SunTan Swine BBQ is a family-owned southern West Virginia barbecue business run by Scott and Amy Barnett. It operates primarily as a mobile BBQ truck and catering company, traveling for events, festivals, weddings, corporate gatherings, and what they call “Meat Ups” — pop-up roadside stops where customers can pick up BBQ dinners. The barbecue style is built around low-and-slow smoking, with Scott Barnett using a signature spice blend and traditional smoking techniques. Their menu focuses on classic BBQ staples like pulled pork, brisket, ribs, pulled chicken, smoked wings, and loaded fries, along with traditional sides.

I enjoyed a pulled pork sandwich with slaw and Sweet Baby Rays sauce. Plus a side of mac & cheese. The sandwich had that classic barbecue balance of smoky, sweet and tangy, while the mac & cheese added a rich, cheesy bite. Grade: B

The Fort Bar & Grill is a restaurant located at 100 Cantley Drive in Charleston's Fort Hill neighborhood.



The restaurant serves dinner Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and lunch and dinner Friday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., while remaining closed on Tuesdays.



The dining room combines the feel of a neighborhood tavern with a steakhouse and includes a full bar featuring whiskey, wine and craft cocktails.



The menu includes appetizers, salads, hand-cut steaks, seafood, chicken, ribs, smash burgers, sandwiches, desserts, and a selection of classic and signature side dishes.



We started with the buffalo crispy chicken bao buns, which weren't super on the crispy side. But that's not too bad. We had another app and a side of brussels sprouts; neither of which were super impressive.



One of the restaurant's featured menu sections is its lineup of house-made smash burgers, which are served with fresh house-cut fries and include options such as the Black & Bleu, Whiskey Bourbon Smash, Backyard BBQ Smash, Mushroom Swiss Smash, and Firestarter Smash.



I went with the Hot Honey Pimento Smash, which has 2 wquality all-beef patties, deep fried pimento cheese bites, topped with hot honey, jalapeno peppers (or banana peppers), crispy onion ring, lettuce and tomato. This was a lot of fried flavor, so I was hoping to get some more of that honey. But still pretty tasty, regardless. The sticky date pudding for dessert was decent.



Grade: B

Emma's Boba & More in Ripley offers lemonade, tea, dirty sodas, hot dogs, hoagies and wraps. First, I looked over the drinks to see what piqued my interest. "Shark Bait" was the winner: blue raspberry, strawberry and strawberry boba. It reminded me of a bomb pop, with the blue and red. It tasted like one too! Sweet with a tiny bit of sour. Approved. For lunch, I ordered a hot dog: Cowgirl - homemade chili, nacho cheese and crushed Fritos. Not easy to eat, but the hot dog was like a version of a Frito pie. The chili, the cheese, the crunch - a pretty satisfying bite. Grade: B

I had been hearing great things about Nikki's Bar and Grill, so I had to check it out the first chance I got.



I ordered a pepperoni roll with housemade marinara, as well as buffalo chicken dip.



The peppperoni roll is shareable size, hearty and generously filled. The dough bakes up with a crisp crust that’s soft inside, while the roll is packed with plenty of pepperoni and melted cheese. Served alongside house-made marinara, it is a solid choice.

The buffalo chicken dip is rich, creamy, and loaded with shredded chicken. It carries enough buffalo heat to keep it interesting. Good.



Grade: B

Mama B's is a bakery and coffee shop in Bruceton Mills that focuses on breakfast and lunch. It's a simple, homey space that doubles as a community gathering space. Breakfast offerings include a weekend buffet that highlights eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, waffles and omelets, while lunch features a tasty-looking list of paninis. Coffee, espresso drinks, and baked goods round out the café’s selection. I was in a hurry, so I stuck to drinks: a frosted lemonade. This was refreshing - if not a bit too acidic - but lovely for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Grade: B

The Dining Room at Jenny Lake Lodge is a well-known restaurant in Grand Teton National Park. Located in the historic Jenny Lake Lodge, a rustic log property dating to the 1920s, it reflects the style of early national park tourism in the American West. The dining room's menu features Rocky Mountain trout, bison, elk and seasonal produce. I enjoyed the grilled flat iron tacos with grilled peppers, cremini mushrooms, caramelized onions and chipotle aioli. And a side of kettle chips with scallion creme. I actually liked these together so I could get a crunchy element with the taco. Dessert was cheesecake with huckleberry compote and mint chantilly. The compote made this feel even more indulgent than cheesecake already does. I didn't get the mint chantilly, but I waa happy even without it. Grade: B

Ernie’s Bakery and Deli is a longtime West Yellowstone institution, serving breakfast, lunch and baked goods just minutes from Yellowstone National Park’s west entrance. The restaurant is known for its hearty breakfasts, including omelets, breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and gravy, and pancakes. Fresh-baked breads, pastries and croissants are made in-house, while the lunch menu features deli sandwiches, soups and salads. A handful of French-inspired offerings, including crepes and croque monsieur, reflect the bakery’s roots. Royal Breakfast Sandwich - amoked salmon, cream cheese, dill, egg on a bagel. The runny egg spurted out the top of the bagel, so the texture left a lot to be desired. There was no lack of flavor though - especially dill. For dessert, I had a "Yellowstone Mudpot" treat, which features a sourdough pretzel covered in caramel and chocolate, and a "Haystack," which has toasted coconut and cocolate. Plus Mimi's caramel. The Mudpot delivered the perfect balance of sweet and salty. The Haystack combined toasted coconut and chocolate for a rich, chewy treat, while Mimi’s caramel was buttery, smooth and hard to stop eating. All three felt like fitting rewards after a day spent exploring Yellowstone. Grade: B

Connie’s Restaurant & Saloon is one of the Yellowstone area’s longtime local institutions. It’s a rustic, cabin-style restaurant and saloon just off U.S. 20. Opened in 2014, the restaurant is known for hearty portions, friendly service and a menu that caters to Yellowstone visitors. I had to try finger steaks. Finger steaks are one of Idaho’s signature foods, a regional specialty that originated in Boise in the 1950s. Made by cutting steak into finger-sized strips, battering and deep-frying them until crisp on the outside and tender inside, they’re typically served with fries. They're like the beef version of chicken tenders. I like this as an alternative. But I'd love it even more with a side of steak sauce. I ordered the St. Louis BBQ Baby Back Ribs, because they were noted as a specialty. 1 3/4 lbs. ribs and you could get a side of spaghetti. I am not mad at all at this combo, though I think both were fairly average. Ribs were a bit tough; marinara was a bit bland. What was not bland, though, was that piece of pie. Huckleberry a la mode. Huckleberries are one of Idaho’s most popular local foods. The small purple berries grow wild in the mountains, and many families have favorite picking spots they return to every summer. Because huckleberries are usually gathered from the wild rather than grown on farms, they’re considered a special treat. You’ll find them in everything from pie and pancakes to ice cream, jam and syrup. The berries are so closely tied to the state that Idaho named the huckleberry its official state fruit. Grade: B

TeaSpoons is a hidden gem in South Hills that offers bubble tea, acai bowls and other small bites. They also had a short run at the Tech Park where their specialty item was a smashburger -- so I had to try it. The smashburger cane with cheese, lettuce, tomato, crispy onions, mayo & ketchup. I also added a side of potato salad and a mango tea. The burger was pretty good. I liked the thin patties, and the veggies were fresh. I would've liked more seasoning - some simple salt & pepper. The drink was the star for me - sweet, refreshing and a great pairing with the burger for a summer meal. Grade: B

Some restaurants become famous because of celebrity chefs or elaborate menus. Others earn their place in history with a single item done exceptionally well. In Butte, Montana, that item is the pork chop sandwich. For more than a century, Pork Chop John’s has been serving one of Montana’s most iconic foods. The story begins in 1924, when Swedish immigrant John Burklund started selling breaded, deep-fried pork chop sandwiches from a wagon to Butte’s hardworking miners. The sandwich was simple, affordable and filling — exactly what a mining town needed. It became so popular that Burklund opened a permanent restaurant in 1932, creating a Montana institution. The sandwich itself is simple: a thin pork loin pounded flat, breaded, fried until golden, and served on a soft bun with mustard, onions, and pickles. There are no gourmet toppings, artisan sauces, or modern twists. That’s part of the appeal. Walking into the original uptown location feels like stepping back in time. The narrow lunch-counter diner remains a fixture of historic Butte, where locals and travelers squeeze onto stools and order sandwiches wrapped in wax paper. The atmosphere is unpretentious, the menu is straightforward, and the focus remains exactly where it has always been: on the pork chop sandwich. Grade: B