La Roca recently opened in Sissonville, and my friend Erin and I went to check it out. I've been to their sister restaurants in Charleston and Nitro in the past, so I was happy to round out the collection. The place was poppin' on Friday night. It's one of the few sit-down restaurants in town, so there was a line out the door. Plenty of kids. Moderately noisy. Upon being seated, we were served chips and salsa and their signature white mayo-ranch style dip, which is pretty divisive. It's a bit sweet and tangy, but I enjoy it as a nice counterpoint to the salsa. For my entrée, I ordered the huarache, which is a wheat tortilla topped with beans and a combination of salsas, pico de gallo, steak & cheese. This was kinda like an open-faced burrito, but the flavors were pretty punchy. The salsas had some heat, but I enjoyed that depth of flavor. I opted for something not smothered in cheese, so it was fresh and flavorful. I also enjoyed a jumbo frozen mango. Margarita, which may have been the best I've ever had. Sweet and a bit tart, the drink was delicious. Have you been? What's your favorite? Grade: A

Sylvester is a small town in Boone County, and it's home to the aptly name Sylvester Pizzeria. Despite the town only having a population of about 166, the Facebook following for this pizza joint is over 1,000 fans. That just helps illustrate its popularity in the region. I placed a pick-up order on the phone, and about an hour later, I pulled into the drive-through to pick up my order. The menu is fairly small. I ordered a personal pizza with mushrooms and a piece of lasagna. Everything had a very homestyle flair to it. The red sauce was sweet, and the pizza was thick and chewy. But I enjoyed both of those qualities. It made me think of home. Grade: A

Market Mixer is one of my favorite events of the year! The Carver Culinary Arts students do a wonderfil showcase of food AND the indoor tenants give out treats. Autumn Shrimp and Grits (Pumpkin Grits and Sauteed Shrimp) Fall Harvest Tostada (Roasted Pork, Butternut Squash, Red Onion, Avocado Crema) Chicken Apple Meatballs (Homemade Chicken Meatballs with Applebutter Glaze) Root Vegetable Latkes with Steak and Whipped Boursin Cheese Shredded Brussel Sprout Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Grilled Mushrooms Stuffed with Beetroot Walnut Salad Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potato Cornbread Orange Cranberry Pistachio Fudge Caramel Pots with Poached Pears Sushi from Sushi Garden Wine from The Wine Shop Burnt ends (and banana bread pudding!) from Bogey's We B Fryin Snacks

I have often passed the pastel colored shed along 219 and finally caught them open. Bones & Cones serves ice cream for pets and people. I ordered a salted caramel sundae with caramel, peanuts and whipped cream. It was overflowing with caramel, so it ended up a bit of a sticky mess. The peanuts were key, though, because they added some salt on top of the sweet, sweet, sweet. The ice cream was a little gritty, so I might try a different flavor on the next visit. Grade: B

"Java Detour is “changing the way America buys coffee”™ by responding to the overwhelming demand for gourmet beverages delivered with speed and convenience without sacrificing quality! Java Detour sells the world’s finest gourmet coffees, fruit smoothies, premier blended espresso, iced drinks and select baked goods from drive through and in-line facilities that emphasize speed, quality, and customer service," according to the website.



I had a jumbo beef bagel dog because how wild does that sound? Texture had that combo of too doughy AND too hard, though. The Mellow Mango smoothie, though, was on point. Icy cold and punchy with flavor.



Grade: B