"Chaps Pit Beef proudly serves Maryland’s best pit beef, turkey and pork as well as BBQ chicken and ribs. We pair those items with delicious home-style sides, including hand cut fries, baked beans, green beans, cole slaw, potato salad, and more! Guy Fieri’s Favorite Sandwich, our award-winning BBQ has been recognized, loved, and featured nationally by the Food Network, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, CBS, the Travel Channel, The New York Times, Baltimore Magazine and more!" reads the website.
It all began in May of 1987, when Gus Glava, owner of a night club, wanted his son-in-law Bob Creager to get out of working in a steel mill. So, as a wedding gift to his newly married daughter and son-in-law, he invested $12,000 to build Chaps Pit Beef.
Gus originally served pit beef at his bar. Gus knew Bob liked to cook and thought a pit beef stand in the parking lot of his club would be a hit. Gus suggested naming it “Chaps Pit Beef” after the club. The name stuck even though the club was sold and has gone through numerous name changes. Chaps Pit Beef began as a 12 x15 shack using the food license issued to the club, and extension cords running out to it and no restroom of its own.
Donna, Gus’s daughter, originally worked in the Chaps nightclub, but left there so she could spend her time at the pit beef stand with Bob. With Bob’s amazing ability as a cook and Donna’s ability to organize and motivate the staff, success was in the cards. Chaps Pit beef now has had five buildings added onto it from the original.
I had to try Baltimore's most iconic sandwich - from its most iconic sandwich shop. Smoky, charcoal grilled medium-rare roast beef is sliced thin & topped with pickles, onions & horseradish sauce. I also added cheese.
As a side, I added the homemade macaroni & cheese to round out my meal.
I enjoyed this for what it is. But this isn't my go-to flavor profile. This is a big, deep beefy richness that is definitely some people's cup of tea. Me? That mac & cheese is more my jam. Creamy, cheesy. But, both were good.
Have you been?
Grade: B
AB Cody's is primarily a gas station, but they also feature every West Virginian's favorite gas station snack: pepperoni rolls.
I found out about them because they are listed on the Pepperoni Roll Trail: "AB Cody’s is well known for their homemade pepperoni rolls, winning Best of Clarksburg multiple times."
I purchased a pepperoni roll with hot peppers, and, man, these were no joke. They were SPICY. Like, had to stop eating halfway through because my mouth was on fire. But, I'm not mad at it!
Grade: B
Schmidt Brothers Sunoco in Wheeling is a quick gas stop, but there's also a whole convenience section that has subs, pepperoni rolls and the like.
I had an Italian sub - or hoagie - with Italian dressing. I have a soft spot for a refrigerated hoagie from a convenience store. They're a bit nostalgic for me. Soft bun, layers of meat and I had a side of Italian to dip it in.
Grade: B
"In 1965, Hal Guthrie, a proud Auburn Alumni, opened the very first Guthrie’s as a drive-in restaurant in Haleyville, Alabama. In 1978 Hal walked into his restaurant and announced to his wife, Melissa, and four children that they were going to start serving chicken fingers. But not just any chicken fingers. The golden fried standard of chicken fingers–marinated and fried to perfection. Hal realized that he had to have a delicious, totally irresistible dipping sauce to accompany his perfectly golden fried chicken fingers. He held a contest among his younger children, Hud, Joe Kelly and Anna Margaret, to see who could create the best sauce. Hud’s sauce won. Little did they know that this sauce would make restaurant industry history," according to the website.
Huntington is home to one of these new drive-throughs so I had to try one of the chicken boxes with toast and crinkly fries. I think these were good - nice crispiness on the chicken. Fries not so much. But DQ is my gold standard for chicken strip baskets, and this wasn't quite there.
Grade: B
"Poppies fish and chips are fun, a guilty pleasure and an old fashioned Great British classic. For mouth tingling, lip smacking, ketchup pouring, gravy drowning indulgence we are the experts at all things fish and chips," according to their website.
I had to try some traditional fish & chips while in London. Traditional British fish and chips consist of battered and deep-fried white fish, usually cod or haddock, served with thick-cut chips. The dish is commonly seasoned with salt and malt vinegar and often accompanied by sides like mushy peas, tartar sauce, or pickled onions. In some regions, curry sauce or gravy is also popular. Fish and chips are typically purchased from a takeaway shop, known as a “chippy,” and served wrapped in paper.
Poppies takes its name from born and bred East-ender Pat ‘Pops’ Newland who captained the ship and steered it on its way. Pops career began in the fish and chip business aged 11, when he got a job on the Roman Road cutting up The Daily Mirror newspaper to wrap fish and chips in for takeaway. Half a century on, Pops realized his lifelong dream and founded his own place in Spitalfields using his passion for fish and chips, decades of experience and love of British popular culture to create an award-winning restaurant filled with warmth, charm and retro memorabilia collected throughout his life.
The fish was indeed white and flaky, though not batter-crisp like I hoped. Similarly, the chips were thick and flavorful with the malt vinegar, but no crisp to speak of. Flavors on point, texture could use some work -- at least for me.
Despite being absolutely stuffed from noshing all day, I splurged for dessert, too: CARAMEL STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING WITH 1 SCOOP OF ICE CREAM.
Wow. Talk about rich, sweet, heavy and oh so satisfying.
Grade: B
Opening in 1974, this Carey Hilliard was the first location on Savannah’s West Side located in Garden City. Situated under the shadow of the Savannah Port on the Savannah River, this location made it convenient for people working in the industrial area to grab some seafood or BBQ.
I went through the drive-thru and ordered Grilled Tail-On White Shrimp with Cheddar Bake (Twice Baked Potato), pasta salad and a pink lemonade ~these are a few of my favorite things ~
Not sure where else you can get this kind of variety, so A+ there. Execution probably a bit closer to a B. I like my pasta salad more zesty and fluffier hushpuppies. But that pile of cheddar potatoes was pretty on point.
Grade: B
For over 25 years, City Brew has been brewing up the best for the Mountain West! From dark to light, intense to bright, there's always a new cup awaiting. Savor the finest, globally sourced coffee beans roasted to perfection, reads the website.
City Brew was my first stop in North Dakota, so I was ready for a drink and snack. I opted for a Mountain Morning Latte - our signature Cool River espresso and milk combined with Ghirardelli White Chocolate and caramel pecan create a rich, nutty, and sweet latte.
I also ordered a bagel with cream cheese. The coffee was very tasty. Just the right amount of sweet for me. The bagel was lackluster - not a ton of flavor and maybe a bit too toasted that made it crumbly.
Grade: B
Eatery A is the go-to destination in Iowa's capital city for Mediterranean cuisine with hints of Spain, Morocco, Egypt and Italy.
"Our culinary experts blend old-world and contemporary cuisine, serving dishes like bacon-wrapped dates with red pepper coulis, octopus with kale pesto and crispy leeks, and house marinated olives. Enjoy craft beer at our bar, as well as cocktails made with local spirits and eastern flavors—pomegranate, basil, mint and ginger," reads the website.
Eatery A is decorated with reclaimed wood. The centerpiece of the kitchen is a wood-burning oven, which perfects fresh pies.
I ordered the Shrimp & Grits - house hot sauce, charred onion grits, scallions, feta, plus a side of fruit.
I thought this dish was OK. The chart bits didn't necessarily appeal to me and made it difficult to eat. I would've loved some more acid inside the dish. But that's why I got a side of fruit.
Grade: B
Elkview Supermarket is the local grocer in Elkview, and they're known for some of their deli items.
To start, the deli has a seating area. So, once you get your goodies, you can dine in.
The supermarket offers homemade potato salads, pepperoni rolls and other pre-made goodies on the shelves, but the real star is the main deli counter.
That menu includes their signature potato wedges - or hillbilly taters. Plus other dinners, like chicken and pulled pork.
First up was breakfast biscuits. There were a handful of sausage and chicken biscuits, so I snagged one of each.
Both of these were OK. I enjoyed the sausage enough, but it ate a bit dry. The chicken wasn't the best quality so the texture was off.
I did also get a pulled pork sandwich with the famous hillbilly tater.
This I enjoyed a good bit more. It was a huge sandwich with a nice sweet, tangy flavor. And the slaw added a nice touch.
The potato wedges - or what I'd call jojo potatoes. A little crispy, a lotta potato.
What's your favorite thing here?
Grade: B
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