Shari's Cafe & Pies is a chain of family dining restaurants based in the western United States and features its award-winning pies.



The Red Bluff, California, building has an odd hexagonal shape, and when you enter, you are greeted with a wide display of pies.



I started with a strawberry lemonade, which was perfectly sweet and tart.



For my entree, I kept it simple with a grilled cheese and tomato soup. This classic just hits the spot. Cheesy and creamy deliciousness.



What I was really looking forward to, though, was a slice of pie. Marionberry - which I had never had before - is one of their best sellers.



"The Oregon official state pie! In keeping with the expectation of this gloried berry, Shari’s Oregon Marionberry pie doesn’t disappoint. A marionberry is a cross between an olallieberry and a Chehalem blackberry and it’s grown exclusively in Oregon."



The berry pie has a nice balance of sweet and tart. It's not unlike a raspberry pie, but a little bit more unique.



Grade: A

"Sherpa Cafe is a family-owned and run business which serves classic Nepali, Indian and Tibetan cuisine. We are originally from Nepal and have been living in the Gunnison Valley with our families for many years. We are ethnic Sherpa from the Khumbu (Mt. Everest region of Nepal). Our restaurant has allowed us to share our way of life with our guests and friends for more than a decade," reads the website. I was ecstatic at the idea of trying Nepali and Tibetan cuisine, because I had never experienced those before. And once I set food inside, the excitement only grew. The restaurant has colorful decor and intricate designs. The menu features items like papadums, saag dip, samosas, pakora and naan. I started with an order of momos stuffed with beef. Mine were fried, rather than steamed. Super tasty with the tomato-based dipping sauce.

"Momo is a Himalayan dumpling, filled with minced meat in a flour dough, given different shapes and then cooked by steaming. It is one of the most popular foods in Nepal and the regions of Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in India where Nepali-speaking Indians have a presence. Momo were originally filled with buffalo meat but are now commonly filled with goat or chicken, as well as vegetarian preparations," according to Wikipedia. The chicken thukpa was hearty and flavorful. It was piping hot, and I even enjoyed it on a warm day. Plus a hint of spice. Grade: A

Pappy's Smokehouse has been "NAMED BEST RIBS IN AMERICA BY THE FOOD NETWORK & BEST BBQ IN MISSOURI BY SOUTHERN LIVING."

Known for their dry-rub ribs, this St. Louis restaurant's house specialty involves slow smoking over apple and cherry wood.

St. Louis ribs, cut from the belly of the pig, are flatter, meatier, and have a higher bone-to-meat ratio compared to baby back ribs, which are more tender and come from the pig's loin. I ordered a half-slab ribs with fried corn on the cob and potato salad. these were excellent. I have learned that you don't necessarily want ribs to completely fall off the bone. The ideal is a small tug that easily pulls away, but if they are too soft, they're overdone and lose some flavor. These had great tangy, sweet flavor. and, the texture was on point the potato salad and corn were nice accompaniments to round out the meal.

Grade: A

Chef Craig Collier is a James Beard Award nomated chef for Best Chef: Southeast and Uptown Yolk is one of his restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina.



Uptown Yolk is a "Southern Brunch & Dinner Restaurant" that "blends elevated classics with imaginative new dishes in an environment that's as sophisticated as it is modern."



I ordered the Benny Yolko: Two eggs poached and Canadian bacon on English muffins with hollandaise sauce with sides of mac & cheese and TN Fries, which are seasoned, diced potatoes. I also added dipping sauces: Hot Honey, Sorghum Mustard & Black Garlic.



Everything was done well. The eggs benedict had all the right notes and served a classic the right way. The sauces were able to add that special local flare.



The TN Fries were well seasoned and very lightly crisp on the outside. I'm glad I got the dipping sauces because I alternated between all of them to give each bite a bit more kick.



Grade: A

Bake My Day is a macaron shop in Nitro. I've enjoyed macarons from Bake My Day prior to them having a storefront, so I knew I was in for a treat.



"We don’t just have macarons! Stop by for a cup of coffee, check out our huge free selection of used books, and browse goods and wares from local WV vendors! We also host monthly beginner crochet classes, have macaron making parties, live music, a monthly plant swap, arts and crafts events, and much more! We’re a great place if you want to come hang out with friends, find a quiet place to work on your laptop or have a meeting, and we even host private parties!" reads the website.



French macarons are an art, and they are a practice in precision. So, I'm always impressed when people can get that perfectly chewy interior. Signature flavors here include chocolate, bananas foster, caramel macchiato, coconut, cookies & cream, dreamsicle, funfetti, lavender lemonade, lemon, peanut butter & jelly, pistachio, strawberry, plus plenty more seasonal flavors.



I have enjoyed peanut butter & jelly, funfetti and cookies & cream most recently. Just a slight crisp and then chewy interior. Plus feet (the little edges) are key to good ones.



This shop also carries other goodies from home bakers, like Tastes Like Heaven cotton candy. Doesn't cotton candy just always feel like a treat? I'm used to only enjoying it at special events so this makes everything feel a bit more special.



Grade: A

Hello Vietnam is a locally owned restaurant in Bridgeport that highlights pho and banh mi.



The small restaurant has minimal seating, so I placed an order to go.



Instead of pho or banh mi, though, I went with something different.



Bun Thit Nuong - or vermicelli bowl - consists of rice noodles, grilled pork, vegetables, shrimp and pickles.



I love noodles in every cuisine. And here, they are served in the light, vinegary way. The dish eats very clean and fresh. Absolutely delightful.



Grade: A

"At The ROQ, we provide a completely unique atmosphere paired with exceptional service. Customize your evening entirely!" reads the website.



Located in the basement of The Quarrier Diner, The Roq has been hosting a salsa band and serving up specialty drinks for over a year now.



More recently, they added food - bar bites and flatbreads. Bar bites consist of bacon-wrapped dates, pulled pork sliders, and shrimp cocktail.



The flatbreads include cheese, three meats, caprese, annd the portobello & garlic onion - which is what I chose. Portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, garlic onions, shredded provolone, smoked bleu cheese andn garlic oil base.



Paired with my "Lychee Drank," which has vodka, St. Germainn, lychee puree and lemon, this was really quite good. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with this little bite. It had enough flavor to be satisfying and just enough funk to keep it interesting. Just know that your breath will never be the same.



Grade: A

I found a hidden gem in Frankford, West Virginia. This small community in Greenbrier County is home to Good Roads Bakehouse.



They are a small-batch country bakery and trade post with everything from cookies and pastries to breads and brownies.



And they must be doing something right because they were named to Taste of the South Magazine's 2022 Taste 50 list.



When I made my way here and found a parking spot in the gravel lot, I went inside to find a long line had already beat me there.



But, that gave me more time to peruse the offerings. I pointed to everything that caught my eye - a quiche, a brownie, a pastry - you get the idea.



One bite, and I could see why everyone is clamoring to this place. They have classics, but they're done well. Fresh and flavorful.



They even have pizza and pepperoni rolls, the latter of which are pretty tasty, though I haven't had a chance to try the former.



They even had a unique version of a pepperoni roll - a brisket kolache - that was quite good. Same concept with meat baked into a soft roll - but a new spin (at least for this area).



Grade: A

The Grand Hotel has a number of dining options, but the crown jewel must be the timeless Main Dining Room.



I was here for the "Grand Luncheon Experience" - The legendary Grand Luncheon Experience is a one-of-a-kind Grand Hotel experience. Offerings include fresh salads, composed salads, fresh seafood including oysters, mussels, and assorted smoked fish, assorted and domestic cheeses and fruits, a variety of hot items and a carvery station. No Grand Luncheon is complete without a lavish and bountiful dessert display. Beverages that are included are coffee, tea, and lemonade.



There were a number of food stations with so many options - from breads and pastries to cheeses to meats. Here's a sampling of some items:



Watermelon & balsamic skewers, artichoke & prosciuttio wraps and deviled eggs.



Melon skewers, crostinis and dried fruits.



Soft & hard cheeses with house fried crackers, spiced nuts, preserves and pepper jelly.



Shrimp cocktail.



Meat platter with roast beef, turkey, salami, and more.



Roasted veggies, salads, pastas.



Plus, so so much more. Truly, I am sure I missed so much. But I still filled up three small plates of eveything I wanted.



Now, it isn't cheap. And generall,y I'd avoid spending more than $50 for a buffet. But at $70, this felt like a steal with all the options.



And the quality was wonderful. Nothing seemed off-temperature or old.



Have you been?



Grade: A