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. 

Usually I avoid chain pizzerias like the plague, but Carrabba's and Bertucci's are different beasts entirely. Carrabba's is an Italian grill in it's own right. The main courses of pasta, chicken, fish, etc. can stand alone by themselves, but I find their pizza extremely delicious. Carrabba's also has the best bread, oil and spices as well as mozzarella sticks. Their restaurants are very similar no matter where you go, as I have been to several NJ locations and one in South Carolina. They have ample seating consisting of booths and tables and usually have a bar top table that overlooks the cooking area. The staff is always very friendly and the atmosphere is comfortable. 

As far as the pizza goes, it's the perfect size. I have always preferred spicier sauce over tangy and Carrabba's really delivers. The cheese is well distributed and very fresh. The crust and bottom of the pizza are sufficiently crispy, with great flavor. The roasted red peppers are mild and provide a nice balance when paired with the onions and fresh pepperoni. Maybe it was because I had a rather disappointing pizza for lunch or maybe it was the delicious sangria I had along side this dish, but this was one of the best pizza's I've ever experienced and I look forward to my next visit. 

Vinnie's Pizza and Sub located is located off of Ryders Lane, 6-7 minutes outside of Rutgers Cook Campus. This pizzeria is the go to for my father and his co-worker when they are looking for a quick, delicious slice for lunch. The interior is friendly and the seats are similar to what you would see in a diner. The booths are comfortable and well cleaned/maintained. On a normal day around the lunch rush, you'd find construction workers, police officers, laborers, and other working-class members from all occupations enjoying their lunches here. My dad's general rule of thumb is that the best places to eat are where the construction workers and police eat. 

Vinnie's is a great place to get a slice and they always have a huge variety on walking in. Normally I would get a plain or margherita slice for my review, but my dad's go-to is the supreme slice or know locally as "the works," so I decided to go with that one. The Works has pepperoni, sausage, peppers and onions loaded on top of the slice. Often eaten in the company of a fork to scoop up the piece that fall off, this slice was a full meal in one piece of pizza. The cheese and sauce aren't as high-quality as some of the other pizzerias I've eaten at, but they are definitely fine for the working man who isn't too picky. The crust was medium thickness and more fluffy than crispy. The toppings were delicious and very filling. The trick to eating the slice without losing too many toppings is to use the folding method where the slice is folded in half "hot-dog-style." This does a decent job of keeping the topping in place. Beware, however, that sometimes the slice will tear before the crust which will lead to some contents spilling onto the plate. I wish the bottom crust of the pizza were a little thicker and sturdier to prevent this, but this minor flaw doesn't ruin the experience for me. I've concluded that Vinnie's is a decent spot, especially so if it can earn my father's respect. I do appreciate grabbing a slice where the working man eats on the regular. 

Date: 06/16/2016
​Location: Mill Town, NJ
Slices Ordered: Margherita & Grandma
Website: www.pasqualebrickoven.com/

The Grandma slice, pictured on the left had a delicious thin crust. The crust was a combination of crispy and dense. The sauce was extremely fresh tasting. Excess olive oil really compliments the crust of the grandma slice. The cheese was on the crispier side and did not slather off the slice when bites were taken. It stayed neat and well-attached to the slice. 

The Margarita slice pictured on the right had a delicious thin crust with a crispy, but not overcooked, bottom. The mozzarella tasted very fresh and stretched to a good length when bites were taken. The basil leaves coated in the olive oil add a nice flavor profile to the slice. The excess oil makes your fingers greasy, but the taste is not overpowering . 

Overall, the Grandma slice is my favorite I have tried from this pizzeria. The sauce that the pizzeria uses really sets this pizzeria apart from others. It's so fresh and filled with herbs and spices. The wood ovens that the pizzeria uses are authentic and you can see a large pile of split wood in back of the pizzeria when you drive behind it. The atmosphere is very pleasant and the employees are polite and friendly. The eating area is broken into two sections. One section, the area next to the main door,  has two large televisions, the drink refrigerators, and the soda fountain. A quieter area off to the side of the counter allows for a more comfortable group setting and is cozy and excluded from the high-traffic area of the door and TV noise. The parking lot is small and can be challenging to make a left out of, due to the traffic on Ryder Lane. This pizzeria makes a good spot to watch the soccer game while enjoying a slice or a cozy location for a date.