Runza is a Midwest restaurant that serves runza, which is a yeast dough bread pocket filled with ground beef and cabbage or sauerkraut and onions. Plus or minus some. A MIDWEST THING SINCE 1949 - Started by Sally Everett, expanded by her son, and still run by her grandchildren. Our recipes and processes are decades old. Our ingredients are not. We started in Lincoln, Nebraska, then expanded throughout the state and into some neighboring states. To keep it fresh, we choose not to go national.

WE SAY "HOMEMADE FRESH" SANDWICHES - We’re up before sunrise preparing the dough, seasoning ground beef with our top-secret blend of spices, and forming it all in to the perfect sandwich you know and love. The Runza® Sandwich features fresh-baked bread stuffed with ground beef, onions, our secret blend of spices, and yes, cabbage. I ordered the Cheese Runza - "We take our incredible Original Runza® sandwich and bake it up fresh – then we slice it open and add American cheese right when you order it. It’s our most popular Runza® Sandwich, with the cheese melting over that perfectly-seasoned ground beef and cabbage." Plus a side of frings - fries mixed with onion rings. This is a thick, hearty sandwich that will stick to your ribs. The sides would've been 10 times better if they were super crispy. Grade: B

The Salty Donut originated in 2015 as a pop up shop out of a 1950s Aljoa camper.



Now, they have locations across Miami, Austin, Dallas, Orlando, Charlotte and more.



While in Miami, I stopped here to get a sweet treat. Or maybe two.



I started with the White Chocolate Tres Leches - 24 hr brioche soaked in a homemade rum-infused three milk mixture, bottom crusted with white chocolate + finished with torched meringue. This was so moist and delicious.



And then I also got a Caramel Toffee Crumb, which has a few of my favorite things: caramel and toffee. It wasn't as moist but it was even sweeter.



I don't think you can really go wrong with any option here!



Which is your favorite?



Grade: A

Stubborn Seed is a Michelin-starred restaurant from Chef Jeremy Ford, a 2022 James Beard Award Semi-Finalist and Bravo’s Top Chef Season 13 Winner.



"Stubborn Seed is the result of pairing unrelenting passion with an unapologetic approach. It aims to unearth cravings of the palate while constructing a reward in each bite. This philosophy takes honest ingredients and elevates them to be splendidly elegant through rigid and persistent execution," reads the website.



My friend Kaitee and I shared a couple plates because absolutely everything just sounded so good. We started with the "Pan Roasted Truffle Chicken," with pomme puree, brussels sprout, baby turnips and natural jus." Super moist, wonderful tenderness and perfect complements of vegetable, starch and sauce to tie it all together.



We also ordered the "Crunchy Truffle Bravas," with soppressata ham sofrito, truffle emulsion, garlic crumb and parmesan. These are roasted at super high heat then left to rest so the shell becomes crunchy and the inside is like a pillow.



Both of these were wonderful, and it was nice to be able to just get a bit of a few high-end dishes, rather than a whole prix-fixe menu in this situation. We had many more stops ahead, but this was the first tasty - and filling - one.



Have you ever been?



Grade: A

Dubbed as the world's most famous Cuban restaurant, Versailles Restaurant in Miami is a bustling hub of Cuban culture that I was thrilled to experience.



"Versailles Restaurant, known as the World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant, has been serving Cuban cuisine and culture to the local and international community for over five decades. Soon after it opened its doors in 1971, Versailles became the gathering place and unofficial town square for Miami’s Cuban exiles. With its uniquely French inspired aesthetic, the iconic establishment is a landmark to the community and remains the unrelenting gauge of the city’s diversifying pulse. The restaurant is a favorite amongst celebrities and politicians to garner support from the hispanic community, and the media for gathering commentary and footage on social and political issues. At the center of this is Versailles’ “La Ventanita,” the walk up coffee window famous for its Cuban “cafecito” and reputation for its local provenance. Gastronomically, the restaurant is acclaimed for preserving the heritage of Cuban cuisine, with the most extensive Cuban menu and arguably the best Cuban food in town for over 50 years. In 1998 the restaurant expanded to include its on-site Versailles Bakery, assuring all pastries, breads and desserts are made from scratch in house and served at its freshest point."



I had to try the iconic

OUR FAMOUS CUBAN SANDWICH Sweet Ham, Roast Pork, Swiss Cheese on a Toasted Cuban Bread with Mustard and Pickles



The sandwich is grilled and pressed, so the cheese melts and the bread crisps up. It has a general savory and slightly bitter flavor from the mustard. It's also such a dense bite packed with meat, cheese & bread. It is a tasty sandwich. For my personal preference, I would love like a chutney for a soft texture & sweetness. But there's a reason it's a classic; it's wonderful.



Grade: A

The Guest House Restaurant in Moundsville is a motel restaurant that is a bit run-down but serves classic country-style fare. It was very informal - several regulars sat about and BSed with the wait staff and kitche staff. Maybe with a few choice words. I ordered pancakes, hashbrowns and sausage. After a while, my order came out and it was a bit haphazard but everything ended up on the plate. I put a bit of syrup on my plate, but then my server swiped it for another table. That left my whole meal a bit dry and a tad greasy.
Grade: C