Great Wall in Ravenswood is a Chinese restaurant, but they also offer sushi. That means I get to combine a few of my favorites.



I ordered honey chicken, cheese wontons, a shrimp eggroll and a New York roll.



Let's start with that sushi roll, which har spicy crab, cream cheese, shrimp, avocado & masago. But it was swimming in a yum sauce that was just too much. It overtook the mild flavors.



The honey chicken was good and even had some peppers, which I loved for some extra bite. White meat chicken, sweet sauce, crunchy peppers. All good. Eggroll and wontons were both fine. Both would benefit from more filling.



Grade: B

Ali's Mediterranean Cuisine serves up fresh mediterranean food seven days a week in Bridgeport. 



It's a sweet space with some cozy decor and menu items like gyros, kabobs, shawarma and more.


I enjoyed a beautiful platter of hummus with pita, which I've really grown to enjoy. when it's fresh and full of garlic. I honestly think this could have done with even more garlic, but I did like that it had a thicker texture. Super smooth hummus is not my jam. 



Grape leaves: I remember hating these when I tried them for the first time, and they're now one of my go-tos at restaurants.  I love the bitterness of the leaves, the texture of the rice, just all of it makes for a really satisfying bite for me. What's your fav item here?

Grade: A

There are several Campestre locations - Princeton, Lexington and Beckley. I visited the Princeton location previously, so it was time to check out the Beckley one.



Of course, we started with some salsa. It was mild, but had some decent roasty flavors. We also had to have some queso, which always sets the tone. A deliciously cheesy tone, that is.



For my main entrée, I went with a shrimp and rice dish with vegetables. It's a tried and true dish for me because it's difficult to mess up unless you overcook the shrimp, but it's tasty, somewhat healthy and simple.



I think Campestre is always a step above many of the area's similar restaurants. It always seems fresh and flavorful and creative.



What's your fav dish here?



Grade: A

Manic Espresso is a cute little coffee trailer set up on the state fairgrounds parking area. In fact, when I saw the signs for the coffee trailer, I was a little nervous if I was able go onto that property. Rest assured, you totally can and you totally should.



The menu has a number of items that caught my eye, but I ultimately went with the caramel apple cider. Place your order at the first window, drive around the building to the other window and receive your piping hot or ice cold drink. My caramel apple cider wasn't overly sweet, but a delightful balance that gave me all the cozy vibes.



Grade: A

School is in session. Let's do a quick refresher on regional BBQ. There are a few notable locations in the United States characterized by the kind of BBQ they serve:



1. Kansas City - sweet, tomato-based thick sauce. All kinds of meat.

2. Carolina - South Carolina has a mustard-based, tangy gold sauce, while North Carolina goes for aa vinegar-based, thin sauce. Pork.

3. Texas - beef brisket. No sauce.



And then there's Memphis-style BBQ, which is often characterized by pork - shoulders, butts, ribs, pulled pork sandwiches. 

"Memphis style BBQ prepares ribs in two ways: wet and dry. Memphis-style pork shoulders are slow-smoked, pulled, and served with a thin, tangy sauce on the side. While it’s certainly sold on its own, pulled pork sandwiches are a staple of the Memphis BBQ style. Traditional Memphis style BBQ restaurants pile creamy coleslaw onto their pulled pork sandwiches."



Central BBQ is an award-winning BBQ joint in Memphis, which is known for its slow-smoked hickory & pecan wood, secret combo of dry spices and 24-hour all-day meat marinade.

"Our founders Craig Blondis and Roger Sapp met on the barbecue circuit in the mid-80s and after competing in Memphis in May’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and many other local and regional BBQ competitions, they made the leap from friends to business partners. The pit at the first Central BBQ on Central Avenue was fired up in 2002 and has been stoked ever since thanks to our wonderful customers.

Central BBQ’s local success in Memphis has sparked national interest over the years, Our restaurant and founders have appeared on several national TV shows including Pitmasters, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and BBQ with Bobby Flay, plus national publications such as USA Today, Garden & Gun, Southern Living and Men’s Health.

Over the years, Central BBQ has expanded far beyond Central Avenue. We have four locations in Memphis and recently opened our fifth restaurant and our first outside the Memphis city limits in Nashville’s Capitol View area."



I got in line early, and there were already folks there in front of me. I tried to maneuver my way into the shade because it was warm on this day. 



Once it was my turn to place my order, I went with a pulled pork sammy, side of mac & cheese and potato salad AND a little banana pudding. Mmm-mmm.



This thick sandwich was full of pulled pieces of pork - no fatty bits. While fat adds flavor, I'd rather that be removed before gnawing on a hunk of gelatinous ick. None of that here - just smoky, delicious pork piled high between two pieces of bread. 



I had to try every BBQ, and I am always going to lean toward the tangy mustard ones or the sweet tomato ones. It's no difference here. 



The mac & cheese was delicious - a nice little browned topping with tons of ooey gooey cheese underneath.



The potato salad could have used a bit more tang for my preference, but cool and creamy is a nice complement to the smoky pulled pork. 



And banana pudding is the absolute perfect end note for a BBQ meal. Sweet, southern and soul-soothing.

Grade: A