I think I'm at the peak of my pizza fandom. Detroit-style, New York-style, artisan, make-your-own, etc. Fuel Counter allows me to combine a few of those options.



I visited the express location in Hurricane that recently shuttered and created my own pizza with fresh mozzarella, ricotta, arugula, beets, pears, prosciutto and a balsamic glaze. I'm no chef, but man did I put together a tasty pie.



I loved the different components and how they played together. The sweet balanced the salty. The tang balanced the savory. I may have went a touch overboard with too many toppings - making for a pretty hefty slice. But worth it.



Grade: A

Happy Garden Chinese Buffet in Glen Dale is a standard small-town Chinese-American restaurant.



I picked up several Styrofoam to-go boxes from the main counter and filled them with food from the buffet: General Tso's chicken, seafood delight, crab rangoons, etc. Those are my core go-tos: a little sweet, a little savory, a little creamy, a little crunchy.



After weighing each box, the cashier rang me up. I think this is the best way to go because you can enjoy the variety of a buffet in the comfort of your own home. Plus, you can have leftovers. With a buffet, though, comes my oft-recited complaints - a bit dried out, a bit chewy. But par for the course.



Grade: B

Red Bird Cafe is an ice cream shop in southern West Virginia that is part of a new development called the Appalachian Outpost.



This new development features of variety of shops and a restaurant in addition to the ice cream store. But I bee-lined straight to the Red Bird Cafe. The black and red themed shop features hand-dipped ice cream, coffee and assorted pastries.



I ordered a butter pecan milkshake. It was decent. The sweet cream with a touch of saltiness is always always one of my favorite flavors. Texture was a bit odd as a milkshake though - maybe it would have been better if it was less blended so the nuts seemed more intentional rather than odd, tiny gravel-y bits.



Grade: B

I have sung the praises of Lefty's Place for quite some time. When the pizza restaurant first opened in Morgantown, I was hesitant to try what I thought might be another gimmicky, average, college-town pizza joint.

But after the first bite, I was sold. Imagine my delight when I found out that Lefty's was coming to Charleston. They have partnered with Short Story, which also started in the north and migrated the Charleston, to provide the food for the brewery.



Lefty's Place specializes in Detroit-style pizza. Detroit-style pizza is a rectangular pizza with a thick, airy crust that's crispy on the bottom due to being baked in a well-oiled pan. The cheese is spread to the edges, creating a caramelized crust, and the sauce is typically ladled on top in thick stripes.



It is a hearty and delicious pizza. It almost eats more like cheesy bread with sauce. Crispy, caramelized and quality ingredients. I like topping mine with ricotta and mushrooms, and then having a side of sauce to dip in on the side. I also like ordering the Betty White, which has spinach, ricotta, garlic, and olive oil. I do the same technique with a sauce on the side. It is absolute perfection.



I also tried the pepperoni balls here, which are also quite tasty. But, considering how much food we had, I didn't have much room for these. It is a good take on a pepperoni roll, but it's hard to beat that pizza.



Grade: A

This is the first time I can say that I've ever seen a Sam's Hot Dogs share a space with Pita Pit. Each is elusive on its own, but putting them both together results in a real rarity. The combo can be found in Hurricane and even has a drive-through. You can order both the pitas and the hot dogs at the same spot. I opted for the standard West Virginia dog: mild chili, slaw, mustard and onion. I think I am one of the few people to go with a hotdog instead of a pita, because it was clear I threw a bit of a wrench in their process. The proportions were a bit off, making it a bit sloppier than I would prefer, but I still enjoyed it. A bit more restraint on the chili and slaw would be ideal. Grade: B

Eric Freeland's Farm is located in Beech Bottom and grows a number of delicious fruits and vegetables, like: Red Berries
Black Berries
Golden Berries
Strawberries
Everbearing Strawberries
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Kennebeck Potatoes
Cantaloupe
Beets
Cucumbers He has made a name for himself being one of - if not the only - strawberry farmers in the Northern Panhandle. His products can also be found at The Public Market in Wheeling, which is a great option for those who can't make it out to the farm. The farm offers pick-your-own sunflowers and zinnias when they are in season – and even a sunflower festival. He even offers products from other local producers, like honey from Windswept Farm. I endeavored to get a little bit of a sampling from everything that was available on my recent visit. That included some strawberry jam, some of the aforementioned, honey, some black raspberries and some strawberries. Those berries were some of the tastiest I've had in recent memory. The strawberries were so tiny, but packed with sweet flavor. The black raspberries were gone within minutes. What started as a quick nibble turned into me popping them into my mouth relentlessly. If you are so inclined, stop and check them out – every little bit helps as the drought takes its toll on our local farmers. Have you been yet?

Lightburns Family Diner is a homestyle restaurant in Jane Lew known for their weekend breakfast buffet and country classics.



I ordered French toast with a side of hashbrowns with onion and cheese. It's exactly what I would be served if I was sitting down for breakfast at my parents' house. No frills, no extraneous ingredients, but straightforward, simple grub. The only thing better at home is the French toast is directly from the pan, so that part of butter melts instantly. I had a bit more trouble melting the butter here at the restaurant, but it made no matter once covered in syrup. The potatoes got a bit soft with the toppings I added, but that's to be expected. All in all, a tasty homestyle meal.



Grade: B

Farmer Boys is a fast-casual chain operating more than 100 restaurants in California, Nevada and Arizona. The chain serves burgers, breakfast, sandwiches, salads, wraps and shakes. Unlike most other burger joints, Farmer Boys does offer fresh fruit as a side, avocado as a topping and a "Natural® Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger" made from "beef raised without antibiotics and no added hormones ever." It's the California take on a burger joint.

I tried that natural burger with American cheese, diced onion, 1000 island dressing, and dill pickles on a brioche bun. The burger patty was pretty tasty - closer to a backyard burger than a fast food patty. and I like that the toppings weren't overwhelming ... like this version at another fast food chain. It did taste a bit fresher, but that could totally also be all in my head. What's not in my head was how delicious that strawberry shake was. *chef's kiss*



Grade: B

My last stop in Baltimore is at Jimmy's Famous Seafood, a local restaurant known for its colossal crabcakes and other seafood specialties.



"Since 1974, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood has proudly served the community with iconic culinary creations, unmatched philanthropy, and legendary hospitality. Founded by the late Dimitrios “Jimmy” Minadakis, “The Famous” quickly became a Maryland landmark as a direct result of his unrivaled work ethic. Today, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood carries on his vision through his sons, who display the same passion and diligence that he was beloved for," read the website.



I was on my way out of town, so I placed a pick-up order. I, of course, ordered one of those crabcakes, as well as their famous crab macaroni and cheese.



I think I was made for Maryland-style food. I love the crab. I love the creative takes on it. And, if there's one way to improve mac & cheese, it is adding crab to it. The crabcake was full of lump crab meat with little filler. The mac & cheese was cheesy layered fusilli noodles topped with cheesy crab that was rich and perfectly seasoned.



Grade: A

Miss Shirley's Cafe is a Baltimore institution serving up "bold original recipes and seasonal menus that reflect both a southern flare, as well as our team's love of Maryland ingredients. The menu offers specialties including: Chicken ‘N Waffles, Shrimp & Grits, Crab Hash & Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict & Coconut Cream Stuffed French Toast," according to the website.



Th menu focuses primarily on breakfast and lunch options, like griddle cakes, omelettes, sandwiches and salads. Plus plenty of coffees, cocktails, and delicious side options. A few items have even been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives - like the one I ordered below.



I ordered the "CHICKEN ‘N CHEDDAR GREEN ONION WAFFLES" - Fried Buttermilk Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces with Honey Mustard Aioli drizzle & White Cheddar Green Onion Waffles with Peppadew Jalapeño Butter, dusted with Cajun Spice. I love how they added a kick of flavor in every step – from the aioli and green onion waffles to the peppadew butter. It keeps every bite interesting and adds all different flavor profiles throughout.



Grade: A

Connie's Corner is a Chester staple, serving homestyle food in humble digs for years. Homemade soups and hand-peeled potatoes are some of the restaurant's hallmarks.



The menu has everything from fried appetizers and fresh salads to hot sandwiches and home-cooked dinners. Plus in between, there is pasta, fish and shrimp baskets, breakfast and dessert. I chose from two sections of the menu: appetizers and homecooked dinners.



I started with the hot pepper cheeseballs as an appetizer, which were a bit overdone because some of them popped open and the cheese had already oozed out. Otherwise, I enjoyed the bit of heat, bit of crunch combo.

My entrée was turkey and dressing with a side of mashed potatoes. I drizzled gravy over the whole thing because it was a bit dry, but that was just what was needed. It was like a little Thanksgiving Dinner treat in the middle of summer.



Grade: B

DMV Empanadas made its mark on Baltimore area farmers' markets before opening a brick-and-mortar location at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill.



"Bolivia natives Marco and Nacho Amaraz started DMV Empanadas [eight] years ago. Marco Amaraz had a house cleaning service and said he was tired of being around all the chemicals, so he decided to use his mother’s chicken empanada recipe and set up at local farmers’ markets around the Washington, D.C. area.," according to SouthBmore.com.



DMV Empanadas offers more than 20 different empanadas that are a mix of Bolivian, American, and Maryland flavors. Fillings include chicken, beef, BBQ pork, spicy pork, spinach and cheese, Old Bay shrimp, cheeseburger, and more.



I ordered a couple different kinds, and it was pretty clever that the type is crimped on the edge for easy identification. Because from the outside, they are all (very) dark golden brown half-moon shapes.





I tried the cheeseburger, which had a cheesy ground beef filling. The exteriror was a bit too hard to bite into, but the interior was delish. I also did the "Masaco Empanada," which has pork, plantains and cheese. Very soft filling. Finally, the shrimp and Old Bay with mozzarella cheese, bell pepper, onion and celery. When in Baltimore, have the Old Bay, right? I enjoyed the creativity of this one, but I decidedly prefer my shrimp cool, not warm.



Grade: B