Nick's Travel & Food Blog

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Tartine Bakery – San Francisco, California

There’s something about eating this in Mission Dolores Park. It’s almost like something that you have to do since it’s one block away. This is called the morning bun that encompasses cinnamon, sugar, and orange zest. I can say that I really didn’t taste the orange zest so you’ll be okay. Anyway, this was a pretty good pastry. It’s nice and airy but also with the just amount of chew to it. When I started to eat it, I was like why didn’t I grab two of these. You can tell from the picture that it’s something special though and you won’t regret. Now I will say, you will have to wait in the longest line ever but it does go fast, usually within an hour. With that said, do bring some comfortable shoes because you’ll need it. Tartine does have other items which I tried but it wasn’t something that I recommend. Hope you enjoy it and oh, do know what you want before you get to the front because that’s why the line is so long. lol.

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Pelicana – Various Locations

Last post of the year so I have to make this count. This place is called Pelicana and I must say they have some pretty good wings or should I say Korean wings. As pictured are the boneless wings but they also have bone in and other items on their menu. Each of their wings come with a salad and radishes. If you try one of their spicy flavors, you’ll need this radish as it will help cool down your tongue. I usually get the Level 1 sweet and spicy wings because when I tried the level 2 which is medium heat, I couldn’t handle it. Lol. I’m telling you, Level 2 is hot. It’s one of those where it’s hot to the point that it’s not even enjoyable to eat it any more. However, I will say Level 2 didn’t any phase Leah. I guess her tolerance for heat is higher then mine. Don’t even think about trying Level 3 but if you were there I would dare you though. Lol. They do have other sauces like bbq, garlic, or even plain. Additionally, you can have two different flavors which is also nice as well if you’re unsure. You can add on fries to the wings as well. The fries that I enjoy the most are the truffle fries. They are quite good and it comes with ketchup and spicy mayo sauce. The spicy mayo is a must to dip the fries in because they taste even better when you do. Going back to the wings, they are crunchy and quite delightful. They really do a good job in making sure the crunch is just right but not to the point where the chicken is dry and can’t taste any meat. If you try the bone in wings, they’ll even give you a finger glove so you won’t get the sauce everywhere and then want to lick it off your fingers. I highly recommend this place but do try to get there early as they accept no reservations and it does get quite busy depending on which day you come. Happy New Year and I will see you in 2020.

Pizzeria Vetri – Philadelphia, PA

Let’s just say this is 28” of pizza that is able to feed 3-4 people but when you’re hungry, as in myself, I ate nearly half of this by myself. 🤤 Above is the metro size pepperoni pizza. I can say, and I think the picture speaks for itself that it’s really put together pretty well. I like the mozzarella that was used as it was quite tasty and the style of pizza was airy and felt quite light. It wasn’t a pizza that after eating two slices you felt stuffed. I like when pizza is like this because you kind of don’t feel as guilty, even though it’s still a lot more slices that you will eat. If you’re in Philly, this place is a must try. I can say that when I went the line was so long and it took a long time to get the pizza but once I tasted it, it was well worth it. I would suggest ordering ahead if you plan on taking it to go.

Brownstone Pancake Factory – Edgewater, NJ

Let me just start by saying that I’ve been to their original location in JC but it unfortunately closed down. Let’s just say that it might be a good it did close down. I say that because sometimes a chapter must close in order for the next one to begin. The original wasn’t all that good but this location in Edgewater is way better. Now only if Urban Griddle was reading this. Sigh. Anyway, pictured above is the Churro French Toast. The French Toast is all but amazing. It has the combination of the brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and has the all around taste of a churro and yes this French Toast was fried. When I tasted it, I was like dang, could I have more than two though? It was just that good. It was airy, sweet and it taste just right. The strawberries and even adding that (free) maple syrup on top and it was outrageous. This is the second place that I’ve been to that you do not have to pay for maple syrup which is a 👍🏾 and 👌🏾 in my book. Thankfully, I went on a Saturday and there was no wait but I will say this isn’t a place that you should probably want to do that at because it will be busy unless you get there early. Valet parking is available which I thought was interesting but I understand because of how small the parking lot is. This place is a must go but I would say don’t try the bacon, you’ll be disappointed. Hopefully I’ll be back soon.

Days – Ocean Grove, NJ

*Disclaimer, I don’t get paid for any reviews that I post here. Now let’s get back to business. I want to say when I do eat ice cream during the summer, there’s not too many places I go except Rita’s and here. Pictured is the chocolate chip cookie dough and what I can say is if you haven’t been here, you’re missing out. Yes it’s down the shore but they have pretty good ice cream and you could tell from the extended lines on the weekend but thankfully it goes quick. The ice cream that I had has cookie dough and chocolate chips in every bite. It’s not one of those where it’s sparingly which is good because I want to taste the cookie dough every time. It’s not overwhelming either but just right. The ice cream is creamy, tasty and it’s just made just right. I would dare say that this ice cream reminds me a little of Leopold’s in Savannah and I know it’s a bold statement to say but it’s up there. They have different sizes and their waffle cones are really good. If you’re close to the shore or visiting, this a must place to go.

Bubby’s – New York, NY

You know when something on your list of places to go to, and then your cousin is like can we go there? Well this is exactly what happened. I have to say going to this place on a Saturday at 2pm was scary. The line was a bit long and you can’t make reservations but thankful we were able to get in and get seated. I heard so much about their biscuits (as pictured) and I can say they didn’t disappoint. The biscuits came with jam and butter as well and it was out of this world. The biscuits were soft, a tad flaky, with a bit of a crisp but very subtle. You could tell the biscuits were made with butter which was good since that means I didn’t have to add too much butter. The combination of this was really just good. I think this easily is in my top three places for biscuits that I’ve tried. I also had, but not pictured, were their chocolate chip pancakes which were really good. It was a pretty big serving which I was surprised by as I can say it was enough for two people to eat since they are pretty big. I liked the recipe they used with the pancakes and they came with free maple syrup. Now I don’t know why other places don’t do this and this is the first place I’ve been to that does. At the table we did have the chicken and waffles along with the chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich was good but not so much the chicken with the waffles. It had an interesting taste to it. Otherwise I enjoyed the meal and definitely one place I have to get back to. I can add that the prices were a bit high but I think overall with the ambiance it kind of balances out.

First Watch – Union, NJ

I really wanted to like this place. Before I get into it, I can say the decor is special. It’s nicely decorated inside and it’s really something that is picturesque to capture. However, the food, I can say, in my humble opinion, isn’t all that great. I do want to add though that I thoroughly enjoyed the morning mediation fresh juice (not pictured). The juice contained ginger, turmeric, lemon, beet, and agave nectar. It wasn’t too sweet but just right and I liked the combination of the items. Now back to the food. The picture above is their whole wheat pancakes with chocolate chips and a side of maple syrup. The pancakes came in two stacks and when I saw them I’m like okay, hopefully it’s good, even though it didn’t look special. I first tried to add butter and as I’m holding one of the pancakes, it breaks in pieces. I’m not a pancake expert but I don’t think that’s supposed to happen even if it’s whole wheat. The pancakes lacked some taste even with the chocolate chips, butter and syrup. There was definitely something missing from it which was disappointing. I did have a side of bacon which was okay but I left wanting more. Not more food but it was missing that extra touch. They do have various locations so I may have to try another before I rule out not coming back. I’m still out on the lookout for a consistent and really good brunch spot in jersey but it’s coming.

Morgans Restaurant – Miami, Florida

This is probably one of the most honest photos I’ve taken. This was the moment when you start eating and you’re like wait, I forgot to take a picture of my food. This usually doesn’t happen but it happened that day when you’re really hungry that you forget. Above is the stack of raspberry flat cakes. I can say that this was good but it did need maple syrup and butter which was most certainly missing from this. The raspberry was sweet, tangy and tart, but it had a good balance. I wouldn’t say it was fresh raspberries but it was good. The pancakes were fluffy, a decent size and not too heavy. In terms of seating, limited seating is available inside while they have tons of tables outside. The service could’ve been better since we waited a bit for someone to introduce themselves and take our order while waiting on our food to arrive. Overall, if you need a breakfast/brunch place, this is the place to go. Prices can be a little pricey so do prepare.

Scarr’s Pizza – New York, NY

I can say if you haven’t heard about Scarr’s Pizza, you’re missing out. Yes it does feel like it’s out of the way based on its location but if you can, I think their pizza is pretty good. The cheese is exceptional and the taste of the crust is light, airy, and it taste delicious. There’s really nothing else to be said. Hopefully when you do go, the line will not be long because sometimes it stretches pretty long. I’ll have to go back to try their other slices but I have to give this place a nod for their fresh ingredients.

Hot Cakes – Seattle, Washington

I can say that I was really looking forward to trying this due to the consistently good reviews but my expectations fell short. I think for the price it could’ve been better. Above is the dark decadence molten cake. In the cake is theo chocolate (not sure what theo is) dry burned caramel, cocoa nib toffee, and the vanilla ice cream with a few peanuts and brown sugar. I would say that I’ve tasted better molten cake (i.e. Charthouse) as this one tasted a little more burnt this usual and very rich chocolate which was a bit overpowering even with the dipping it into the ice cream. Next time I’ll have to try this in person to see if it’s prepared a little different so I can enjoy the full experience.

Alimama Tea – New York, NY

I wish I could say that I tried some of their famous mochi cream puffs but I didn’t. It was a spur of the moment stop and I didn’t even look to see what they were famous for before going. I did try the regular strawberry mochi donut, pictured above, which is a Japanese rice cake. Let me say that the texture is very chewy which is similar to rice. It was a bit hard to chew for sure. It is gluten free so it’s a interesting take on a donut being that it’s makeup is of rice. I think it’s definitely a try to see if you like it but just know it’s not a traditional donut. I also tried the Passion Fruit Green Tea which was good and you could tell they put time into making their drinks because it was well prepared. If you’re in the area, it’s a must try and it will be very IG worthy.

Velvet Taco – Chicago, IL

I know these tacos don’t look good but trust me when I say, all of these are really good tacos. This picture doesn’t resonate as appetizing but it really is for sure. The one to the far left is the Nashville Hot Tofu, Slow Roasted Angus Brisket, and the Mexi-Cali Shrimp (remaining four). The one that I really liked, albeit all of them were really good was the Nashville Hot Tofu. I know but let me explain. This taco had crispy tofu, napa slaw, ranch crema, and house brined pickles on a flour tortilla, and it was really good. The fried tofu didn’t taste like anything except all of the flavors and I can say almost like chicken they way it was put together. Now it did have some heat to it but it wasn’t outrageous to the point of it being too overwhelming. They have other tacos on the menu and I wouldn’t be surprised if the others are really good. I like how you can try different ones and being able to pick it up on this unique taco tray holder. The funny thing about this place is that they call your name on the speaker when your order is ready even though the place isn’t too big. Just a nice touch.