The annual Chef's Challenge from the Covenant House was held on Tuesday at the Clay Center and featured more than a dozen local chefs.

It's a tapas-style dine-around at the Clay Center where these chefs created a bite or two, and after #15, it feels as though you've had a full meal!

We started with appetizers - these amtipasti cups and philly steak pinwheels.

And once we made our way inside the dining space, it was all laid out by table and chef.

Once I grabbed a plate, I was ready to start making my rounds!

Chef Tim Urbanic (Cafe Cimino) - Calabrian Style Shrimp Lemon Cello

Chef Oscar Aguilar (Cafe Cimino) - Eggplant Involtini; Chef Eli Urbanic (Cafe Cimino) - Chocolate Chip Brownies; Chef Gary Needham (Starlings Coffee & Provisions) - Pistacho Greek Lasagna

Chef Dennis Harris (Edgewood Country Club) - Curried Sweet Potato Bisque

Chef Evan Wilson (Ichiban Pan-Asian Cuisine) - Tuna and wasabi bites; eggrolls with sauces




Chef Heath Ax (Berry Hills Country Club) - Thai Short Rib Taco with wasabi slaw; chocolate cups with green tea & coconut mousse; Chef Frank Gonzales (Mi Cocina de Amor, Gonzoburger) - Grilled shrimp and pimento cheese with roasted red bell pepper

Chef Jeni Burns (Ms. Groovy's Kitchen) - Chicken and waffles

Chef John Wright (Bridge Road Bistro) - Black bean cakes

Chef Kevin Madison (Black Sheep Burritos & Brews) - Ribs and vegan curried Samosas (top)

Chef Mary Brent Galyean (Personal Chef) - Duck l'orange, maple braised golden beet

Barista Venu Menon (Mea Cuppa Coffeebar) - Craft coffees

Baker MK O'Haver (Personal Baker) - Mini chocolate brownie cakes, tiramisu brownie bites, Frangelico pound cake

Chef Teri Bush Bevins (Lil Bit of Heaven Cupcakes) - Pineapple margarita, chocolate peanut butter mousse and wedding cake cupcakes

I mean, wow! It was really an amazing event.

And, it's all for a great cause. Have you been?

I can't turn down Asian food. Whether it's Chinese or Thai or sushi, I am here for it.

Taste of Asia has a few locations in the area: South Charleston, this one in Huntington, and one in Teays Valley I haven't been to yet.

Taste of Asia has Chinese food, hibachi, sushi, and more.

I started with an order of crab rangoons - wontons filled with imitation crab meat and cream cheese, fried until golden brown - because I'm basic, and it's one of my favorite foods ever.

And I got a sushi roll - the Daisy Roll - spicy crab, cream cheese, avocado, spicy shrimp, spicy mayo, mango, eel sauce and yellow tobiko.

Mm. What's your favorite dish here?

I had my first ramp dinner of the season - and it was a fancy one.

Fish Hawk Acres hosts their yearly "Fancy Ramp Market Dinner," which features a few courses highlighting the ramp.

Batter bread with roasted garlic & ramp butter; biscuits with ramp jam.

Ramp fritter with creme fraiche and sweet bacon jam.

Spring pea and ramp soup shot.

Spring asparagus and Swiss chard salad with grilled ramp vinaigrette and a mini truffle grilled cheese sandwich.

Skirt steak and crab cake with rosti potatoes, baby carrots and English peas.

Rhubarb and lemon tart with wild berry sorbet


Have you been?

Ive been to the original Huskey's Dairy Bar in Cross Lanes. And then the spinoff location in North Charleston. And now, Huntington's location.

Huntington's ice cream shop features Hershey's ice cream, hot dogs, and sundaes.

The North Charleston & this Huntington location have the same menu - in an Asian restaurant style - and are more modern than the original location.

They have more than 30 different kinds of ice cream, but when I saw a s'mores ice cream sundae on the menu, I was sold.

Mmmm. What's your favorite?

The Green Chili Shoot Out is one of my favorite local events.

This year featured tons of people's choice competitors, ICS competitors, music, craft beer and more.

And I was fortunate enough to be a judge for the professional portion.

I happened to be in the "final" round, so after groups A and B chose their favorites, we tasted the best of the best.

It was so fun to try a bunch of different kinds - there was even a sweeter one that I absolutely loved.

We didn't get a chance to try the people's choice entries, but they sounded fabulous, too!

I learned a lot about green chili - because usually I've judge traditional or homestyle.

Who had your favorite chili this year?