Jollibee is, I think, the best fast food restaurant.



It is a Filipino restaurant that has locations sprinkled throughout the United States, and I was excited to learn of a location nearby in Arizona when I was visiting my friends Kaitee and Josh.



Let's start with easily the most adorable mascot: this little jolly bee - get it? This little buddy is so cute; it has its own dance illustrated on the walls. 



So, the interior is like any other fast food set-up. You order at the counter, await your number and pick up your food. Then, you can pick a booth or table to enjoy it. 



The food ranges from fried chicken buckets to burgers to spaghetti to palabok fiesta, which is a traditional Filipino noodle dish covered in garlic sauce, sauteed pork, shrimp and egg.



"Among the establishment's best sellers are the Yumburger,[17] the house hamburger first introduced during their early days of operation; the Chickenjoy,[18] a fried chicken meal introduced in the 1980s which comes in both regular and spicy versions; and Jolly Spaghetti, a Filipino sweet-style interpretation of spaghetti, which is being advertised as "the meatiest, cheesiest spaghetti". (The Jolly Spaghetti resembles that of Italian spaghetti, with its blanket of ragù, but under the ground beef are pieces of hot dog and ham.)[15]" 



Let's start with that Yumburger - it's a fairly small burger with their signature dressing and cheese on a fresh bun. That special sauce is kinda like a mayo/ketchup combo that gives it a creamy, sweet kick. It was tasty and just whet my appetite. Because there's more coming.



The spaghetti! It was sweet! It had hot dogs! It reminds me of something I would have made growing up - all the standard ingredients in an Appalachian household. I like this better than 90% of other spaghettis I've ever had. Typically I prefer a different noodle for a pasta dish. This was great and fun and tasty, and I love that it's from a fast food restaurant.



Finally, the palabok fiesta. While it may not photograph the best, it wasn't wanting for flavor. It had just a couple tiny shrimp, slices of hardboiled egg and a chunky sauce that had a little tang, a little sweet and a little bit of heat. It was such a nice, flavorful dish for a fast food restaurant. 



At this point, I was beyond stuffed. But Kaitee got an ube pie that I needed to take a small bite of. Think McDonald's apple pies - but ube! Ube is a purple yam that's sweet and made sweeter when it's in pie. Not to mention, it's bright purple. Delish and fun.



My takeaway: If you are near a Jollibee - go! I don't grade fast food chains. But, I think my endorsement speaks for itself.

A friend shared a post from Sweet Treats By Annie on Facebook, and the scrumptious looking cinnamon rolls, small cakes and peanut butter bites captured my attention.



I messaged Annie and put in an order for a dozen cookie dough bites. What I was really excited about, though, is that she offered sugar cookie dough bites. Typically, you only find chocolate chip cookie dough. And I hate chocolate chip cookies - so these are perfect. 



Let me say - these are RICH. I can't really eat a whole one at once. I take a bite or two and come back to it later. Are they super tasty though? Absolutely. Get yourself some sweet, local treats.

A local driving range has made a name for itself in the food department.



Bogeys Driving Range, located in Tornado, primarily focuses on golf, first and foremost. You'll see folks with clubs hitting balls far into the field. 



But it's also sort-of a hangout. They have a deck and firepits and food - good food. 



Think BBQ, hot dogs, wings, and nachos. I went for pulled pork nachos - because they're never NOT good.



These were not bad. They don't really have a ton of toppings - the pork, red onion and cheese, plus sides of source cream and BBQ. I wouldn't hate some pickled jalapeno or tomato to add a bit of freshness here. But overall, it's a solid version.



But that's not all. There's potato salad. Who gets a side of potato salad with nachos? Me, that's who. I actually enjoyed having the cool, creamy side with the warm and crunchy nachos. It was pretty mild flavored with red potatoes and chives.



Also, I've heard how good their hot dog is, so I had to try it, too. Toasted bun, hefty wiener, piecey slaw. I prefer mine to be a bit more of a paste so it doesn't feel like I'm eating a salad on top of my hot dog. Flavor is there, though. 



Grade: B

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

Graze With Me is a new charcuterie board business based in South Charleston that I had a duty to check out.  



Paige Withrow, the owner, is doing these killer boards that have a little bit of everything - cheese, crackers, fruit, salami and sweets. She made this one for me for a date night.



And, it's all on a super cute heart board! Some of my favorites were this herby cheese and even a little macaron! I am always a fan of the salty and sweet together. There was even this beautiful rose on top (and my middle name is Rose!). What is your favorite goodie to find on a charcuterie board?