So. St. Louis is a new food truck in the area that features fried chicken and fish.



I ordered The Murphy Lee - Cod & Fried Shrimp. The fried fish and shrimp were just okay—nothing special. The breading was basic and lacked any real seasoning, leaving both the fish and shrimp tasting pretty plain. Everything was cooked through, but without any added flavor or standout texture, it felt like a missed opportunity, especially for $20. Not bad, but definitely forgettable.



Grade: C

Los Amigos is a new Mexican restaurant in Kanawha City, which is the third location from this particular local chain.



This space has been home to a number of restaurants over the years, most recently The Pitch. I think the sports bar decor is still evident in the current setup, but it is still general enough to be fitting.



The menu has all the basics: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas and the like. I saw a couple things that caught my eye, but they were actually out of them. So I ended up with steak, shrimp and chicken tacos.



I was looking for more flavor, more toppings, more garnish. Just more. Onions and cilantro and sauces helped, but not enough. They were pretty streamlined and simple.



The sides of rice and beans were fine; I ended up scooping some of the rice into the taco to fill it out a bit more. Some seasoning and balance would have turned this around for me.



Grade: C

"Since opening our first shop in London in 1986, Pret's mission has been simple. To serve freshly made food and good organic coffee, while also trying to do the right thing. That's why our food is made in our shop kitchens throughout the day and our unsold food is donated to food rescue partners at the end of every day. That's also why our coffee is always organic and 100% arabica (and always will be) and our Coffee Fund is supporting the next generation of farmers. It's (partly) what we think makes Pret special," reads the Pret A Manger website.



Freshly prepared sandwiches, salads and soups headline the menu here. It's giving Panera vibes.



I did a "Classic Cheese Toastie" - Mature Cheddar cheese, mozzarella & Italian matured cheese with spring onions and a dollop of tangy mustard mayo in seeded bloomer bread. Ready to be toasted.



The pre-made sandwich was just a bit bland for me. Not that craveable cheese pull. Thick bread that didn't taste especially fresh. And the two together didn't sing.



Grade: C

Seaman Cafe is a general cafe in Miami near the cruise port. I stopped here for a quick bite before it was my time to board the ship.



At this time of day, they featured some breakfast pastries and lunch specials. I wasn't feeling breakfast or sweets on this particular day, so I went with the spaghetti and meatballs.



It was a plentiful dish, but nothing extraordinary. The noodles were way past done, and the sauce was pretty plain. But, it was almost nostalgic for me in a way for college days, where sometimes a meal was a box of pasta and a jar of tomato sauce.



Grade: C

I discovered E-Makulate Kitchen on DoorDash and placed an order. I took a risk because there were not a ton of reviews yet, but I'm nothing if not risky when it comes to food. And, according to my DoorDash driver, it was indeed a risky pick-up.

Rather than a physical location, the restaurant was apparently a vehicle ... that dropped the food off to the DoorDash driver. And they forgot my drink. The hot dog was fine, but the burger was cold and not particularly seasoned well. A bit bland.



Grade: C

I try to hit up all the Sam's Hot Dogs locations as they pop up. Pleasant Valley was the latest addition to that list. Set in a gas station - as most are - this Sam's stand was one of the smaller ones. They weren't busy and seemed to share just the one employee in the whole store. I ordered a single hot dog with everything, but they did not have slaw or onions. So, it just ended up being a chili dog with mustard. This was a bit sad. I did notice a new pepperoni roll here: Lola & Mila's Pepperoni Rolls in provolone and hot pepper cheese. Anyone know where these came from? Can't find much about them! Grade: C

Brookse's Bar & Grill in Winfield that features live music, line dancing and karaoke.



The interior had some generic chairs and tables, but also had a couple huge comfy, wooden chairs and tables that we chose.



The menu features typical bar and Grill fair: wings, sandwiches and burgers.



I ordered the Italian club, which came with smoked ham, pepperoni, provolone, banana peppers, lettuce, tomato, onions, and a side of Italian dressing. This was pretty average. I do like a good Italian sub, but I thought there could've been more filling in this one.



I also ordered the hot pepper cheese balls, which I will always get when offered. These were a bit over-fried, which makes the cheese kind of seep out a bit, so they're not super full inside.



Grade: C

Beef-A-Roo is a fast casual restaurant that began in 1967 and focuses on - you guessed it - beef.



I ordered the Mushroom Swiss Beef - Served on a sesame seed bun, topped with Swiss cheese, mushrooms, and onion rings.



With this flavor combo, I usually need something acidic to cut all the richness. That's why BBQ often accompanies meals like this. Tasty, but can't do too much of it. Fries could've used another minute or two in the fryer.



Grade: C

Base Camp Eatery, which is essentially a food court, at Yosemite Valley Lodge offers a Starbucks coffee bar, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.



Because they do offer three meals a day, there is a pretty wide variety in the grab and go options that they have available. i'm talking pancakes to hamburgers to chicken teriyaki bowls.



I was here for breakfast, so I opted for a yogurt & granola parfait and breakfast burrito. Both were average on all counts. Satisfactory, but nothing outstanding. The best part? The location.



Grade: C

Scaffidi's Gnocchi Nook was a quick-service carryout restaurant located in Weirton that turned to a virtual kitchen based out of the Scaffidi Restaurant Group in Steubenville, Ohio.



They offeer Build Your Own Gnocchi Bowls, Pasta Bowls, and more. I with with a gnocchi bowl, which comes with your choice of Ricotta Gnocchi, Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi or Tomato Basil Ricotta Gnocchi. Then, choose the sauce: Alfredo Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Oil & Garlic Sauce or Pink Sauce. Finally, choose the toppings: Bacon, Banana Peppers, Black Olives, Capers, Crumbled Sausage, Feta Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Ham, Mozzarella Cheese, Mixed Peppers, Mushrooms, Onions, Pepperoni, Salami, Shrimp, Spinach and Tomatoes.

I ordered a ricotta gnocchi with marinara sauce, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. What I received was a giant congealed mess of mozzarella sitting on top of some gnocchi. This is in my part my fault for choosing the ingredients, but I assumed erroneously that they would be mixed throughout. Now, none of this is bad - carbs, sauce, veggies. But the proportions were totally off. I went to search for a gnocchi, cut off a hunk of mozzarella and fork a mushroom to get a mix. This is part of the downfalls of a delivery-only restaurant. This probably would've been much beteter fresh.



Grade: C

The Guest House Restaurant in Moundsville is a motel restaurant that is a bit run-down but serves classic country-style fare. It was very informal - several regulars sat about and BSed with the wait staff and kitche staff. Maybe with a few choice words. I ordered pancakes, hashbrowns and sausage. After a while, my order came out and it was a bit haphazard but everything ended up on the plate. I put a bit of syrup on my plate, but then my server swiped it for another table. That left my whole meal a bit dry and a tad greasy.
Grade: C

Jusino's Family Restaurant is a small, homestyle restaurant in Follansbee that I recently visited with my mom and grandma.



The interior is simple with minimal decor and basic tables and chairs. No flourish or fanfare here, but it gets the job done.



The menu is much the same - utilitarian and filling, but not fancy. Omelets. Burgers. Salads. Hot dogs. Fries.



I would have loved to check out the dinner entrées, but those weren't available during our meal time. They seem hearty and rustic.



I went with a cheeseburger, topped with ketchup, mayo and onion, as well as a side of fries. I was hopeful for a well-seasoned, handmade patty with fresh ingredients. I received a very average version of that. Not a ton of flavor, fairly dry, and not especially exciting. The fries were battered and fried and done well.



My mom was less than enthused about her roast beef sandwich, which was skimpy on meat and left something to be desired. my favorite part was our server, who was jovial, kind and attentive.



Grade: C