While driving through Ohio, I started to hear my stomach growl. At my next gas station stop, I did a quick search for drive-through food options in the next town and found Cristy's Pizza & Subs.



"Have you ever wondered why Cristy’s Pizza tastes so good? It’s simple, if you’re going to have the best pizza, you’ve gotta start with the best ingredients, like… Bold Sweet Sauce from Fresh, Vine-Ripened Tomatoes, Signature Dough Recipe, All-Natural Premium Cheese, Fresh Vegetables Old World Pepperoni, and of course, a team of Pizza Pros to make the best pizza every single time," reads the website.



While Cristy's is not necessarily a drive-through, it does have a pick up window. I placed an order online for "Nibblers": Single bites of pepperoni or cheese pizza all rolled up, slathered with creamy Parmesan garlic butter sauce. Served with sweet & tangy tomato or creamy Parmesan garlic butter. These are close to pepperoni rolls, and I like that they are bite-size, so that the proportions of meat and cheese and dough are equal.

I also ordered a cheese pizza with mushrooms. The pizza had a rustic feel with the crust forming a bubbly texture, and the sauce and cheese not fully uniform all the way around. Fairly mild in flavor - but generally crowd pleasing. I would love a crisper crust, a bolder sauce, more punchy flavors.



Grade: B

Did you know that Chambers General Store in Bethany is one of the oldest shops in the state? It opened in 1917 and carries a little bit of everything - from paper towels and nails to energy drinks and sandwiches.



It's kinda like a tight, one-way maze in here but there is plenty to check out. There is a limited deli case that you can order a sandwich or a couple sides. They will even serve Coleman's fish sandwiches on Fridays. I just got a small pasta salad to go - very simple and affordable.



Grade: B

It's my last restaurant on this Arizona visit - and it's to a BBQ joint. While Arizona isn't necessarily known for its BBQ, this restaurant has been voted the best in the area by the local newspaper.



Colt Grill is "a small group of BBQ smokehouses located in the coolest cities and towns of Northern Arizona. Each restaurant has a full bar and a menu entirely made from scratch, centered around smoked meats. We are female owned, family run, and believe in the value of hard work, personal responsibility and perseverance," according to the website.



The BBQ is smoked in giant steel smokers with hardwoods and selections include baby back ribs, brisket, chicken and pulled pork, plus burgers, tacos salads, corn bread, beans, fruit cobblers and whiskey brownies.



The dining room is fairly casual with music playing and folks generally having a good time. Pretty informal and generous with the whiffs of BBQ smoke.



You order at the bar at the front, and then the food is delivered to the table once it's ready. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which was topped with crispy COLT slaw and Kansas City Sauce. This was a good sandwich. It's maybe the 1,000th pulled pork sandwich I've ever had, but it was right there in the middle of the pack - some good smoke flavor, some decent quality meat and one of my fav BBQ sauce types.



To go along with the sandwich, I also had potato salad, mac & cheese and peach cobbler.



Everything here was solidly good, and any tweaks I would suggest are minimal. I'd love to see one wildly creative BBQ dish I've never seen before to turn up the innovation level. But, all-around crowd-pleasing good time.



Grade: B

Dapper & Stout takes coffee seriously.

"Espresso Drinks feature our locally roasted signature Ensemble Blend. The combination of four coffees from around the globe are masterfully selected and tailor roasted with espresso preparation in mind. The richness stems from Brazil & Ethiopa. The balanced, smooth flavor experience completes the roast with the addition of Costa Rican & Guatemalan beans."



This coffee shop is beautifully polished and feels very high-end. From the lighting and the finishes to the layout and bakery options, the space is refined while bordering on cocktail bar vibes.



They offer coffee drinks of all kinds, including: lattes, cappuccinos, macchiato, Americanos, cold brew, tea, mocha and more.



I ordered a large iced caramel latte. It was good and as expected. Not too sweet, a tad bitter, but fairly refreshing as well.



we also had a number of grab and go pastries that were already packaged. I found a croissant that looked pretty good, so I went for it.



The croissant was a bit too dry for my taste; maybe I should've known better with it being prepackaged.



The two together, though, made for a decent start to the day.



Grade: B

Listen, not every meal can be a glamorous night out. Sometimes, you want to eat well but not leave the house. This is precisely why delivery exists in my mind. And on this occasion, it was Yama Sushi House in Chandler, Arizona.



I went with these two:

Caterpillar Roll - crab mix, avocado and cucumber wrapped inside, topped with avocado and eel sauce

Godzilla Roll - crab mix deep-fried with yum sauce and eel sauce

Both were decent, but nothing mindblowing. The crab mixture could be a bit more flavorful, the fried part could be crisper, but the avocado was fresh and layered in a lovely way.



Grade: B

Viper Wood Fired Oven Pizza is a food truck (or bus?) that often serves the western half of the Metro Valley. So, I was excited to catch them in Hurricane. The menu consists of a few standard pies: pepperoni, cheese, meat-lovers, etc. I opted for the margherita because I think it's simple enough to let the ingredients shine, but is not too basic to be boring. The crust was lightly crisp and the cheese may have caused a bit of sogging. But crispy + cheesy is a hard combo to beat.



Grade: B

"Inspired by timeless elegance, Olive & Ivy is a Mediterranean restaurant that offers you a quiet escape from the ordinary. Rich in flavor, our menu will transport you to the warm, relaxing French Riviera with seafood dishes like sea scallops and shareable plates like Lamb Meatballs in a warm pita. Sip a warm cup of coffee as you savor a freshly baked pastry at our beautiful Marketplace. Enjoy an occasion worth sharing like a sunlit lunch on the patio with friends, a quiet dinner for two, or a lively happy hour full of laughter. Our extensive variety of signature cocktails, craft beers, bold reds, refreshing whites, and celebratory bubblies are sure to provide you with the perfect glass to toast the day, toast the night, and toast this grand life."



It certainly paints a picture, right? It's a lovely café with light offerings that feel fresh and creative. When I'm in the desert, I crave food like this.



I ordered a beet salad with arugula, goat cheese, pistachio, red wine, vinaigrette and shrimp. I ordinarily would have went for the bruschetta flight, but I coincidentally just had one of those. The salad was fresh but still had bold flavors.



We also did some hummus with pita, cucumber, tomato, red onion and feta. This one was just OK for me, but that's because I prefer my hummus with an unacceptable amount of garlic.



Grade: B

El Chullo is located in Phoenix and is known for its Peruvian food.

"Chullo" is a peruvian ancestral garment symbol of the andean culture made to protect themselves from the extreme cold in the Andean high places. In these towns, they fulfill a purpose, which is to identify the characters of the andean population. Depending on the place where they are made, colors, figures, motives and shapes are in harmony with the traditions and local uses, according to the website.



"When Esperanza Luzcando came from Peru in June 2011 for her son's graduation, she fell in love with Arizona. In December 2011, Esperanza and her husband, José Ramírez Sánchez, decided to move to Arizona with her family and open a business. The idea of opening a restaurant was born and El Chullo Peruvian Restaurant was inaugurated in 2014.

'When we decided to open our restaurant, we always had in mind to offer traditional food with different recipes learned throughout our lives, as served at our home' says Jose Ramirez Sanchez. ​

'We are very happy that Peruvian food is becoming more widely known worldwide. And we always invite all our customers to visit our beautiful country and to learn about our culture and above all enjoy our delicious cuisine' says Esperanza Luzcando."



I ordered the chicha morada to drink, which is made with Peruvian purple corn, pineapple, cinnamon and cloves. I really enjoy this sweet but slightly earthy drink.



We had yucca fries, calamari, and a variety of proteins with red onion. What I really enjoy is that the beef or chicken take on a nice rich flavor from the marinades and spices.and, the veggies are cooked so that the sweetness is brought out.



What is your favorite Peruvian dish?



Grade: B

"At Love Handle, diners know to expect the unexpected. The menu at this no-frills mom-and-pop Indy sandwich shop explores uncommon ingredients in fantastic pairings. Tendons, tongue, belly and heart are all fair game for Chef Chris Benedyk, who has spent a large part of his career transforming these overlooked cuts of meat into sophisticated creations," reads the Food Network blurb that convinced me to check out this breakfast/brunch spot in Indianapolis.



It's almost like a dive bar, but with trendy menu items. Decor is inspired by the local antique shop with a special focus on vintage beer signs. And, there was a movie playing on the projector screen the whole time we were there.



There are some unique specials on the chalkboard wall, but the standard menu features breakfast sandwiches, grits, burritos, soup and the "house sando."



The house sando comes with choice of protein: pork belly, shrimp, fried chicken, fried fish or brisket.



I opted for the pork belly. It comes with a house remoulade and house slaw.



I enjoyed the sandwich overall. The pork belly was thickkkk and I happen to get a good bit more of the fatty pieces than any actual meat. So, it was a bit offputting to bite through that much fat. That porky, smoky flavor was great paired with that house, run a lot, and a little bit of crunch from slaw.



Grade: B

Located in the Denver Milk Market, Morning Jones serves up muffins, pastries, breads and other sweet and savory treats. Between the full-size cakes and mini treats, it was a slice of heaven.



Featuring 16 venues run exclusively by acclaimed Chef Frank Bonanno, Denver Milk Market is one of the nation’s only dining marketplaces led by a single chef. In addition to the coffee & pastry shop, the market also has concepts around pizza, pasta, hot chicken, brunch, poke, salads, burgers, sandwiches, ice cream, seafood and tacos.



At Morning Jones, there are a bazillion pastries and coffee options, so I took my time perusing the options behind the case.



No coffee for me on this visit, but I did enjoy a raspberry dessert. The giant serving had layers of cake and cream. Sweet, but balanced nicely with the tartness of the raspberry.



Have you been?



Grade: B