Cozumel has a small empire in the Kanawha Valley area, extending north to Ripley. The Ripley restaurant moved locations since my last visit, so I figured it was time to stop by. My partner got takeout and brought it home for dinner. We enjoyed the Cozumel dip, which is their white cheese queso dip with ground beef and pico de gallo. This was a nice level up from the standard cheese dip. I do wish it was a bit thicker, but that didn't stop me from indulging.

I also tried the Cozumel pasta, because penne is not something you see every day on a Mexican menu. Grilled shrimp and chicken are cooked with onions and mushrooms on a bed of penne covered in a queso sauce. And, it was pretty good. I love the queso so adding pasta to it made it even better. I think there was actually too much chicken for the balance. But good, nonetheless. Grade: B

Cafe 1925 is a new coffee shop in Wheeling Park located in thd White Palace. The shop features Starbucks drinks and nice outdoor patio seating. They do offer an online ordering option, but I placed an order about an hour before I arrived, and it was nowhere to be found when I inquired at the counter, they simply said that the machine doesn't print online orders. So, they then started making my order. I ordered a caramel frappuccino and a spinach feta pretzel. I did see that there were some locally made foods, like pepperoni rolls, for sale. But, it seems like the majority is from the Starbucks product line. The space is nice, with several seats inside and a shaded outdoor patio, as well. It would be a great spot to meet friends for a coffee or even do some writing. The coffee drink is just like any that you would get at a Starbucks. I like mine closer to a milkshake than coffee, so a frappuccino is perfect for me. The spinach feta pretzel may be offered at Starbucks, but it was the first time I have tried it. And, it was actually quite tasty. The cheesy, salty, creamy combination of feta and spinach is always a homerun. But pairing it with the buttery, flaky pastry made it even better. Grade: B

Wings After Dark set up recently at one of the local hospitals during lunchtime, and I made my way over to check them out. they were a bit delayed, so it took a while to get my order of five wings. But, when I did receive them, they were hot and crispy. The crisp is crucial here, because I don't like any flabby parts on wings. I wanted a bit more zing from the barbecue sauce, but not bad overall. Grade: B

Moshpit Munchies is a local food truck branded with a heavy metal theme that has been making its rounds throughout the Kanawha Valley lately. They are known for their twisted potato amd funnel cakes, which can be topped with a number of ingredients, in addition to hot dogs, nachos and lemonade. I did a twisted potato with everything bagel seasoning, cheese amd sour cream. It's like a spiraled potato with the toppings sprinkled in the crevices. That nacho cheese is not my favorite because it takes over everything, the other toppings were great - and I would copy my friend Kayden next time and add bacon bits. AND, it would be next level if it was crispy. Grade: B

Triple B Eatery is a food truck in the Kanawha Valley with the slogan "grilled cheese to die for." I was willing to test that theory when they set up recently at George Washington High School. Their menu features some traditional grilled cheese sandwiches, plus some additional items, like a monte cristo and a hot bologna.

The smashed pepperoni roll caught my eye because it's taking West Virginia's greatest delicacy – the pepperoni roll – and making it into a grilled cheese. Two homemade pepperoni rolls are griddled with garlic butter so they are lightly crispy, and then they are sandwiched together with mozzarella cheese in the middle. I thought I had tried every variation of a pepperoni roll, but this was new to me. And absolutely delicious. It's the melted cheese, the crispy, buttery dough, and the hint of spice with the pepperoni altogether that makes this over the top. Grade: A