Shari's Cafe & Pies is a chain of family dining restaurants based in the western United States and features its award-winning pies.



The Red Bluff, California, building has an odd hexagonal shape, and when you enter, you are greeted with a wide display of pies.



I started with a strawberry lemonade, which was perfectly sweet and tart.



For my entree, I kept it simple with a grilled cheese and tomato soup. This classic just hits the spot. Cheesy and creamy deliciousness.



What I was really looking forward to, though, was a slice of pie. Marionberry - which I had never had before - is one of their best sellers.



"The Oregon official state pie! In keeping with the expectation of this gloried berry, Shari’s Oregon Marionberry pie doesn’t disappoint. A marionberry is a cross between an olallieberry and a Chehalem blackberry and it’s grown exclusively in Oregon."



The berry pie has a nice balance of sweet and tart. It's not unlike a raspberry pie, but a little bit more unique.



Grade: A

"Java Detour is “changing the way America buys coffee”™ by responding to the overwhelming demand for gourmet beverages delivered with speed and convenience without sacrificing quality! Java Detour sells the world’s finest gourmet coffees, fruit smoothies, premier blended espresso, iced drinks and select baked goods from drive through and in-line facilities that emphasize speed, quality, and customer service," according to the website.



I had a jumbo beef bagel dog because how wild does that sound? Texture had that combo of too doughy AND too hard, though. The Mellow Mango smoothie, though, was on point. Icy cold and punchy with flavor.



Grade: B