A bagel bakery is a sight for sore eyes when you are from West Virginia. There aren't many bagel shops in the Mountain State, so I take full advantage of any bagel opportunity while out and about.



Bagel Bakery, a Hollister, CA, bagel shop was fairly nondescript from the outside. But, they do have a variety of bagels and donuts to choose from inside.



I ordered a salmon lox bagel, which comes with smoked salmon, cream cheese, tomato, capers, and red onion. All on a garlic bagel.



This is a flavor combination that I always enjoy, so it was pretty safe. I did enjoy each ingredient. I liked the flavor of the bagel; I wish that it had been a little less crispy. There were some burnt edges that flipped up it kind of created a not-so-great texture and bitterness.



Grade: B

Steaks 'n Cakes is a restaurant that was in the right place at the right time. The Blythe, CA, restaurant has a hand-painted sign and some rusty antique cars out front. The truth is, we were traveling through the area on a holiday, and it was one of the first locally owned restaurants we saw.



They offer homestyle comfort food, with a particular emphasis on breakfast items. I'm no a regular eggs and bacon kinda gal, but I found a way to make it work for me. I went with an egg and bacon sandwich... but nix the egg and add tomato & lettuce & mayo! Voila! A good ol' BLT. Since it was a modified order, I wasn't expecting perfection. A thick, lopsided slice of tomato made the sandwich a bit unwieldy to eat. But the classic flavors still ticked all the boxes.



I do, however, love me some good shredded hashbrowns. I'm not talking home fries or fried potatoes. I like shredded potatoes that taste more like crispy crunchy than they do potato. Top those with cheese, onion and ketchup, and let's call it a day. These were on the verge of that crisp.



I got neither steak (& eggs) or (pan)cakes, but I had a decent little homecooked meal with friends that filled our bellies.



Grade: B

Let's keep this short and sweet. I have tried to visit Novichenks on and off for several years and have not been able to order food for one reason or another.



I have seen evidence of a menu once existing. It consisted of fried appetizers, wings, sandwiches, and that's about it. Very short. One page. But elusive to me on every trip. Whether there wasn't a cook in that day, or they weren't operating the kitchen, or they couldn't deep fry. Whatever the various reasons, I've only ever been left with a drink. Maybe it's a me problem.



So, my vodka cranberries have been satisfactory. The space is definitely geared toward locals, and I don't feel a huge pool to visit again in the future. In this case, not because of bad food, but just sheer lack of it.



Grade: D

Wawa is an American chain of convenience stores and gas stationa in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Florida that has a cult following.



We have Sheetz loyalists. The West has Buc-ee's. And the Northeast has Wawa. What makes places like this special? For starters, they have both grab-and-go food, as well as made-to-order food.



At Wawa, they have breakfast, subs/hoagies, salads, bowls, soups, sides, snacks and ice cream. I ordered an Italian hoagie. I love a cold Italian hoagie from a convenience store. It's actually one of my all-time favorite sandwiches.



Fun fact: "Our Logo: "Wawa" is a Native American word for the Canada Goose that was found in the Delaware Valley over 100 years ago. Our original Dairy farm was built on land located in a rural section of Pennsylvania called Wawa. That's why we use the goose on Wawa's corporate logo."



A classic white sub bun with ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, vinaigrette. Get outta here. Classic cold cut sandwich for a reason. It's yummy.



Grab a bag of chips, candy and a drink, and you have a standard gas station meal considered elite in some circles (mine). Have you been?

Contemporary American. Farm to table. Local and seasonal. All words used to describe The Cork & Plough in King City, CA. In this part of the country, this is almost the norm. It's the standard. Kinda like the default option.



That's not to disparage this restaurant; it's just that it's not out of the ordinary. The interior has a nice, large bar and industrial vibes with the exposed ductwork. The menu features sandwiches, a handful of pastas and entrees like a Cuban porkchop and chicken pot pie.



I ordered the "New York Steak," with peppercorn sauce, carrots and orzo. It was an objectively good plate of food. The steak was flavorful and tender. The carrots were cooked just to the right amount of doneness. And the orzo added a little fattiness. The sauce was a little heavy, but added a nice richness. It is good, but it is expected.