Nick's Travel & Food Blog

Creole Creamery – New Orleans, Louisiana

Look, there’s not too many places that I’ve been to that is strictly cash only but in my experience, all of those places are amazing. This ice cream in NOLA has got it going on for sure. In the picture, you have the Cookie Monster scoop and the red velvet. This ice cream was quite good and its creamery and the texture is just right. The ice cream doesn’t melt quickly but it taste quite rich but not overpowering to the point like you’re tasting a paste. This right here might easily be in my top three ice creams that I’ve tried so far and I know I have so many more places to visit. They do have seasonal flavors which are interesting like Key Lime Pie or Blueberry Pie so I’m sure you’ll find a flavor that you like. You can even see someone making the ice cream to the far back of the store which is cool. When I went, there was no line but I can assure you, there will be a line when you go depending on what day and time. As mentioned, bring cash as they won’t accept cards. Lastly, you heard it from me when I said cash only places are quite good.

Chuck E Cheese – Multiple Locations

I already know. So I’ll answer it for you. Yes, I was at Chuck E Cheese. Are you kidding me? Why would I not go to Chuck E Cheese. I haven’t been in my adult life so this time it was for a kid’s birthday so you know I had to have their pizza. The picture of course is their cheese pizza but I didn’t know they started to add cheese in their crust. Of course, if you haven’t had Chuck E Cheese pizza, I have to ask, where have you been? It’s something about the crust and sauce that really makes this pizza one of the best. Yes, I did say one of the best. If Chuck E Cheese delivered pizza, I would totally be in but I don’t think they do. Just look at the crust, it’s bubbly and soft and the burn on the cheese is exceptional. If you haven’t had their pizza, I would suggest you go now. Okay, maybe not go now but eventually when you have a kid’s birthday definitely attend.

Hook & Reel – Union, New Jersey

In times like this, you can definitely eat more then you would like because of how accessible it is but stay grounded. This next place is Hook and Reel, a new place that they opened up recently in Union. The picture above is the 1/2 pound of calamari and 1/2 pound shrimp (head off). The sauce that I selected was the Hook and Reel special blend mild with potatoes and I have to admit that it was good. The sauce has some garlic but with a little bit of old bay on it which is good. I think it contained something else but I can’t put my finger on it. The boil came out pretty quick which I was taken aback by but it turned out to be well. The shrimp was steamed just right but the only downside was that I still had to peel the shrimp but it added to the experience. The calamari wasn’t for me so next time, I’ll have to try the crabs which looked tasty. In addition to the boil, I had the cajun fries which were surprisingly tasty. I’ll definitely be coming back here at some point and hopefully it’s consistent which is always a plus.

Di Fara – Brooklyn, New York

This has to be one of favorite slices of pizza in Brooklyn and beyond. I guess it’s because most of the ingredients are from Italy which says it all. If you’ve heard of this place, you know the lines are ridiculous because the owner still cooks all of the pies but thankfully they have another location in Williamsburg. It’s sort of a hidden gem and many people don’t know about it but that’s where I went. The line? What line? There was no line at all and it was the exact pizza from Dom himself. The place is no frills meaning their menu isn’t long. It’s either you have a squared or regular slice of pizza with a topping. For my topping, I selected pepperoni (as you can see above) and it was quite good. There’s something about that style of pepperoni I like because its’ not traditional. The sauce with the basil was so good along with the cheese. It’s a slice that was quite enjoyable and having no lines made it even better. Eventually, I will be at the Milwood location for sure because I have to take a few pictures and see for myself but until then, Williamsburg is the location for now. I think you’ll enjoy the pizza just as much as I did, for sure.

ChikaLicious Dessert Bar – New York, NY

This picture is a little old. I guess my blog didn’t make the cut off for when this picture went viral for the first time. It’s better late then never right? This is the picture of the churro ice cream. I know it doesn’t look like a traditional churro but I promise it is two churros with ice cream smashed between. The sandwich itself isn’t something that’s outrageously good but the concept/art of how someone would think about putting ice cream between churros was pretty good. I would’ve never thought to combine the two but this place was able to do so. They also dip the churro in sprinkles which is nice to top it off. I do think the churro is good but it’s something that you try at least once to see if you like it or not. This place does have a take out counter which is nice so that you can stop in to grab it and go instead of waiting to be seated. If it hasn’t changed, their take out is across the street from where their actually restaurant is. Hope you enjoy.

Dough – New York, New York

Lately, I’ve been having to revisit some places that I’ve been to in order to take pictures of their food. I guess I couldn’t just write a blog post about a place without a picture right? The above picture is a plain glazed donut from dough. Let me tell you that this donut is doughy, as in fluffy but it’s moist. When you bite into it, it’s slightly airy but you can taste the freshness of it. What I mean by that is that it was actually made fresh. Dough actually make some descent donuts I must say. They are pretty enormous and there’s definitely at least one flavor that you’ll like from there. Their most notable flavored donuts are the peanut butter chocolate which I like a lot and lemon buttermilk. They have a few locations in the city so if you’re around feel free to stop in and before you sit down, grab a fork and knife because you’re going to need it for this donut.

Hoagie Haven – Princeton, New Jersey

I can admit that some of my photos aren’t the best but they are authentic. That has to count for something right? #DoubleTakeTuesday begins with Hoagie Haven. This place is something I usually wouldn’t eat at because these sandwiches remind me of my undergraduate days. It’s the type of sandwiches that are so big and they just put different food items in it but I still had to try it. The sandwich above is the Sanchez. It’s filled with chicken cutlet, american cheese, mozzarella sticks, french fries and sanchez sauce. I know it’s a lot for one half sandwich. Now imagine getting the full sandwich. The sauce on this sandwich is quite good as it’s almost like a mayo, paprika, and chili powder mix. They also toast the bread and so it has a nice crunch to it. This is place is definitely worthy of a check in, just to try it once. It reminds you of those big Rutgers sandwiches and they have a nice selection of them. They have other regular sandwiches which are also good because they load it up. I think it’s a good sandwich for the price and if you’re in the area, it’s a go for sure.

Wafels & Dinges – Multiple Locations

There is something that has to be said for a pretty good waffle. The picture above is the Belgian waffle with strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle from Wafels and Dinges. They pride themselves on creating a Belgian waffle like no other. I must say, I’ve been to Belgium and have tasted numerous waffles and this one is fairly up there. The waffle has a slight sweet taste to it but nothing overpowering and it’s soft with a tad bit of crunch but not too much. Of course when you add the toppings on it, it’s going to be sweeter but it’s still pretty good. I liked it and they have a bunch of them in the city. So if you’re in the city and looking for a quick dessert, this can be it.

Wagamama – Multiple Locations

Asian food is something that I enjoy. I don’t eat it often but when I do, it’s definitely from here or a few other spots that I know of. Hopefully, I’ll share those with you all at some point. The item above is the spicy beef brisket + red onion donburi with egg. Donburi is a bowl of steamed rice that is stir fried and in this case with brisket. In addition to the brisket, rice and egg, this particular bowl contains shredded carrots, seasonal greens, scallions, kimichi, and 🌶 spicy teriyaki sauce. I know it sounds like a lot but it’s really good. The flavors in this are just put together pretty well and the beef is cooked just right. The taste is really exceptional. They also have ramen which is something that I enjoy especially when feeling a little under the weather because the broth will get you right real quick due to the spices. Wagamama does a really great job with their food to be a chain, I must say. The other item that I like a lot from here is the bang bang cauliflower. It’s essentially fried cauliflower with hot sauce. Again, don’t say that doesn’t sound good until you try it. I hope you enjoy the experience there as much as I do.

Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza – Multiple Locations

There is just something about these wings that make them really good. #DoubleTakeTuesday on deck. Anyway, these wings from Anthony’s come with Caramelized Onions and Focaccia Bread. I have to admit, the bread and onions are the best part about this besides the wings. When I get this item, I literally eat the onions right off the plate because they are just that good. The bread on the other hand is soft and the onions are caramelized just outstanding and they are one of the few places that get it right. Not just right once but all of the time. The wings are coal oven roasted and they are awesome. You get the coal flavor and the wings are cooked just right in the oven. Anthony’s does have other menu options as in pizza of course. My favorite pizza from here is the roasted cauliflower pizza that is cooked with olive oil, garlic, romano and mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs and of course cauliflower. Now I know you’re thinking that sounds pretty gross but it actually is really good. I had similar thoughts until I tried it and then when I did, I was sold. You don’t taste as much as the cauliflower since the other flavors on the pizza blends well with it. You get a little bit of healthy so you don’t feel like you’re eating too much pizza. Their pizza is also more so on the thin crust side which I like with a crunch to it. Before I go, I have to add, prices here can add up so do plan before going. Hasta mañana.