A few months ago, the South Charleston Dairy Bar reopened. I was so excited to check this place out for the first time because I have passed that building for years, and the nostalgic design reminded me of my childhood. It features a classic menu of hotdogs, hamburgers and ice cream. Plus, they do have other items like corndogs, chicken tenders, onion rings, fried mushrooms, cheese sticks, etc. They also have combo meals which you can pair with fries and daily specials, as well. A homemade dessert was even available at the counter. We called in an order, and my friend Mariah went to pick it up. She ordered a cheeseburger and fries, which she was happy with. I opted for a hotdog combo meal, which came with a side of fries and fountain drink. The hotdog was fine. The wiener didn't really fill out the bun. So, proportions were all off. I tasted more bun and slaw than anything else. The fries were fairly thick wedges, so they weren't super crispy. They tend to get pretty soft, pretty fast. That's not bad for folks who like a very potato-y fry, but I like mine on the crispy side. Overall, it's a pretty simple and standard meal in a nostalgic setting. Grade: C

Here's something I bet you've not seen before: a shipping & mailing company/bubble tea cafe. Boba in the front, bubble mailers in the back.



Fusion Tea features adorable, giant squishies when you walk in. Plus keychains, pens and more featuring boba.



Then, to the side, there is a menu featuring fruit teas, milk teas, lemonade, yogurt, ice blended, slushies, iced coffee and more. Plus even a few sweet treats.



I ordered the Happy Family Milk Tea with boba, clear boba, rainbow jelly, and red bean. Yes, sweetened red bean.



First off, I love all the different textures. I can see this one being a hard one to swallow for picky eaters because of the jellies and the beans, but that's what makes me enjoy it. It's sweet, but more complex than just straight sugar. It's interesting.



Grade: A

There's another teal-tinted business that opened up in South Charleston. This one is doling out coffee and breakfast food.



Cocoa Coffee offers the standard coffee and espresso drinks, like lattes, cappuccinos and mochas. They also have a few bubble tea options, which I thought was exciting so I ordered the strawberry one.



Food options include bagels, muffins, and oatmeal. I went with a bagel sandwich with egg and bacon.



The drink was eye-catching and bright, which stood out amongst the neon interior. Lightly sweet with the popping boba makes for a fun experience. The bagel may have been the tiniest I've ever seen, and I could've easily housed three of them. But I do think they've upgraded since my last visit.



Grade: B

I think I may have an addiction to Husson's mini pizzas. Not necessarily because they're the best pizzas I've had... but because it's almost like purchasing a single slice because the mini pizzas are so small. So you can get a variety of different flavors - from General Tso's to Buffalo Chicken - with each mini pizza.


Husson's Pizza is a local Charleston chain that features maybe a dozen or so different flavors in lots of variations: pizza, subs, wraps, calzones, pizza-dillas, and more. They deliver to just about every corner of the region, but truthfully I've only been to one or two locations - until this visit.


The South Charleston location actually had some limited seating inside, and I picked up the following: a mini buffalo chicken pizza, a mini mushroom pizza and a Hawaiian calzone. I noticed this location is generous with the cheese on the pizza, which was delicious. The mushroom was good and an old standby for me. The buffalo chicken could've used some more zing and zip - and that's saying a lot considering I'm wimpy when it comes to spice. 


The calzone was maybe my favorite of the bunch. The sweet, the salty with the pineapple and ham, just made for a tasty combo. And the tomato base is missing in the calzone, which I think is what is divisive about pineapple on pizza. This was just bread and cheese and sweet and salt. Tasty.

Grade: B

Coal River Coffee Company in St. Albans is more than a coffee shop; they're a community partner who is active, expansive and inclusive.



And beyond their main shop in St. Albans, they have a satellite location in South Charleston at the Tech Park, as well as a roving truck. I went to the Tech Park location a while ago to check it out.



I went with a campfire frappe, which had a coffee base with toasted marshmallow syrup, chocolate sauce, milk, and ice.



I also ordered an apple and gouda grilled cheese. I always love a really good grilled cheese; a good one is the ultimate comfort food. I had a grilled cheese - not this elevated - for breakfast many times.



Let's go with the drink - I think Coal River always has a more robust, strong flavor for their coffees, which I'm growing to enjoy. Of course, the frappuccino is going to be on the sweeter side, but this was actually pretty balanced for me.



The grilled cheese was great. Some tart sweetness, some creamy unctuousness from the cheese and the little texture bite from the apple made for a really solid lunch.



Have you been?



What's your favorite?



Grade: A  

A new seafood restaurant in South Charleston is bringing some bright lights and funky dishes to the area. 



It's So So Good Seafood Restaurant and Lounge is just a few doors down from a lovely soul food restaurant and is capitalized on the bright facade by bringing that indoors with pink booths and multicolored lights.



The menu features a lot of fried seafood, as well as steamers, and some unique items like conch balls and conch salad. I couldn't decide on what to try, so I went with the sample: 1 crispy fried fish, 4 jumbo shrimp and 4 wings. They have a naughty pleasure (mild & sweet), naughty pleasure garlic, honey garlic, honey garlic lemon pepper and lemon pepper sauce. I went with the naughty pleasure garlic. 



The wings ended up being my favorite part, surprisingly. I loved the sauce, and the wings were cooked well with a nice texture. The fish and shrimp both could've benefitted from a lot more seasoning. Or, a sauce could've helped out, too. But otherwise, a little bland. 

Grade: B

Amy Cakes Catering has made Sunday evenings an exciting event in my household.



I hold my breath as I await the post detailing what the week's offering will be. Will this week be meatloaf? Tacos? A casserole?



Amy Cakes Catering is a caterer, of course, but they also offer dinners to go. I love this, because I may not have an event to cater at the moment, but it gives me an opportunity to try a meal there and keep them in mind for the future. 



The process is simple - just look for the post on Sunday, message the page to reserve a meal, and then show up at the South Charleston church on Wednesday during their pick-up time.



I couldn't wait to check it out, so rather than wait until the *perfect* meal to try, I went with the first one I saw - which was still good! The meal was chicken and dumplings served with mashed potatoes, seasonal salad with apples, cranberries and golden raisins; cheddar biscuits; and a mini banana pudding - all for $15. I paid at the window in the auditorium and went on my merry way.



The salad was so surprisingly good! It's not the main attraction, of course, but it was fresh and a little different, and I enjoyed it. It was needed before the heavy, tummy-filling meal of chicken & biscuits. I used my side of a cheddar biscuit as an extra dipping vessel to give some more texture in the mashed potato and chicken gravy trough. I'm glad no one watched as a I ate every last bite. And finally, banana pudding - which I've really developed a healthy love for recently - was delish. The lovely gentleman who packed my dinner said he "hooked it up" with a GOOD banana pudding, and you, sir, are the GOAT.

Grade: A

You know what's perfect on a cold, snowy day? A casserole.



Casseroles To Go is a new ghost kitchen based out of Carnival Eats that specializes in homecooked meals delivered to your door - hot and fresh.



I love a casserole - and wish that there were like personal sized ones. There are so many different kinds. I wanted to try them all: shepherd's pie, ham & broccoli, tuna noodle, Amish breakfast, baked ravioli, and more. But I put in an order to try two different things.



First up is the: Crunchy Chicken Casserole. This casserole is a taste of goodness with a crunch you will love. Chicken, rice, celery, cream of chicken, mayonnaise, water chestnuts, almonds, onions and corn flakes.



It was pretty tasty overall. I added a touch more salt to punch it up. Since it's crunchy on top, it's not something that can keep forever unless you want the sog. But hot, fresh from the tin - it is good.



I also got a pan of macaroni & cheese, which I think I ate on for a week. It's a pretty straightforward, creamy mac. I added a bit of sugar to mine because I like mine a bit on the sweeter side. 



Have you tried them yet? I think they would be perfect to send to a family in need or a friend with a busy week. Just a really cool option in town.

Grade: B