"Hatched in Baltimore, BRD serves creative fried chicken sandwiches and wings made with the finest ingredients possible. We strive to provide old school hospitality and chicken you won't forget," the website reads.

The menu features chicken sandwiches, tender meal boxes and wings. I went for the box, which has two jumbo tenders, fries, garlic bread, pickles and two sauces: BRD SAUCE, HONEY MUSTARD, CAROLINA GOLD BBQ, CHILI MAYO, BUFFALO, BUTTERMILK RANCH, TANGY WHITE BBQ, HOT HONEY OLD BAY.

This meal was tasty... but also pretty similar to so many other fried chicken restaurants out there right now. Chicken. Fries. Sauce. I don't hate it; I just wish there was maybe a new spin.

Grade: B

"Thai Street’s recipes have been tweaked to perfection over multiple generations of Chef/Owner Kesorn Imsin’s family. Using traditional techniques and ingredients we create dishes that allow you to experience authentic Thai street food and regional specialties. Inspiration for our food has been sourced from the streets of Phetchabun (Kesorn’s hometown) to some of the finest restaurants in Bangkok. We’ll take you on a journey to Pratu Phi with our signature Pad Thai then to Charoen Krung Road with our melt-in-your-mouth Kao Ka Moo! We like to keep you guessing “what’s next?” and are always exploring new recipes, ingredients, and techniques in our rotating specials," reads the website.



Located in Broadway Market, the restaurant offers many classic Thai dishes like pad thai, pad see ew, khao soi and more.



I ordered the Chive Cake - pan fried, crispy garlic, rice flour, chive, homemade sweet soy sauce. I wanted the exterior to be a bit more crispy, but I enjoyed this squidgy bite. I also had the pumpkin custard sticky rice, which was so comforting. I love rice desserts.



Grade: B

"Black Acres Roastery is a small batch coffee roaster located in the Station North district of Baltimore. Every roast, we strive to bring out the best qualities in unique coffees from around the world. We ethically source beans and curate roasting profiles that provide each cup of coffee a story," reads its website.



The "salt bae" has salted caramel sauce, espresso and milk. Deeply rich and delicious.



Grade: B

The Boardhouse is a new restaurant located inside Tickers & Timbers, which is a family entertainment venue offering axe throwing, rage rooms, escape rooms and paint splatter. The restaurant is more so a snack counter, but there were several items that caught my eye: Lumberjack Grazer: Charcuterie w/ pickles, olives, pepperoncini, pepperjack & mozzarella, pepperoni, salami, crackers, cashews, dijon & bacon jam. And then there was the Pretzel Stick Flight served with queso and honey mustard. I ordered the Smoked Turkey Handheld - turkey burnt ends, cheddar cheese, house-made cranberry bbq sauce. I liked the sweet and salty combo here, but the bread was too toasted and the edges just crumbled. I also went for the Sweet Crumbles Flight - Strawberry, apple, smores crumbles flight - 1 pie crumbles, sweet filling topped with whipped cream & drizzle topping. A little too much dry graham cracker at the bottom (add melted butter), but otherwise this is a fun and playful dessert.

Grade: B

Connie's Chicken & Waffles is located in Broadway Market in Baltimore, as well as other locations around the city.



Connie’s Chicken and Waffles for their modern twist on Baltimore’s classic chicken box — serving up tenders and fries with peach tea “half n’ half.” Inspired by the owners' mother Connie’s hospitality and recipes, the brothers also serve fun new waffles in flavors from red velvet to Crunch Berry to Oreo, according to the market's website.



I went for a blueberry waffle, which was big and fluffy. It was decent, but nothing out of the ordinary. next time, I would like to add the chicken, but it wasn't quite ready yet for this order.



Grade: B

Papermoon Diner is an eclectic restaurant covered in funky decorations ranging from mannequins to knick-knacks. And everything inbetween.



The menu is a bit more conventional - consisting of breakfast, sandwiches, burgers, dinner entrees and more.



They feature milkshakes that include Captain Crunch cereal or avocado. Entrees like the crab, spinach and gouda quesadilla caught my eye, as did the cranberry melt with havarti.



I went with the Morning Glory, which had a grilled piece of meatloaf over mixed spring greens and an over-easy egg and crispy potato cake. I added a side of mango chutney.



I think that sauce is what this dish needed to pull it together. I would've loved a specialty sauce made for this exact dish that was maybe a riff on tomato sauce or ketchup. It could eat a bit dry without that.



Grade: B

The JFK airport terminal 2 is home to Tagliare, which has slices of pizza and strombolis for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are not made to order, so there's a good chance the food may have been sitting behind the glass for a bit. I had a slice of sausage & broccoli rabe. It was definitely a bit dried out, but it was not bad.



Grade: B

Terminal 2 at JFK Airport is home to Due Amici, a fast Italian "restaurant." I seated myself, ordered at the tablet and waited for my meal to be delivered. I actually love this process because the airport is already people overload for me, so it was nice to decompress a bit.



It's a pretty casual and open dining area. The menu has a good variety no matter what time of day you're traveling. I instantly gravitated toward the pastas, which included a mushroom ravioli. Pasta is always a comfort food for me, and the earthy, umami flavors in this dish were enjoyable. I wouldn't mind my pasta being a little bit more al dente, but considering the location, it was adequate.



Grade: B

Southern Table is located just north of New York City, but the premise of the restaurant is their take on southern food.



"At Southern Table, we sought to create a unique dining experience in Westchester, New York by introducing an inventive take on Southern cuisine. Our commitment to using only farm-fresh ingredients in our Southern-inspired dishes is what sets us apart. We take great pride in delivering classic Southern cooking and true Southern hospitality to our valued guests," reads the website.



My group of coworkers at the time and I ordered a few different dishes here a while at a conference nearby. We mixed and matched and split a few different things.



We enjoyed some eggrolls, biscuits, sliders and pretzels.



The brie stuffed pretzel was probably my favorite of the bunch; it was served with fig jam. So you got the salty and the sweet and the creamy all in one.



The pulled pork sliders didn't have much in the way of toppings, which I think could have taken them up to the next level.



The Mexican spring rolls had corn, black beans, etc. These were nice and crisp, but I have had tastier versions of this dish elsewhere.



The biscuits were fine; there's a very fine line between good and slightly dry. I like mine moist and full of cheese.



We also ordered a few desserts.



I went for a s'mores themed one, which featured a bittersweet chocolate but perfectly toasted marshmallow.



I was told the layered carrot cake was excellent.



Grade: B

Sam's Hot Dog Stand has over 45 locations in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Georgia. The basics of every Sam's location includes beef hotdogs, steamed buns, and their chili – mild or spicy. Some locations will add specialties like pork barbecue sandwiches, fries or other sides. On my quest to visit every West Virginia location, I stopped at the Ripley one and ordered my standard hotdog on steamed bun with chili slaw, mustard, and onions. The assembly of this hotdog was ultimately its downfall; the chili on the bottom subbed through the bun and left it falling apart in my hand. I also wish the mustard was below the slaw to help keep it all together. Flavor, though, was pretty standard minus the mustard playing a starring role because it was right on top. Grade: B

Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald created Levain Bakery in 1995. One day, they created an ultimate chocolate chip walnut cookie to give them energy while exercising. They sold a batch in their bakery, and they flew off the shelves - creating an iconic cookie. An icon was born.

"We take our name from the French word for the natural leavening agent made of flour, water and wild yeasts: Levain. In the United States, a levain is more commonly known as a sourdough starter. While Levain Bakery is now best known for the six-ounce cookies, Pam and Connie started their business making artisanal breads for restaurants around New York City. We love that our name continues to honor those roots."



Chocolate Chip Walnut - The cookie that started it all; the signature Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie is crispy on the outside with a satisfyingly thick and gooey center. Every bite is packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips and chunks of walnuts.

I had to try this one because it is a New York staple. But, I do not love semi sweet chocolate chips because they read very bitter to me so, take those out, and I would love this cookie.



Grade: B

The Cheese Melt is a grilled cheese restaurant that focuses on elevated sandwiches in the Ohio Valley.



they went from mobile food truck to brick and mortar location now in Warwood. the interior is fairly basic, but I do enjoy their main logo that looks like the cheese is melting.

I ordered the Beale Street, which had gorgonzola, hot pepper cheese, kale, apples and bacon. I love the sweet and salty combo. My main suggestion would be to add a sauce of some sort because it ate a little dry.



Grade: B

Since 1946, Milos Hamburgers has been serving up fast fresh burgers smothered in our original sauce, served with fried pies, milkshakes and seasoned fries.



Based in Alabama, Milo's Hamburgers was founded by Milo Carlton as Milo's Hamburger Shop in 1946. Milo's has more than 20 locations across Alabama. Their signature menu item is the secret-recipe hamburger sauce and sweet tea.



The hamburger sauce is sweet, smoky and savory. It's like a mix of ketchup, chili powder and some other flavors.



Since the 1980s, they have distributed their own Sweet Tea brand in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The tea company split off in 2002.



The Milo’s Original Burger is made with a fresh grilled patty, topped with onions and pickles, drenched in that secret sauce, and served on a warm, grilled bun. A very thin burger with an interesting sauce – but pretty par for the course for fast food.



Thick crinkle fries and a strawberry shake, rounded out the meal. If I had to pick a type of fry, crinkle would be at the bottom of my favorites list. I like more crunch, less potato.



Grade: B