Ephen Tacos was a last-minute dinner decision while traveling through the area. It was getting late; it was dark, and I remember struggling to find a parking space to fit our RV. We parked in a nearby lot and walked over. From here on, the main thing I remember is the overwhelming stench of cat pee. It may have been from the lot and stuck to our shoes when we went inside the restaurant. But we carried it with us throughout the experience.



The dining area in the restaurant itself was fairly small and the menu a bit nebulous - "smoked fusion artistic gourmet, smoked meat tacos, housemade salsas and sauces."



I had a burrito with pulled pork and macaroni and cheese. I did enjoy it, though I wish there was a crunchy element to it. And I had a few concerns about the cleanliness inside, which dropped the overall experience score for me a bit.



Grade: C

While traveling out west for the holidays, my friends and I found ourselves in Quartzsite, Arizona, on Christmas. After frantically searching for what food options might be available on the holiday, we found Times 3 Family Restaurant.



On this particular day, they were essentially only serving the plated meal. While they said we could order off the menu, it would take a very long time. That's OK, though, because the special sounded great.



The meal began with a soup or salad; the soup of the day was broccoli and cheese. I think it was straight from a Campbell's cream of can - thick, gloopy, and sodium for days.



The main meal consisted of turkey or ham or both. Plus mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, green beans, a roll, cranberries and pumpkin pie for dessert.



It's a homestyle, hearty plate that was definitely filling. I wish there had been some texture to anything - crispy skin on the meat or crusty bread. As it was, everything was just soft and mostly brown and covered in gravy.



It was a decent meal overall that just ate a bit monotonous and one-note. Some chives or nuts or bacon couldv've added a bit more oomph.



Grade: C

Captain Richard's, also known as Captain's Quarters, is a bar & grill in New Martinsville with a firefighter theme that extends from its logo to its decor.



The restaurant features specials frequently, but standard menu items include burgers, steaks and a number of other comfort food clasics.



I ordered the meatloaf, which was so dry that it seemed like it sat under a heat lamp for far too long. The potatoes were nice with the piped filling. They could have used more seasoning, though. The mac & cheese was OK. Overall, I think the offerings were fairly middle-of-the-road.

Grade: C

Peking Nagoya is a Chinese buffet in Weirton. Fun fact: I used to work at the former K-Mart that was next door throughout high school.



So, I have been to this restaurant throughout its various name changes in various forms. The decor is standard for Chinese–American restaurants with some big chandeliers and half-wall partitions throughout the dining space. I haven't noticed much of a change in the food over the last 15 years, but I wanted to check out this latest rendition.



I ordered coconut chicken, general tso's chicken and honey chicken to split with the family. Plus, steak hibachi with rice & veggies.



Every entrée was pretty average. The quality of the chicken is usually what sets the food apart for me. But these were a bit stringy, at least as far as the chicken goes. The steak hibachi was OK. I did like the veggie mix, but the steak was just kind of steamed so it didn't get much of a sear.



The steak lo mein may have actually been my favorite because the steak seemed less soggy and the noodles had a slight bite to them.



Grade: C

When you arrive to a restaurant to see a window boarded up, you know you're in for an adventure. Apparently, a car drove into the window of The Zone Bar & Grill, but that didn't stop them from operating. So, inside we went.



The sports bar was empty during the day for lunch, but the pool tables and dart boards give me the impression that the nightlife is more robust here. Things were also a bit sticky and the air a bit stale.



The menu was a bit more expansive than standard bar fare: appetizers, wings, sandwiches, burgers, wings, pasta, salads, etc. Not a bad assortment.



I ordered the mushroom, onion, Swiss burger. I was hoping for this extremely melty umami-packed mixture that would have added a lot of moisture, but it fell a little short. There was a bit of melted cheese, but it stopped there. I want the spices and seasonings to be kicked up several notches.



Grade: C

Skyline Drive-In is a dive that is most famously known for a musician who died just outside the building.



"Years of back pain, alcoholism, and prescription drug abuse severely compromised [Hank] Williams' health, and at the age of 29, Williams suffered from heart failure and died suddenly in the back seat of a car near Oak Hill, West Virginia, en route to a concert in Canton, Ohio, on New Year's Day 1953," according to Wikipedia.



Nonetheless, I visited with my friend Hannah to get a bite to eat. The first thing I noticed was that smoking is still permitted here, which I was not anticipating. The odor permeates the air, the fabrics, everything inside.



The interior is a mishmash of storage, dining space, and random items that didn't have a better place to go. But, it's a bar. It's a local dive that also has some food.



The menu features, hotdogs, fried appetizers, barbecue, wings and the like.



We started with some mozzarella sticks, which were OK. they didn't have that super hot stringy cheese; instead, the breading was a little thick and bland.



I had two hotdogs with onions and ketchup. These were OK, but the bun could have been steamed or warmed or something so it wasn't as dry. I also topped my side of fries with chili, cheese, sour cream, and jalapeños. these toppings dwarfed the crinkle cut fries, but the flavor combo is tried in. Higher quality ingredients could take this to the next level, though.



Grade: C

Sakura Mankai Café (which means cherry blossoms in full bloom) is a Japanese inspired limited restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, desserts, tea, coffee, and bubble tea.



I stopped here for a quick bite and started with a strawberry boba tea. Actually, instead of a smooth tea, this was more like an icy one. Like a step toward frothy, but not quite to milkshake level. The flavor was nice, but the texture I am not sure on.



I ordered a chicken teriyaki bowl with noodles, onions, and sesame seeds. I'm guessing they don't have a hot cooktop in the back, because the texture of this dish seem to suggest it had been reheated.



It was a bit rubbery and didn't have a depth of flavor that I was hoping for.



Grade: C

"The Olga’s Kitchen odyssey began in the mid-1960’s when Detroit-resident and founder Olga Loizon returned to the Mediterranean to visit her family. She and her three small children wanted to reconnect with their Greek heritage. In the process, Olga would discover her legacy. A visit to the local market square inspired what would grow into an iconic Michigan brand. Here, Olga’s children first tasted souvlaki, a traditional Greek sandwich of meat and vegetables wrapped in fresh-baked pita bread. Her kids were hooked…and Olga was inspired. In her quest to buy an authentic vertical rotisserie to cook the meat, Olga was refused because women didn’t typically own businesses in the 60's. As we know, Detroiters don’t give up so Olga gave her uncle the money to buy the machine for her. Olga, her kids and her new vertical rotisserie were then on their way back to Michigan."



"Back home, Olga recreated the savory delicacy her children fell in love with in Greece with one important improvement—the bread, which Olga found grainy and dry. For two years, Olga rolled and kneaded, baked and balanced, tasted and tested, until finally, she had created the Best Bread on the Planet. Olga layered her secret recipe with seasoned beef and lamb, vine-ripened tomato, sweet onion, and her homemade Olgasauce®. The classic culinary delight known as the Original Olga® was born. Olga was now ready to share The Original Olga® with the world. In Birmingham, Michigan's Continental Market, Olga walked past a wooden shoe store that was closing. Its 10 x 10 space was perfect. After securing a loan at her local bank, the first woman to ever achieve that small feat, Olga was in business. Initially, no one knew what an Olga was so Olga handed out free samples to passersby. With one simple taste, Olga had transformed the “unknown and unwanted” Original Olga into the “celebrated and sought-after” classic now enjoyed by the masses. Suddenly, Olga’s went from a single 10 x 10 location to a chain of restaurants throughout Michigan serving Olga's, The Olga Salad®, Spinach & Cheese Pie, Peasant Soup, and everyone’s favorite, Olga’s Snackers®. Today, Olga’s Kitchen is owned by TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants and boasts over 25 locations and an expanded menu."



There is an express location in Charleston, available through an online ordering app. It appears to be based out of the Embassy Suites hotel. I ordered The Original Olga - Our signature blend of the highest quality beef and lamb, seasoned with select spices, broiled, thinly carved and finished in vine-ripened tomato, sweet onion, and Olgasauce®. This was like a gyro mixed with a wrap. I would have loved fresh lamb shaved from the spit, but this was OK - definitely ask them to go light on the onions, though. Chips were way too dark, but the dip with it was interesting - sweet and creamy.



Grade: C

"The Rib Co. has been family owned and operated and serving great food to the Morongo Basin since 1997. We are more than just great ribs - our menu offers a wide variety of selections including seafood, salads, sandwiches, burgers and some house favorites such as lamb chops and meat loaf. We also have the best wine selection in the valley," according to its website.



Despite being the "best little rib house in the desert," I had my mind on some other menu items: grilled jalapenos, California burger, and steak.



Ultimately, though, I went with the meatloaf. The menu claimed it was a family recipe handed down through generations. It was fairly bland. It did not have a sauce, and it was a bit dry. The sides of broccoli and potato salad were better, though also lacking a bit in flavor.



The cornbread muffins were my favorite because they had honey butter with them and they were soft, but had a nice slightly crisp exterior.



And, for some reason, both Kaitee and I were really craving a brownie sundae. So when we were asked if we wanted dessert, there was a resounding "yes."



We both enjoyed a brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup. I like my brownie a little bit crunchy on the ends, and without any chunks of bittersweet chocolate inside, but this was a decent version because it was topped with all kinds of goodies.



Grade: C