Fairmont is home to a number of Italian restaurants, but it's less common to see a Mediterranean restaurant right in the downtown area. 



The Grape Leaf is a new-to-me restaurant I was excited to check out with my friend Lisa. 



We were the only ones here, which was great for us. There was enough space for us to feel safe and still enjoy a delicious meal and support a local business.



After looking over the menu, I went with a strawberry banana smoothie to start. I'm really into smoothies lately, and this one was a good version. It's not large and a bit thin, but fresh flavor. 



Then, I tried the sambusas with cheese. These triangular fried filo dough savory pastries. I'm less familiar with this version, but I enjoyed them. I would've loved a sauce with a bit of spice to complement them.



At some point, we got an order of fries, but I was trying to save room for the remainder of the meal. They were thick-cut steak fries, though, and had a nice little crisp.



Hummus. What meal is complete without a side of hummus. This was a good, straightforward version. I like mine to taste like two bulbs of garlic, but that's not for everyone.



My main entree was the chicken shawarma, which was a bit heftier than others I've had. But the sauce with it was more of a savory, meaty sauce, rather than that smooth garlic sauce I crave. Good, but not my favorite. 



Finally, let's end with some baklava, of course. Simple with pistachios. Drizzle that syrup on it for some more decadence!

Grade: B

Hermosilla's Deli & Market has been a Fairmont staple for a number of years, bringing fresh deli meats, cheeses, olives and more to the area.



They do a few things really well here: You can order a meat and/or cheese tray for celebration, you can get a fresh made sandwich will all these options and you can visit the olive bar to pick and choose what you'd like to take home. 



Because we don't have a big celebration any time soon, I first turned my attention toward the sandwiches. they have a number that are "specialties" or you can make your own. 



There are so many options - from kettle fried chicken and chorizo to green onion cheese and smoked gouda. Plus an assortment of toppings, veggies and condiments.



I went with the "Amish Cold Cut," which had ham, turkey bologna and American cheese on white bread. I added olive tapenade and mayo. And, I am now a firm believer that olive tapenade belongs on any and all sandwiches forever. 



It was like the nostalgic bologna & cheese sandwiches from my youth, kicked up a notch, which warmed my heart. It was really tasty, honestly, and I would love to have one again ASAP. 



And, I couldn't forego the olive bar, so I picked up a small container and filled it with various options from the bar - olives, pasta salads, stuffed cherry peppers. That briney flavor was a beautiful accompaniment with my sandwich, and I would be content having all my meals like this. 



To finish everything off, I enjoyed a black tie mousse cake. Chocolately, rich, indulgent - perfect. 

Grade: A

Let's check out another Tudor's Biscuit World. One of the last few on my list, thank goodness. This time, we're heading to West Hamlin.



This location is pretty standard. It's connected to a Gino's, has that barn-like exterior, and offers the iconic biscuits. But as you know, dear reader, I'm tired of biscuits. So, we're trying some of the lunch offerings. And, today, we went with a chicken sandwich. 



Color me impressed; this is a decent chicken sandwich! Soft bun, slice of lettuce, mayo, and some lettuce that could be a touch fresher - but all in all, not too shabby. The chicken had a little crisp coating, and the meat was white and tender. 

Grade: B

We have conquered the Tudor's biscuits together. But now, it's time to try some of the other menu offerings since there are still juuuust a couple locations left.



So, in Hamlin, we went with a cheeseburger. This is a pretty decent cheeseburger, for what it's worth. It had fresh lettuce, tomato and a thick patty. 



I'm a weirdo who tends to not love thick burgers. I like a nice equal-ish mix between all the components. But this did that. I got a little condiment tang, cheese and meat all in one bite. For a fast food burger, it ranks fairly high for being closer to "homemade."

Grade: B

Soul food is aptly named. It's food for the soul. It's comforting, nourishing and tells a story of home recipes.



"While not all Southern food is considered soul food, all soul food is definitely Southern.

Soul food is an ethnic cuisine traditionally prepared and eaten by African-Americans in the Southern United States. The expression "soul food" originated in the mid-1960s, when "soul" was a common word used to describe African-American culture. At its core, soul food is basic, down-home cooking that's been passed down through many generations, with its roots in the rural South.

The staples of soul food cooking are beans, greens, cornmeal (used in cornbread, hush puppies, johnnycakes, and as a coating for fried fish), and pork. Pork has been almost limitless in a number of uses in soul food, from seasoning vegetables and stews to dehydrating and pickling staples like pork rinds and pig feet and ears (DELISH)."



Wild Wild West Soulfood Express is a new soul food restaurant on the West Side that is carry-out only along Washington Street. I came across their Facebook page and called in an order: Homestyle Meatloaf dinner with sides of mac & cheese and candied yams. They also have options like fish, pork chops, chicken, black eyed peas, collard greens and more. 



There was a little bit of confusion on pick up and then paying, but after that was cleared up, I was able to take my meal home and dig in. The mac & cheese was by far the standout! Cheesy, thick and a bit sweet. Perfection. The yams were also delicious - makes me think of Thanksgiving dinner. The meatloaf was good, a touch on the dry side, but the flavor was there. Overall, not bad.

Grade: B