Though First Watch is technically a chain restaurant, there is only one in the state. And I consistently hear it being referred to as one of the best breakfast/lunch options in town. I went a little before the lunch rush on Sunday. This place gets pretty packed so if you're needing your fix, check it out before the church crowd lets out.

I found out later that their real stand-out offerings are breakfast items, but on this particular day, I opted for lunch. They have omelets, sandwiches and salads. I was a little worried that all I would see here are turkey sandwiches - or what I refer to as plain, boring sandwiches I could make at home. But the opposite happened.

There were actually a few different things that sounded good on the menu , so I tried the "2 For You" where you can choose two of a selected list of smaller portion items. So, it's as close to I'll come to a sampler here.

I ordered the "Monterey Club," which has turkey, bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, Monterey Jack and mayo on multigrain. And I also got the "Cobb Salad," with bacon, turkey, egg, tomato, avocado and bleu cheese crumbles.

Both of which were actually tasty. The multigrain brain kind of blew my mind. I wasn't expecting to like it, but it was fresh and had some more flavor than what I'm used to with - well - bread. The sandwich was good, but it does kind of fall into the category of something I could make it home. But I probably couldn't have made it taste that good.

The salad was my favorite. The ratio of toppings to lettuce was perfect. Usually you get a heap of lettuce with a couple pieces of tomato and call it a day. This salad was incredible. Everything was crisp, on point, blended together seamlessly and filled me up without feeling heavy. Really, pretty good. I will want to check out the breakfast offerings next time, though.

Checking out here was kind of a cluster. It was very busy, and the person in front of me was trying to use many, many coupons. If you have cash, you have priority, but if you have a card, be prepared to wait.

Grade: B

Tidewater is an institution in Charleston, and I had been wanting to go here for quite some time. I guess I should have taken it as a sign whenever I mentioned the restaurant, my friends said "ehhh..." I think this place falls into that it's-been-around-for-so-long-we-accept-it-as-good.

It's located in the Charleston Town Center Mall and specializes in, you might guess, seafood. Apparently it comes from the harbors of Boston, Chesapeake Bay, and George's Bank.

According to their website, "Selections are procured by traditional "watermen" and selected by standards set centuries ago. A closely-knit, mutually accountable relationship has been forged between our company and two of the nation's top seafood purveyors - we inspect their New England facilities and they routinely examine our kitchen - to assure our guests of the highest standards of quality and freshness. Our seafood is as close to the New England waters as your taste can travel."

I looked over the menu, and there were a few things that looked pretty good - scallops, salmon, flounder. But the baked stuffed flounder stood out to me - George's Bank flounder fillet stuffed with Maryland lump crab meat, spinach, mushroom and leeks, broiled to a golden brown ($25.95).

But before w get there - let's start with the poppy seed rolls. Yum. Warm, doughey, fluffy. Dab of butter. We got two servings.

I ordered the Maryland crab meat balls for $12 as an appetizer. I was kind of shocked to see a total of four on the plate. Four. Everybody knows the crabcake is a bunch of breading, less crab. And $12 for that? Ha. It wasn't bad, the sauce wasn't either, but definitely not for the price.

My dinner also came with a salad, and I went with their house salad with vinaigrette.  I was happy with the nice assortment of veggie, with the addition of beets (yum!), and the crumbled gorgonzola had the perfect bit of tang. I was pleasantly surprised with the house salad.

My entree came with a side, so I opted for their veggies. But when I got my plate, I was looking around to see where the rest of it was. I paid $26 for a small piece of fish with some vegetables?

It was fine. Was it the freshest, most delectable piece of fish I've ever had? No. No, it wasn't. It was okay. It was maybe even under-seasoned. Dare I say bland? I was just very underwhelmed. Especially for footing a pretty decent bill. Luckily I got a few different components here to fill up with to almost make the price worth it.

Grade: C

Another lunchtime discovery, Swiftwater Cafe is off of Capitol Street and serves breakfast, sandwiches, salads and wraps. They have daily specials, and a coworker told me I must try their "Big Ed Burger." I waited until Wednesday and headed over for lunch.

Daily Specials

• Monday: Grilled Chicken Sandwich with side and a drink
• Tuesday: Varies 
• Wednesday: Big Ed Burger with Roasted red Potatoes or fries 
• Thursday: Varies
• Friday: Big Ed Burger with Roasted red Potatoes or fries 

It has two entrances, which confused me a bit. But clearly they do a good business because as soon as I walked in, I lined up behind a dozen or so people already waiting to order. For a fairly small space, there is also a good bit of seating.

They cater to a lunch crowd, though (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.), so I wasn't waiting too long before I got up close enough to read their items from the black chalkboard. The folks behind the counter were super friendly - really fantastic service here. So helpful, nice and genuine. It wasn't a long encounter, but you just know when people truly care. And being new to town, that meant a lot to me. I paid, stepped to the side to wait for my order to be prepared, then took it back to the office.

The Big Ed burger is a 1/3 pound beef patty with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup on top. Toppings were fresh - onions crisp - flavorful blend of all the condiments. By the time I got back to the office, it was starting to get a little soggy. That's my fault, though. And this burger was huuuge. I regretted stuffing myself with it - but it was just too good. And a lot of it. You can get fries or roasted red potatoes on the side. I got fries, which were fine. They were thick, crinkle-cut ones. I prefer less thick ones, but they weren't bad. Just personal preference. I'll go for the potatoes next time, though.

Grade: B

As I slowly begin to discover quick, easy and cheap lunch places around Charleston, I am finding some treasures. Sam's Hot Dog Stand is one of them.

It's located on Hale Street with an unassuming restaurant front and a few tables inside. I've been a few times, and each time I have ordered their hotdog lunch special: two hotdogs, a bag of chips and drink. I think it rings up to around $5, which isn't bad.

I ordered two West Virginia specials: sauce, slaw, mustard and onions. You can get mild or spicy sauce. I got one of each. I cautioned everyone on my anti-too-spicy stance, but everyone assured me it wasn't THAT spicy. They were correct.

I'm sure they get a little bit more steamed and sloppy in the trek back to the office, but they're still pretty spectacular.

But yes, get the spicier one. It simply adds some more flavor - not necessarily heat. I appreciate the fine consistency of both the chili and slaw and the kicks with onion and mustard. It's just all around pretty tasty. I have admitted to not growing up with this kind of hotdog (gasp - I ate ketchup on them), but I'm quickly growing to love them. I've been back a couple times already.

Grade: A

A whole café devoted to Crepes? Is this Charleston or France; I’m confused. TWO cafes?

The Creperi Café has two locations: one in Kanawha City and another at Trace Fork in South Charleston. My friend and I tried to hit up the original location in Kanawha City, but it had closed for the evening. So we trekked over to the location in South Charleston.

They offer both sweet and savory crepes. So, if you’re feeling breakfast, you can get some stuffed with eggs, cheese, bacon, ham, etc. Lunch and dinner options include smoked salmon, shrimp and a Greek version.

But of course I went for dessert.

Chocolate, strawberries and ice cream on top was my selection. After I placed my order at the counter, I took a seat and awaited my dessert. If you can, catch a glimpse of them making it. Kinda nifty.

Maybe I hyped this up in my mind, but the chocolate was SO overpowering, that I barely was able to taste the cool, sweet strawberries or the fluffy crepe pastry. There are few times when I say to tone down the chocolate, but this is one. It simply didn’t let the other flavors shine through and instead covered the elements sloppily. Less chocolate, and I think this would be delicious. I was pairing ice cream with bites of chocolate to tone down the flavor.

And all the other offerings on the menu are enticing, too. I’ll have to take another shot.





Grade: B