito superior.



The chips & salsa were pretty straight forward - standard Mexican restaurant fare. The camaron con arroz - shrimp, rice and cheese - was tasty, but a bit on the dry side. I wouldve loved some more fresh cheese dip to drizzle and mix in to freshen it all up. The burrito - which was more of the same but with chicken instead of shrimp - fared better with some fresh cheese dip and sour cream to perk it up.

Grade: B

The Briergarten is a hidden beer garden in Lewisburg that offers a collection of drafts on 17 taps.



"Taking Inspiration from the German beer gardens of Berlin and Bavaria, Briergarten was created to provide a fun and upbeat atmosphere, where friends and family can enjoy a pint (or liter!) of their favorite brew, along with classic German bratwurst, WV pepperoni rolls, and Bavarian pretzels—all in a convertible, open-air venue."



Beer is definitely the highlight here - in addition to the brightly lit space. The food menu is fairly small. Sausages, pepperoni rolls and pretzel rolls are the extent of it - I think they're likely just working with a microwave and/or toaster in the back. 



I went with a bratwurst (hold the sauerkraut) with each kind of sauce: a Dusseldorf style horseradish, a Bavarian style sweet and spicy, and a currywurst ketchup.



The bratwurst itself was decent - I would've loved a bit more snap to give it some texture. Same thing with the pretzel bun - it was a bit on the too soft side. Not bad - just when there are so few options, I want those options to be done really well. This was good. Especially when it's paired with a good brew. 



I did enjoy that there was a variety of sauces to choose from, and all of them were decent. Overall, it's a really cool space to spend some time with friends, enjoy a beer or two and have a sn ack. 



Grade: B

Amy Cakes Catering has made Sunday evenings an exciting event in my household.



I hold my breath as I await the post detailing what the week's offering will be. Will this week be meatloaf? Tacos? A casserole?



Amy Cakes Catering is a caterer, of course, but they also offer dinners to go. I love this, because I may not have an event to cater at the moment, but it gives me an opportunity to try a meal there and keep them in mind for the future. 



The process is simple - just look for the post on Sunday, message the page to reserve a meal, and then show up at the South Charleston church on Wednesday during their pick-up time.



I couldn't wait to check it out, so rather than wait until the *perfect* meal to try, I went with the first one I saw - which was still good! The meal was chicken and dumplings served with mashed potatoes, seasonal salad with apples, cranberries and golden raisins; cheddar biscuits; and a mini banana pudding - all for $15. I paid at the window in the auditorium and went on my merry way.



The salad was so surprisingly good! It's not the main attraction, of course, but it was fresh and a little different, and I enjoyed it. It was needed before the heavy, tummy-filling meal of chicken & biscuits. I used my side of a cheddar biscuit as an extra dipping vessel to give some more texture in the mashed potato and chicken gravy trough. I'm glad no one watched as a I ate every last bite. And finally, banana pudding - which I've really developed a healthy love for recently - was delish. The lovely gentleman who packed my dinner said he "hooked it up" with a GOOD banana pudding, and you, sir, are the GOAT.

Grade: A

I used to LOVE love General Tso's chicken. And maybe it's a change in my preference or a change in quality over the years, but I just cannot deal with the chewy, stringy chicken that is so often found in the dish. 



So when I went to China One in Barboursville, I gravitated toward one of my new go-tos: garlic shrimp. I placed an order online and went inside to pick it up. 



Because the restaurant is located in a plaza, parking is easy. There was a little line at the window when I went inside, but it moved quickly. Everyone was there for takeout. 



The garlic shrimp was not bad - a little mushy, but that's not atypical. Lots of green pepper in the veg mix, but I loved when I got a crunchy bite of broccoli or mushroom. The crab rangoons (c'mon, these are a given) were a bit overly fried for me, but they are my preferred fold-over shape. The eggroll was average.



Overall, a fairly standard Chinese takeout meal.

Grade: C