So many things have changed over the past year with the onset of the pandemic. One of which is dining out. It's a huge part of my life, and I've been consistently trying to find ways to support local businesses during this time while also keeping them and myself safe. 



So bear in mind that while visiting these restaurants recently, I may not be getting the most of the experience. But, it's likely similar to what you'd experience, too. While driving through Elkins, I called in an order to Sakura Japanese Steakhouse to go. 



Let's start with crab rangoons, of course. Crunch on the outside, creamy on the inside. With a side of sweet sauce.



I went with a simple California roll with crab, avocado and cucumber. I also ordered a Sakura Roll - shrimp tempura, spicy crab, seaweed salad, crunch, wrapped in soy paper, topped w masago, spicy mayo & eel sauce.



I gotta say - I know what I like. These were both solid, standard. They weren't mind-blowing or necessarily the most flavorful renditions I've had. But they were good and I wouldn't hesitate to try them again.

Grade: B

So, I didn't have a reason to drive to Akron recently. Except. There's a DiCarlo's Pizza there. So, that became my reason to visit Akron. And, it's the last DiCarlo's location I hadn't visited. 



This large, stand-alone location had a huge parking lot all on its own and kinda seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. But it was decorated with DiCarlos-themed art, so I was here for it.



In typical fashion, I ordered a couple pieces with mushrooms. 



After a bit of a wait, out came two beautiful squares topped with fresh cheese gently melting overtop. I appreciate the abundance of cheese on these two pieces; the sauce was standard and the crust was on the crunchier side. 10/10, as always.



Grade: A 

Markets are my happy place. My dream is going from stall to stall, getting a bite at each place to create a full meal. That's why, when Dawn and I heard about Center Street Market juuuust opening, we headed that way STAT.



Center Street Market, located in Hilliard, Ohio, is home to a handful of restaurants, as well as Crooked Can Brewery. 



Ready? Let's go check it out. 

The Cheesecake Girl 











The Cheesecake Girl has a bunch of different kinds of cheesecake, including little mini bites like cookie dough, buckeye and brie & fig. I loveee the mini option so I can try a few flavors - and they were all fantastic. The cookie dough had a brownie crust, the buckeye is Ohio's best dessert, and the brie & fig is a perfect flavor combo. Also while here, they had a little stand of Uncle Giant's Tokels, which apparently are Filipino in origin. They're like buttery shortbread cookies that are crumbly. 

Bakes By Lo







Bakes By Lo had these giant homemade cookies staring at me. There were really only a handful of flavors, but they all sounded so good. The dried cranberry and macadamia nut was speaking to me. Just slightly tart paired with sugary cookie and buttery nutty. So good. 

Dumplings of Fury







Dumplings! Dumplings of Fury has a location in Seattle and Hilliard... odd mashup? BUT, one of the stops I was most excited for. I ordered the "Shrimp and Chive" dumplings, which were perfectly pan-fried and plump and tasty. And, I also went for the pork belly bao, because there are so few places to get bao buns in West Virginia, and this included the pork belly, cucumber salad, peanuts and green onion. Mmmm. 

Rime Time







Are artisan popsicles the new trendy thing? If you're Rime Time, that answer is yes. They have a really cool list of flavors like blueberry lemonade, avocado, and my choice: peanut butter and jelly. I was shocked at how good this really was. I'm not a peanut butter superfan, but this creamy popsicle with pops of sweet fruity jelly was perfect. 

Coffee Connections







Apparently I'm really into lemonade lately, because even at Coffee Connections, I went with a blueberry pomegranate lemonade. So refreshing for a warm day. 

Al's Delicious Popcorn









OK I said earlier that popsicles might be trendy, but gourmet popcorn may be even more so. Al's Delicious Popcorn has over 65 flavors. I chose the s'mores, because of course. It was pretty sweet - I would've liked some more salt, but very tasty nonetheless. 

Meatball Mafia







W?HO? doesn't love a good meatball?! I could've taken the easy way out at Meatball Mafia and had just a single taste of a meatball. But, let's be real, I had to go with a full Uncle Junior, which is a meatball sub with provolone/mozzarella. This just hits the spot.



There are a couple places that I'll need to check out on the next visit, like the Crooked Can Brewery, Pita bilities and Two Step Tacos.

That Donut Place, a Ripley-based donut food truck (!),  is something unique for the area. So when I saw the green truck out and about, I made it a priority to stop.



They specialize in mini donuts, frozen lemonade and coffee. And, it's more like a fork-and-knife experience. Think a dozen or half-dozen mini donuts in a bowl, topped with all kinds of goodies. I went with the Country Roads: Mini Donuts, Chocolate drizzle, Caramel drizzle, Pecan pieces, topped with Mini Marshmallows. This was tasty, but I kinda wished I was able to actually taste the donut itself. It seemed to fade into the background.



Plus, I had to get a strawberry lemonade. If I were smarter, I would've gone with a coffee or something rather than a sweet drink so it's not sweet on sweet. BUT, it was still delicious and refreshing and I loved it all the same.

Grade: B

I know I've said it for some time now, but we really are almost finished with the Tudor's Biscuit World locations. I'm sure you're as relieved as I am.



This trip takes us to Grantsville, and with all the biscuits now under my belt, I've turned my attention to the lunch menu. 



The cheeseburger was calling my name. It's not my first time having a burger here, so I knew it's a notch above typical fast food burgers. And I was here for it. 



So this rendition was prettyyy messy. I don't mind lots of sauce, but it was leaking out from the bun and down my hand. The taste though? Pretty good. A slightly thicker burger than, say, a McDonald's and the lettuce, tomato and onion were all fresh. My side of onion rings had a thick, sweet coating that made for a unique side.

Grade: B