The 25th Annual Ribfest in Marmet featured a handful of BBQ vendors. Held at the Ben Morris football stadium, the event also featured live music, food vendors, amusement rides in the Kids Zone, petting zoo & more. It costs $6 (cash) to get in, so I took a loop to see what is all available. There were a few standard, general vendors you see at events like this - the fried foods, the old timey drinks, the old fashioned ice cream. Johnson's BBQ & Cowboys BBQ are two BBQ vendors I've had in past years, so I checked out the other two. Swine BBQ is based out of Medina, Ohio, and features Texas-style smoked meats. I got four rib bones here, which don't come sauced. I made samples of their sweet and golden BBQ sauces to try with the ribs. Overall, these were a bit on the dry side, but I appreciated the lack of fat and still fairly tender. Old Town BBQ is a traveling BBQ team with award-winning ribs. I did a half rack here with baked beans (!) and potato salad. Again, the ribs here were dry. I think I've become spoiled with competition-style BBQ, and these ones are made and put in a warming pan. The potato salad was bangin. The beans reminded me why I don't love baked beans. Or, at least, not these kind. Pop's Snow Palace & Treats Peach lemonade is just one of my favorites. Shrimp Lips The crab mac & cheese wasn't bad, but the mac itself was just too thick and dense.

Smokin' with Perfection is a pop-up BBQ vendor who sets up in the Marmet area. They offer ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken and hot dogs. I ordered the last little bit of ribs, because they were the top seller. These have a delicious, sticky-sweet sauce. My only complaint is that they were pretty fatty. I know some people enjoy that, but the texture is not for me. Both the mac & cheese, and the cowboy chili were delicious. The cowboy chili has baked beans, onion, smoked meat, jalapenos and BBQ sauce. It was sweet but had a bit of a kick - so it helped round out the whole meal. Grade: B

This small coffee shop in Marmet is a new one just down the road from Chum's Hotdogs.



Simply Sweet Coffee & Donut Shop offers coffee and donuts, which to me, sounds perfect before or after a hotdog with yellow slaw.



Better yet, they even have a drive-through. So, you can get your caffeine and sugar fix before work, as well. But, if dining in is more your speed, they do have a cute interior with some tables and chairs spread about.



At the front is a glass case full of various types of donuts. Glazed, cake, filled - I tried one of each. They were all pretty tasty, with the blueberry cake doughnut being my favorite of the bunch.



If you're looking for savory, though, you're in luck because no good pastry shop goes without a pepperoni roll.



Simply Sweet's pepperoni roll is a hefty little guy with an adequate amount of sliced pepperoni and a side of marinara.



I don't love the air pocket at the top of the roll, but I did enjoy the bread to pepperoni ratio and the added sauce on the side.



Overall, I think this type of restaurant is a welcome addition to the area. Locally made donuts, pastries, pepperoni rolls, and coffee are a crowd-pleaser, and I can see these sweet treats being a welcome snack any time of day.



Grade: B

El Capataz is located in Marmet and translates to "boss" or "foreman."



The Mexican Restaurant is fairly new, and seems to offer familiar dishes: burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas and list of specialty dinners.



The building has seen some wear and tear in its day and has scant decor. But I was only inside for several minutes before collecting my meal that I called in and heading home. 



First, let's start with some chips and salsa. Decent. Add in an order of queso? Amazing.



I ordered camarones al mojo de ajo, which is shrimp and mushrooms sauteed in wine, butter, lemon, spices and garlic sauce cooked to perfection and served with rice. If there was a buttery wine sauce, it got soaked up somewhere along the way. Nothing a dash of queso can't fix. It definitely made for a heartier dish, but tasty nonetheless.



I also ordered especial la casa - two burritos filled with beef or chicken topped with cheese sauce with rice. We opted for chicken and split these. I would not have hated a bit more filling within the burritos, but, again, covered in cheese - what's not to like?



We finished with cheesecake chimi that is just the definition of sinful: fried, sweet, covered in sprinkles and whipped cream.



It is just downright, straightforward indulgent and tasty. Much like most of the meal, you could feed me a piece of cheese, and I'll be happy. Does it make for a unique experience? No - but does it really need to? It was enjoyable and that was enough for me on this day.



Grade: B

Did you have a discount bread store growing up?



I did, and I have fond memories of choosing a bunch of different fruit pies



So when I found this little outlet in Marmet, it took me down memory lane



I grabbed a few snacks but wanted to see what you all thought was best.



What are your facorite goodies?

Another day, another Gino's. This time - we're in Marmet.



Marmet is actually not all that far from me, so this is one of my "local" Gino's spots. Like most others, it's attached to a Tudor's Biscuit World, and I was thankful to see this one had a drive-thru (I've discovered a few that haven't!). 



First up is an antipasto salad. Under that generous layer of mozzarella is some cold iceberg, cold cuts, peppers and olives. It was so cold - maybe in the fridge for a while? - that I actually let it set out for a bit before digging in. I do like the assortment of different toppings.



And the pizza - it's growing on me! The small makes a nice single-serving, and I like the slightly sweet sauce. I just wish I could get the bottom crisper. Otherwise, not too shabby.

Grade: B

One small space in Marmet has been home to a few different restaurants, most recently Moo Mama's Ice Cream.



Their menu is small with some specials, shakes, sundaes, and cones. They use Velvet Ice Cream, as opposed to Hershey's, which is what I tend to see most often. 



The specials tempted me, but once I laid eyes on the "Maple Pecan Blondie" specialty sundae, I was sold immediately. 



And check out this super cute kitty who came to keep us company while Dawn and I devoured ice cream.



So, this ice cream was SO good. While it's not homemade ice cream, the toppings took it to the next level. I loved the pecans and syrup and it sure was tasty. If the ice cream was homemade, it would've taken it up a level.



Grade: B