Breakfast of Dreams: Green Eggs Cafe

A luscious Salted Caramel Latte.

According to doctors, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So why not do it right? At Green Eggs Cafe, located at 1301 Locust Street in Philadelphia, breakfast is the main show. With unique specials everyday, Green Eggs Cafe excels at tossing out extravagant dishes and large entrees.

Before even arriving at Green Eggs Cafe, a person can sense how good the food is going to be considering the senses getting excited by the smells and sights of outdoor dining. When finally approaching the main entrance, there are friendly staff helping you at each step of the way. From the hostesses to the waitresses/waiters and even the busboys, even staff member is delighted to help you in any way possible. Inside there are wooden tables with wooden seats all around the restaurant. A bit smaller than some places considering all the seating, but it is tolerable! It blends the feeling of an average diner with high-end breakfast skills and creates something beautiful.

The best part of Green Eggs Cafe is the food. The food is considerably

An enticing Berry Lemonade with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries to top it off.

the most creative french toast and pancakes that you’ve ever seen in person. The Cafe offers plain french toast, that exceeds any expectation that you’ve had of french toast, and unique specials of french toast and pancakes. The specials change every couple weeks or so and they always beyond what you think they will be. The most popular breakfast item is the Red Velvet Pancakes which include chocolate morsels and strawberry mascarpone layers, topped with maple syrup, chantilly cream and fresh strawberries. More past-time favorites are the Birthday Cake French Toast or the Mint Chocolate Chip French Toast, both including ice cream. Another daily, unique treat is the Creme Brûlée French Toast which has people continuously coming back for more.

Although breakfast is the most important meal of the day, there is also lunch! Green Eggs Cafe sells lunch items such as special burgers and veggie burgers. Many of the items on the menu are also vegetarian and vegan friendly! It’s the brunch spot with the most to

Tiramisu French Toast from the specials from another month.

offer.

With three locations in Philadelphia and one in Miami, Green Eggs Cafe continues to improve every month with the challenging food that they are handing out to customers. Leaving Green Eggs Cafe will be nothing short of a full stomach and a wide smile.

The Simple Diner: Angelo’s Diner

For residents of New Jersey and Philadelphia, diners mean a lot to them. Everyone has a favorite and that favorite restaurant has a favorite food. For many people in Glassboro, New Jersey, Angelo’s Diner is that favorite diner. For locals and Rowan University students, Angelo’s comes up in each person’s life at least once a week.

This diner is just like many other ones; there are easy-to-talk-to waitresses, all meals available, and eggs however you want one. The difference? The atmosphere. There is more of a city attitude in a small town. The bar being the main seating area and the choose-your-own-seat factor creates an eat-and-go push. This is not a bad thing though! Before work or class, this is want you want! That pork roll, egg, and cheese on a bagel that you just ordered? It’s done in a matter of 5 minutes. THIS is a diner that represents the diner type of New Jersey and Phila
delphia.

The food and service is what keeps the customers coming back. They will take any s
pecial request and do exactly what the customer wants. If you want crispy bacon, you get crispy bacon. If you want thick scrapple, you will get thick scrapple. Angelo’s will make you happy even if they don’t agree with he way that you like to eat your eggs.

Angelo’s Diner is located right next Rowan University making it only a walk away from dorms and houses. The easy access to this local treasure is key. With more and more dorms being built with the expansion of Rowan University’s life, Angelo’s is a key to keep everyone in the area happy.

Hometown Flavors: Dippy’s Ice Cream

Everyone has something that is truly meaningful to them. People cherish different things; some of these items may be a book, a ring, or even a simple ice cream place. This may sound a little odd considering that anyone can buy ice cream in any area and it usually tastes the same. But when someone comes home from a long vacation or a college student comes home, the first thing they want is comfort and familiarit
y. For people in the Mantua, Woodbury, or Mullica Hill area, Dippy’s Ice Cream is the comfort that they cherish.

For three decades, Dippy’s has been serving ice cream and treating

their customers with delicious food and desserts. One of the many struggles at most ice cream shoppes is the atmosphere or seating. At Dippy’s, this is no issue. There are plenty of picnic tables and other types of seating arrangements for their customers. Since Dippy’s tends to stay open until the winter, there is indoor seating and heat. On a cold December evening, sometimes all you want is a cup of hot coffee and delicious ice cream. Dippy’s can do this for you!

Although Dippy’s offers nearly the same ice cream varieties as similar ice cream places, people from the area seem to be addicted to it. Dippy’s is mostly known for their smooth handmade, soft-serve ice cream. Different ice cream concoctions and mixes can be found at Dippy’s such as a flurry, milkshake, sundaes of all kinds, and unique flavors of ice cream. One of the most popular flavors, especially during St. Patrick’s Day is the Irish Potato ice cream. There is also flavors like the blue Cookie Monster, various water ice flavors, and more hard ice creams that cannot be found anywhere else in the region. But Dippy’s does not just stop at ice cream: hot dogs and burgers are also served everyday. If you’re in the area and need a quick lunch and also a wonderful ice cream? Come to Dippy’s and enjoy both at once.

Dippy’s is located on the Bridgeton Pike in Mantua Township and it is open Monday through Sunday 11:00AM until 10:30PM. For ice cream cake orders or questions, feel free to contact the store at (856-)468-4441 or email dippysicream@verizon.net.

Hip for the Animals: HipCityVeg

Sweet Potato Fries.

Recently there has been a lot more news, documentaries, and talk about the awful abuse in slaughter houses and abuse of animals in things like the make-up industry. With the increase of discussion on this topic, there has been an increase of vegetarians and vegans that try to help animals. At most restaurants it is hard to find an option that fits them. At HipCityVeg in Philadelphia, this is no issue. HipCityVeg is a completely vegetarian restaurant with most meals also being vegan.

From organic drinks to meat-free food and delicious vegan desserts, HipCityVeg is the perfect modern restaurant. This restaurant is so popular that lines are usually out the door and there is barely any seating. Since the restaurant is used to seeing long lines and little seating, you can call before and order your food for take out. This is highly recommended.

I’m sure most people think, “I don’t like those foods,” “I’m a meat-eater,” or just plain “ew”. You are mistaken! I can promise you that meals like the Fajita Wrap and the Crispy Hipcity Ranch, which both include chick’n, are just as good, if not better, than your normal foods. With the different seasonings and sauces, the food tastes delicious. One of the most surprising parts of HipCityVeg is that the food is filling! Most times foods like this are known to be unfulfilling to people that aren’t used to this food or just not enough. After eating a Fajita Wrap and their surprisingly delicious Sweet Potato Fries, I was full for the rest of the night.

HipCityVeg also offers drinks that are different than your average drinks. The restaurant offers a Green Lemonade including fresh squeezed lemons, organic kale juice, and raw organic agave nectar, an Iced Green Tea including organic green tea leaves and raw organic agave nectar, and also a unique Carrot Ginger Lemonade which includes lemons, organic carrot and ginger juice, and raw organic agave nectar. Each drink has a very normal taste to it and could even please a young child that only drinks lemonade. They taste so similar to its original that it is hard to tell them apart.

There are two locations of HipCityVeg that are both just as popular as the next both located in Philadelphia. This is definitely a trip that is worth going on!

Hoagie Time: Pal Joey’s

Sometimes it’s hard to find a great hoagie without going to Philadelphia. South Jersey’s own Pal Joey’s can solve that issue! Located in the Timberline Shopping enter in Sewell, Pal Joey’s has been serving out delicious hoagies for over fifteen years and there is no need for them to stop!
When opening the doors in this corner store of Timberline Shopping Center, you can get the idea that it is full of locals: locals that kno

An Italian Diablo hoagie.

w how to eat well. Everyone has their own favorite hoagie. Many of the favorites are part of the “Diablo” section of the menu. Each Diablo hoagie has a special blend of spices to make the sandwich spicier and full of taste. A highly recommended Diablo is the Italian Diablo which
contains prosciutto, sharp provolone, hot soppressata, and capicola. This hoagie will have your tastebuds screaming for water, but in a good way! The extra spices on top create extra flavor and, of course, extra heat. From a regular Italian hoagie to something a little more exotic like the “R” Special (Genoa salon, Freda Capicola, and Stuffed Pepper Shooters), I’m sure that there is something anyone one could find and love.
Pal Joey’s is open Monday through Friday 9AM to 6PM and Saturdays 9AM to 5PM. While normally closed Sundays, Pal Joey’s is open 9AM to 1PM during football season.
If you’re tired of your same old Wawa hoagie, try out Pal Joey’s in Sewell for a delicious hoagie!

Coffee, Tea, and Treats: Crescent Moon

An Extreme Coffee Toffee with a Plain Bagel and Cream Cheese.

As a college student, finding a place to relax and do homework is sometimes difficult. At Crescent Moon, you can stay and write hour-long essays with their free wifi or meet up with some friends or coworkers with their comfortable seating. Located in Mullica Hill, this coffee shop has created the perfect place for people of all ages to calmly enjoy themselves.
One of the most popular shops opening up recently are coffee or bakery shops with a relaxing environment; Crescent Moon has all of these essentials in one. Crescent Moon has creative lattes with creative names. Some drinks include the French Toast Latte, the Truffle Latte, and the Reese’s Latte. Each name really stands for what the customer thinks it is going to be. The Truffle Latte contains their special dark hot chocolate and adds two shots of espresso which can be topped with whipped cream if you desire. The different flavors and different coffee blends are what helps Crescent Moon stay different from your
local Starbucks or Barnes and Noble.
Drinks are not the only great thing to buy at Crescent Moon! From breakfast to lunch to just a sweet treat, they have anything to feel your stomach. For breakfast, you can have a delicious plain bagel, or their specialty bagels like the Cherry Apple Walnut bagel. They also offer a variety of breakfast sandwiches, quiche, muffins, scones, and more. Surprisingly, you can get a top quality wrap or sandwich. Highly suggested is the Buffalo Chicken Wrap in either a spinach or whole wheat wrap. The wrap has perfectly shredded chicken mixed with Frank’s Hot Sauce, and the ideal amount of bleu cheese. Salads are also a highly chosen lunch from Crescent Moon; a recommended salad is the Greek Salad with romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, feta cheese, black olives, tomato, red onions with a delectable red wine vinaigrette
One of the biggest highlights of going to Crescent Moon is the atmosphere. With the great music selection, cozy couches, and perfect lighting, you will never want to leave.
If you are a coffee lover or someone that needs to get away for ten minutes or two hours,
Crescent Moon is the place to go.

Ireland in Philadelphia: The Plough and the Stars

One of the most accomplishing things a restaurant can do is be able to transcend their customers into a different mindset. Many restaurants are island-themed or Mexican-themed or even home-themed for a more comforting visit. Another large theme is Ireland. Usually this means there is green all over and the restaurant is called a pub. If you are looking for more of a traditional and authentic Irish hangout, check out the Plough and the Stars and you can be transcended right to a bar in Ireland.
With authentic Irish foods such as Shepherd’s Pie and the Guinness Casserole, the Plough and the Stars excels at delivering delicious food to each customer.
Although the Plough and the Stars was able to create an Irish feel and delicious food, there were some downfalls. Our waitress came 10 minutes after we were seated and was able to take our whole order since we were ready. Fifteen minutes later we got our appetizer. Another 20 minutes goes by and only one of our meals comes out. This could’ve been resolved earlier if the waitress checked on us at any point during our long wait for food. The tables around us also got treated the same and were disappointed. One person even made a joke about never seeing the waitress, whom was different than ours. The waitress did apologize blaming the issue on a new machine, but there were many ways around this. If you work at a restaurant always make sure to check on your customers, even if it is not your fault. Thankfully the hostess helped my table and the tables around us whenever we needed something.
Even though the service was awful this one time, I still suggest going to check out the Plough and the Stars. As I have gone there times before with no issues, their machine issues may have resolved. The Plough and the Stars is a great restaurant and it deserves to be noticed for it’s great food and atmosphere over it’s poor service one night.

I Scream, You Scream: The Franklin Fountain

We all scream for ice cream! Ice cream parlors see everything from championship wins to family nights to first dates and even to those inevitable break-ups. But sometimes the ice cream and the experience become repetition. A person tends to get the same flavor in the same size at the same place. If you’re looking for a place to break the constant repetition, the Franklin Fountain is the perfect place to experience change.

The Franklin Fountain is located on Market Street in Old City, Philadelphia. Owned by brothers Eric and Ryan Berley, this old fashioned ice cream shop transports each customer into a different era.
Now to the important part: the ice cream. Unlike any other dessert in the area, the Franklin Fountain gives each customer the satisfaction they are looking for: delicious ice cream. Workers in a white uniform with black bow-ties graciously scoop your desired ice cream flavor from the refurbished soda
fountain. Some of the most popular flavors are Vanilla Bean, Chocolate, and their special Franklin Mint Chip. But what makes this ice cream parlor even better is their
specialty flavors. Teaberry Gum, Black Raspberry, Green Tea, and Pistachio are just some of the different flavors that you could find daily at the Fountain. As you can tell by now, this isn’t your average ice cream joint and it just gets better. The Franklin Fountain also serves delicious milkshakes, sundaes, soda, ice cream sodas, thirst-ades, and even the classic vanilla or chocolate egg creams. One of the favorite sundaes is called “Mt. Vesuvius”. This sundae includes either chocolate or vanilla ice cream with a chocolate brownie, dripping with hot fudge and covered in malt powder. (And of course whipped cream.) This may be one of the more popular sundaes, but it is one of the more basic ones. Some of the complex sundaes include the Peach Melba Parfait, which includes their special Peach ice cream. Another sundae that is unlike any other is the The Stock Market Crunch with their unique Rocky Road ice cream.
If you are a tourist or Philly-native looking to show some friends from out of town the best of Philly, this is the place to go. The Franklin Fountain is unlike any other ice cream parlor in Philadelphia, and maybe even the country. Don’t believe me? Maybe you will believe Food Network star and food guru Alton Brown. Brown claims the Franklin Fountain to be in his top ten restaurants in the country. He claims that, “You feel like you’ve stepped back in time in the best way possible.” The Franklin Fountain was also featured in the “Food Network’s Top 5 Ice Creams in America” list from 2015. Even if you know you will still get your classic vanilla or chocolate, the Franklin Fountain is worth the trip. You won’t regret it!

Continuing the Trend: Dia De Los Burritos

Hidden right off the main strip, Dia De Los Burritos brings the taste and sights of Mexico to Pitman, New Jersey. Burrito joints like Chipotle, Moe’s, and more are popping up in every town. The difference? Dia De Los Burritos brings a hometown and comfortable feeling. A tiny restaurant, with a big future.

A customer is choosing what kind of burrito she would like on the clip board. The board of the menu is in the background to the right.

Right off of Broadway on Pitman Avenue, Dia De Los Burritos opens their doors at 11:30AM everyday and closes them at 7PM during the week, and 8PM on the weekends. Instead of the normal Italian food, grabbing a burrito bowl or a taco would be a great change before walking throughout town or seeing a show at the Broadway Theatre.
With the mass amount of burrito restaurants appearing rapidly through the Northeast, it is easy to be accustomed to the same atmosphere. At chain restaurants, the tables are the same, the music is the same, and usually even the workers act the same. Walking past Dia De Los Burritos a person can just feel the different vibe that the restaurant brings. There are tables set up like picnic tables and customers are greeted face-to-face once they arrive. There is calming and fresh music playing. At night, there are Christmas lights hanging on the windows which creates a modern and cozy feeling. This generates a warm feeling and makes the customers and staff feel comfortable with one another. It seems as though these conditions are hard to come by these days!

Chicken and cheese quesadilla with sour cream and salsa on the side.

Rowan University students should take full advantage of this! Getting away from the campus for just a night would be an eye-opening and surprising opportunity. Glassboro is close enough to Pitman where it is no hassle to find yourself a nice night with the girls or your boys with some delicious burritos and tacos for only a five minute drive.
Plus: Dia De Los Burritos features vegan and vegetarian tacos and burritos! Food for everyone.
If you’re looking for something different, yet similar go to Dia De Los Burritos! You will not be disappointed.

 

Mexican Mania: El Vez

Margaritas. Guacamole. Nachos. Do you really need anything else in life? Modern Mexican restaurant, El Vez, is known for each of these items! El Vez is located on 13th and Sansom in Philadelphia. El Vez is perfect for a night in the city, happy hour with coworkers, or a lunch date with old friends.

Chicken Taco from their lunch special.

El Vez has a lunch special Monday through Friday from 11:30AM until 3:00PM for about $16. This includes a soup or salad followed by a choice of Vaca Frita Burritos, Black Bean Enchiladas, Chicken Tacos, or Torta de Pollo with a soft drink.
Not looking for a meal? No worries! Margaritas and guacamole are the main crowd pleasers! The margaritas are known for their realness. They are made naturally with no sour mixes. There are six different guacamoles to choose from. The favorites are the El Vez (“The Original”) and the “Bazooka” Limon which includes goat cheese, chile flake, pistachio, and roasted tomatoes.

Looking around El Vez, is unlike any other restaurants in the area. Walking into the restaurant, you are greeted by hostesses to the left. Right in front of you is the bar; but not just any bar. This bar has a rotating motorcycle smack-dab in the center which was ridden by wrestler De La Hoya when he was going to his last fight. Since El Vez is named after the Mexican Elvis Impersonator, there is a huge portrait of Elvis with a subtle hint of Mexican

The “dancers de muertes” are featured on the wall behind the large booths.

heritage surrounding him in the landscape. There is even a photo booth! The most unique part of El Vez is the wall of “dancers de muertes”. There are tiny 3-D boxes covering a wall, each unique with a different story for the Day of the Dead, a famous holiday in Mexico. If you ever fear there being a shortage in conversation between you and a companion, El Vez can help you! There are conversations all around the restaurant.

El Vez is owned by restaurant master, Steven Starr. Starr owns 31 restaurants across the United States; including two in New Jersey and nineteen in Philadelphia. Many of these restaurants are well-known and have even been featured in the public eye. Starr’s restaurant, Buddakan, is located in New York City; the restaurant made an appearance as Carrie and Mr. Big’s rehearsal dinner location in the Sex and the City movie. Also, actress Katie Lee chose to talk about El Vez’s nachos on the show “Guilty Pleasures” on the Food Network. Starr also cares about his customers. While at any of the Starr restaurants, customers will be comfortable. Comfortable in knowing that they will be taken care of and cared for. Starr goes beyond the limit of just your average restaurant owner; he even goes as far as making sure the temperature of the restaurant will be satisfying and relaxing for it’s customers. After all, that’s what most people desire when going out; being comfortable in the unknown.

For more information on El Vez, go to elvezrestaurant.com or call 215-928-9800.