Date: 10/11/2016
Location: New Brunswick, NJ
Pizza Ordered: Plain and Cheese Steak (Also tried the remainder of Kristen's Penne Vodka slice)
Website: N/A        [Phone Number: (732) 545-0186]

I have heard tales of the fabled Daniel's pizzeria for over a year before I tried it. The pizzeria is a hole in the wall and it shares its space with an asian food / sushi establishment. There are exactly two tables, one of them broken, so if you lean on it, it might collapse. The fridge is stocked with water, coke, sprite, or diet, all the sodas being in cans. Parking is non-existant and if it weren't for the bland, zero-frills sign, you wouldn't even know there was a pizzeria in the building. All of that being said, this pizza is some of the best I've had in the New Brunswick area. The plain slice was crispy and the crust had perfect crunch. The cheese and sauce is fresh and delicious. The herbs and spices are subtle and not overpowering. The cheese steak slice tasted like cheese steak I used to eat on boy scout camping trips years ago, but honestly, it didn't compare to the penne vodka slice. The penne vodka slice was absolutely delicious. I don't really ever go for the pasta pizza, but the sauce was thick and creamy and truly a tasty blend. Though it was a little on the salty side, it was far better than I could have imagined at first glance. This leads me to conclude that Daniel's pizza is a hidden gem among New Brunswick Pizza and serves a great specialty slice. Though there's not much room to sit and the drink options are far from plentiful, this pizza is a pleasant surprise in a town of pizzerias that caters to the drunken frat-bro. 

Date: 9/27/2016
Location: New Brunswick, NJ
Pizza Ordered: Plain and BBQ Chicken
Website: www.tatas-pizza.com/

Ta-Ta's, not to be confused with the Ta-Ta's most men have a fascination with, is a small pizzeria (and practically convenience store) located along Hamilton Street in New Brunswick, NJ. The pizzeria doesn't open its doors until around 4:00 pm, but stays open until close to 3:00 am. Being open after the bars in the area close and being right in the center of a major area of off-campus housing makes this establishment fairly popular. 

My girlfriend and I went to try this pizzeria after a few adult beverages. The pizzeria is located about 100 yards from the house I'm renting with my friends, so we just took a quick walk over. Parking is practically non-existant because of street parking, but this doesn't hurt a majority of the customers who are walking home from the bar anyway. Initially I was concerned that the alcohol I consumed might make the pizza taste better than it actually is, but of course, I turned out to be wrong. The plain slice had too many herbs and spices and lacked flavor in general. The crust is nothing special, nor is the sauce. The BBQ chicken slice had delicious barbecue sauce, but the chicken was dry and I had to practically choke it down. Would not recommend. Overall, I doubt this establishment will be scoring very high in the ranking of New Brunswick pizzeria's for the off campus Rutgers student, though I guess it serves its purpose as a late night snack after a night of making your taste buds not give-a-shit. 

Date: 9/26/2016
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
Pizza Ordered: Margherita and Plain
Website: www.panatierispizza.com/

Panatieri's is a New Jersey Chain of pizzerias that originated in Bound Brook. The owner, Chris Panatieri still owns and operates the original location. There are nine total locations throughout New Jersey, but this review is for the Hillsborough location. The pizzeria itself replaced another Hillsborough Pizzeria called "Portabello's" which, from what I remember, served a decent plain slice. The setup is similar, with a large counter that displays many of the options available and ample indoor seating. Parking is also quite simple, as the lot is shared with a nearby Kohls, so there are plenty of spots. 

While I initially missed the disappearance of Portabello's, after trying Panatieri's I have nearly forgotten  why I enjoyed Portabello's in the first place. Panatieri's pizza is very good with a thin and crispy bottom and delicious bready crust. The crust is one of the most satisfying features of the pizza and features great crunch. I thought the sauce was a pleasant mix of spicy and zesty and the cheese was fresh and very tasty. The margherita slice was decent. Maybe not an award winner, but it was a good choice featuring more of the sauce I enjoyed. It's clear why Chris Panatieri has been so successful opening a pizza chain in New Jersey, one of the pizza capitals of the world. The pizza is quality and the crust is some of the best I've enjoyed. When I eventually release my ranking for the worst to best pizza in Hillsborough, I'm certain Panatieri's will score higher than average.