Here's this month's Appalachian Mercantile goodie box!

TIPSY ROOS - Bourbon BBQ Sauce
BUI is their motto. BBQing under the influence! This sauce is excellent on pork, beef, chicken or tofu. Made by WV veterans.

BLIND TIGER - Bees Knees Cocktail Mixer
This unique mixer makes a delicious cocktail. You can add your favorite spirit, or not, and some ice. Made in Erie, LA

SWEET G's BAKERY - Drinking Pretzels
Pennsylvania is known for making the best pretzels and these are no exception. they make a great snack. Enjoy

APPALACHIAN BOTANICAL - Lavender & Sage Massage & Bath Oil
The lavender for this oil is grown on former mineland in WV. the oil is blended with sage oil and other natural ingredients. Relax.

EARTH & ANCHOR - Face Mask
This mask is great for men and women. Made in rural Kentucky from natural ingredients. 2-3 applications per tube.

MAGNOLIA MIXES - Lemon Pound Cake
This delicious lemon pound cake is easy to prepare and will please everyone at the table. Allergen free. Made in Birmingham, Al..

This actually isn't the first time I've tried Carl's Jr. I think it was actually when I traveled to Oklahoma several years ago. But, it is the first time I've remember to document it.



Carl's Jr. is essentially a West Coast Hardee's. 



"This is Carl Jr's menu. This is Hardee's menu. A quick glance will prove the only difference is that Carl Jr's served green burritos, and Hardee's serves red. Oh, and Carl's Jr serves salads (classic West Coast move!)

But once you peel apart the layers of the menu -- and the culture of each brand -- you start to see the subtleties that actually make a difference.

Since the merger, Carl's Jr has been marketed and developed as a more "in your face," type of brand. They seemingly aimed their advertising and menu expansion at younger people (who may or may not be visiting a Carl's Jr. for late night munchies/drunchies). At Carl's Jr, you'll find jalapeno poppers and fried zucchini. You can order a super spicy, "El Diablo" burger. In the AM, there's an extensive menu of breakfast burritos. Carl's Jr. isn't afraid to get a little weird. As far as fast food is concerned.

Hardee's -- on the other hand -- has always been the more "traditional" sibling. They have kept southern accents throughout their menu, like hand-breaded chicken and biscuits made in-house. Their advertising tends to be softer, cleaner, and aimed more at embracing Americana. It's slight, but noticeable." -  Thrillist


The Big Carl is their classic sandwich - "Two charbroiled all-beef patties, our Classic Sauce, two slices of American cheese, and lettuce all on a seeded bun."



The Big Hardee is "Two charbroiled all-beef patties, our classic sauce, two slices of melted American cheese, and lettuce all on a toasted seed bun." The only difference I see here is that the Hardee apparently toasts their bun. 

This is essentially a mushed Big Mac, which isn't a bad thing. There's a reason the Big Mac sells as many as it does. It's that special sauce and cheese and bun that make it taste so good and make up for the fact that the beef is just OK. Decent for a fast food sandwich. Interesting to compare the differences.

Chauhan Ale & Masala House in Nashville is owned by Chef Maneet Chauhan, who is one of my favorite. Food Network personalities. So, I was really excited to actually be able to try food from her restaurant.

"Chauhan Ale & Masala House is devoted to creating a unique dining experience in Nashville, Tennessee's bustling food scene. Co-owner and Executive Chef Maneet Chauhan's Indian roots, zest for travel and affection for Southern cuisine have beautifully collided to offer a menu featuring globally influenced Indian cuisine that highlights aspects of the culinary scene not only in Mumbai or New Delhi, but Nashville as well, perfectly combining Indian fare with traditional Southern dishes. Chauhan Ale & Masala House also boasts an exceptional beverage program with a worldwide selection of wine and spirits, cocktails that excite the palate, and an array of beers including Mantra Artisan Ales, carefully crafted to pair seamlessly with the food offerings created by Chef Maneet.

Opened in November 2014, Chauhan Ale & Masala House has quickly become a favorite amongst locals and tourists alike and is a recognized leader in the industry. The restaurant has collected numerous accolades including Best New Restaurant, Best Lunch Spot, Where to Eat Brunch, Best Cocktails, and more from reputable outlets such as USA Today, The Huffington Post, Food Network, Travel + Leisure, Delta Sky, Playboy, Garden & Gun, The Tennessean, Nashville Scene, Eater Nashville, Zagat and Open Table, amongst many others."



The space is lovely, with some Indian touches and colors that make it feel very inviting.



Bri and I shared a few small bites, as this was just the beginning of our food tour. But the menu featured tons of tempting options, like braised pork shank, saag mac & cheese, and gulab jamun cheesecake. 



We went with hot chicken pakoras, which had a house blend spice mix, crispy chicken, and ghost pepper sauce. And yes, it was spicy. Like, so spicy that I only had a few bites. I liked the crunch and the depth of flavor. I love the mash-up of Nashville flavors with Indian spices, though. 



Bri's choice, thankfully, was less of a spice bomb: tandoori chicken poutine. Tandoori chicken, makhani sauce, cheese curds, masala fries.



Much cooler on the palate. The fries aren't the super crispy guys that I enjoy, but they're thicker, potato-y and soft, which allows them to soak up those punchy flavors. 



This was a fun experience because I've seen Maneet on TV so many times. The food was good, the experience was lovely, and I'm happy to have marked it off my bucket list.

Grade: A

Slim Chickens is a fast-casual restaurant chain that focuses on fresh chicken tenders, wings, salads, sandwiches, wraps, chicken & waffles, and southern-fried sides like pickles, okra, and fried mushrooms.



While traveling through Arkansas, I drove through Slim Chickens, since it's a local favorite. The first location opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The company has since expanded with more than 100 locations in 19 states. 



I went with a crispy chicken sandwich with a side of fried okra. The chicken breast is dipped in fresh buttermilk marinade, lightly breaded, fried, and topped with crisp pickles and ranch mayo on a toasted bun. That ranch mayo is what sets this apart from other chicken sandwiches I've had and gives it just that little extra oomph. If the pickles were more crispy, it would've given a nice crunch that would help with the texture since the chicken itself didn't have like a hard fry. The okra was tasty, and I always enjoy something a little different. I'm a fan. 



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

Macaroni Grill is one of those restaurants I've only really heard of on TV, like when someone on a game show wins a year's worth of meals. It's a casual Italian restaurant chain that is headquartered in Denver. And, it happened to also be my Christmas dinner recently.



I was traveling and simultaneously wanted to try a new place, but since it was a holiday, options were limited. And since there aren't Macaroni Grills in my neck of the woods, it was the perfect choice. I made a reservation, and I was surprised to see how busy they were. Maybe lots of people had the same idea.



The menu has standard Italian features like pasta and sauce, chicken parmesan, steak, soup, salad, bruschetta and the like. I started with a small rosemary roll with olive oil that was lovely. It tasted fresh and felt special, so it made me excited for my entree.



I made my own pasta dish with fettuccine, roasted garlic cream sauce, shrimp. mushrooms, asparagus and roasted garlic. This creamy, garlicky pasta dish is so tasty with the pop of fresh asparagus. The only thing that would have made it perfect for me was if there was a nice little drizzle of balsamic reduction. Indulgence to the max.

Ben's Chili Bowl is a pretty iconic DC restaurant that has been around since 1968.



When I had a quick layover at a DC airport, I stopped through the Ben's Chili Bowl location to get a quick taste



I could not imagine that chili would serve me well for my remaining flight so I went with a basic chicken sandwich with a crispy chicken filet, mayo, lettuce and tomato. This was a good fast food-style chicken sandwich. Crisp filet, average veggies. Good for a quick lunch, but nothing to write home about.

Grade: B