In respect to the culinary world, the pig just might be the greatest animal. There are a multitude of options that this farm creature provides, and most, if not all of them, provide flavors unparalleled.  Some of those flavors can be found at Old Carolina Barbecue, which recently opened in Stow. The first location opened in Massillon but the owners quickly decided that the 26 seats weren't enough to hold back the insatiable crowds. They have since expanded to Canton, Fairlawn and Stow. I have had the pleasure of eating at the Canton location in the past, but that always seemed like a trek …

I will unabashedly say that Mexican food is my favorite ethnic cuisine. By far. So when I had the opportunity to go to El Campesino, I jumped on it. My girlfriend and I got to the restaurant at around 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 4. It was a pretty muggy night, so we elected to sit inside rather than on their new (albeit a little small) patio. The inside of the restaurant looked to be undergoing some renovations, but I could be mistaken. Some of it looked unfinished. But that's not the point. The point is the food. We started with a margarita (on the rocks, salted rim) and Queso Fundido with …

Welcome back to another installment of The Meat Beat.  My girlfriend and I went to On Tap on a beautiful Wednesday night. The air was cool, the sun was setting and our stomachs were growling. Upon entry to the restaurant, the hostess asked if we would like some free popcorn. Other than Edison's in Tremont, this was a first for us. It was a very welcome surprise to start the meal. To start, both my girlfriend and I got root beer, which is, appropriately enough, on tap at the restaurant ($1.95/pint; no free refills). Root beer has been one of my favorite sodas growing up, and it being on …

Wing Warehouse in Stow offers a sports bar environment (with awfully loud music) and wings that could be better. If you want a great selection of different sauces for wings, this is the place to go.  In my opinion, however, the quality is lost with such a large selection of flavors. Instead of focusing on five or six that are outstanding, the menu boasts just about 50 sauces. To start, my group ordered the Philly Nachos ($6.99). On top of a giant plate of tortilla chips was Philly meat (shaved ribeye), mushrooms, onions, cheese and Wing Warehouse's own Philly sauce. These come highly …

Dave’s Tip Top has been operating under many different names since the 1920s, and with the quality of food it’s clear to see why. Located in an unassuming spot on Darrow Road, Dave’s Tip Top is a typical diner style restaurant focusing on good food, good service and good company. There is a lunch counter for those who want to reminisce about days past and many booths and tables for the rest. My girlfriend and I went to Dave’s around 7 p.m. There were five or six other parties inside so finding a table took no time at all. We decided on getting the fried mozzarella ($5.99) as an appetizer. I …

Growing up west of Cleveland, I grew up hearing of the legend of Swensons Drive-In. Because I was a young lad with no means of transportation (other than my parents), I never got to experience this Akron staple until I moved down to the area three years ago. While I feel Swensons is better on a warm summer night, the food has brought me back through subzero temperatures. Luckily, the temperatures were at least above freezing for this review. My girlfriend and I made the drive to Swensons on Kent Road on a Saturday around 7 p.m. (a running timeframe for this column, it seems). There were maybe…

Since moving down to the Akron area, I’ve been searching for a good slice of pizza. Thankfully, New York 2 Chicago Pizzeria fulfilled that and then some. It is one of the best slices of pizza I can remember eating. A restaurant catering to both of the most famous pizza styles, NY2C should satisfy New Yorkers, Chicagoans and Ohioans alike. My girlfriend and I arrived at NY2C at 7 p.m. and there were five or so other parties inside, some of them already enjoying their meals and some of them enjoying the artwork adorning the walls. In the interest of fairness (and for the inevitable leftovers), …

Pancho and Lefty’s is not your typical Mexican restaurant. While the restaurant does have some dishes traditionally found at Mexican restaurants (like at Mariachi’s), the menu offers a variety of food more toward the Tex side of the Tex-Mex spectrum. On a night that was diametrically opposite of my night at Parasson’s (mid-40 degree temperatures and surprisingly no snow on the ground), my girlfriend and I set out on a Tuesday evening to enjoy one of Stow’s landmark restaurants. Upon our arrival at 6:30, the restaurant was almost completely full. Luckily we were immediately seated and thus …

The food at Parasson's doesn't need to be presented with extraneous garnishes and creative plating, the taste speaks for itself. I visited Parasson's on a quintessential Ohio winter evening (snow coating the roads, wind biting my face). Needless to say when my girlfriend and I arrived the restaurant was fairly empty. There were some nice touches to help set a scene, however: the fireplace roaring at the entrance, soft Italian music playing over the speakers, smiles and laughter from other patrons. We were immediately seated at a booth and got to pondering options for dinner. The menu is …

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to travel to San Francisco nearly every summer to visit my sister. On seemingly every street corner, a different Thai restaurant beckons the passers-by in with the wafting smells of meals being cooked inside. Needless to say, I ate a lot of Thai food in those summers. I can say unequivocally that Thai Gourmet in Stow is the finest Thai food that I have had the pleasure of tasting. I arrived at lunchtime and there weren't many people in the small but cozy restaurant, and I was seated right away. To start, I ordered the chicken and cucumber soup ($2.95). The …