Audio version of this blog post. Provided by Anchor.

MARIETTA, Ohio — After exploring this Ohio city on New Year’s Day, my family wanted to stop by a local coffee shop.

It was closed for the day, so we went up the street in downtown Marietta to where we saw a sign for hot chocolate and cookies.

We stopped at TLV, a bakery, bar and restaurant that offers mostly Mediterranean fare.

We stopped by for something to drink to quench our thirst after a long walk, but the deserts looked pretty good. The staff said the cookies were hot and came out of the oven. Mmmm, cookies.

After taking a seat, the menu mesmerized us with its food from all over the globe — empanadas, Vietnamese salad, fish and chips, hummus, various kebabs, etc.

My eye caught the New York breakfast: a bagel made in their bakery with lox (smoked salmon), capers, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and a sauce that may have been mayonnaise.

I had the opportunity to make lox in culinary school, but it didn’t turn out because my group didn’t do what we were supposed to do during the curing process.

I have wanted to try it ever since.

I have never had capers either, so those were new.

Capers are like anchovies, used to add a salty element to food, but kind of meh by themselves.

The salmon had a slightly smokey taste. Its smooth texture was well contrasted by the crunchy lettuce and cucumber.

Of course, the bagel was amazing. It has sesame seeds on it nos wasn’t too dense like the bagels found in the grocery store.

We also tried TLV’s version of a pepperoni roll. The state food of West Virginia usually features cheese and pepperoni that is encased in dough. Sometimes, people add pepperoncini.

It was divine. The dough wasn’t too much and the cheese was gooey.

While most pepperoni rolls that I have had enclose the interior ingredients in the dough, this one featured the dough holding the cheese and pepperoni.

It’s fun finding great food places in unexpected places.

So far, my goal of doing something new or learning something new every day is off to a good start.

What is something you have always wanted to try? Have you tried it yet?