Georgetown Cupcake

There's not really much I can say about Georgetown Cupcake except the fact that I truly love this place. After hearing all the hype about how amazing these cupcakes were, I decided to take a trip to this famous "cupcakery." And I must say that I was very impressed! The prices were a little steep for the size of cupcakes you were getting, but it was well worth. These cupcakes were small but they were just jam packed with huge flavor. The cupcakes were aesthetically pleasing and flavor choices were extensive and unique.  My personal favorites are the Red Velvet and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. The cupcakes were moist and the icing was light and sweet.  The bakery itself is pretty small and the interior is very bright, white, and modern. This really is a grab-and-go kind of place since it's pretty crowded and packed.

Now the biggest concern and complaint that I hear about this place are the lines on the weekends. As a result, I would suggest that you come to Georgetown Cupcake during the week. For example, I went on Friday evening and the lines was about 10 people deep...not bad at all!  Oh yeah, one more thing, be sure to come with about $15-30 because the prices are pretty steep, especially for cupcakes ($15 for a half dozen, and $29 for a dozen...or you can pay $2.75 for one). But other than that, Georgetown Cupcake is a fantastic cupcake place that everyone should definitely experience at least once. Give it a try, you won't regret it!

College Kid Budget: $-$$

Washington DC Vacations

Pizzeria Paradiso: Brick Oven Pizza at its Finest

A few days ago, a couple of my friends and I decided to take a trip to Georgetown. The primary purpose of this trip was to go shopping and check out the famous and much hyped Georgetown Cupcake. But little did I know that the highlight of my trip may have just been this pizzeria called Pizzeria Paradiso. Nested on the bustling Pennsylvania Ave is a nice pizzeria that seemed to draw large crowds. I didn’t think much of this restaurant when I walked past and glanced at the menu. However, just before I past the restaurant, I happened to glance at a customer’s freshly served pizza, and at the moment I was hooked. I had to go check this place out.  We went in, put our name on the waitlist and then in about 10 or so minutes we were taken downstairs to this seating area. The overall atmosphere of this restaurant was very rustic, with a prevalent bar/pub theme throughout. It seemed like I was in a wine cellar that happened to serve great brick oven pizza.

Now the pizza at this restaurant was the real show. From being cooked in a huge brick oven, to utilizing fresh ingredients, the pizza was delicious, crispy, and so fulfilling.  We ordered two pizzas: The Atomica, which featured tomato, salami, black olives, hot pepper flakes, and fresh mozzarella; and the Margherita which featured tomato, basil, and mozzarella. Both of these pizzas were very good and I will definitely have to try them again.

So overall, if you are ever in the Georgetown area and are looking for some fresh and delicious brick oven pizza, be sure to check out Pizzeria Paradiso. I will be returning to Paradiso, hungry for more!

College Kid Budget: $$

Washington DC Vacations

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Chick Fil A

Although I work at Chick Fil A, I decided that it may appropriate to review this restaurant through the eyes of an experienced Chick Fil A employee. The biggest wow factor of CFA is the service. The service is something that you would never experience elsewhere in terms of fast food restaurants. Cashiers and the front staff are very generous, polite, and helpful. Also the fact that they refer to you as a guest instead of a customer is a very nice touch. I also respect how the workers reply to a guest’s thank you with a “my pleasure” instead of a “you’re welcome” or “uh-huh.”

Now to the food. When I work at CFA, I normally bread and cook the chicken. This isn’t a glamorous job but it does tell me how important this duty is. Really this person is responsible for creating either very tender and juice chicken, or very tough and crunchy chicken with an unpleasant feeling in the mouth. What people really don’t know about CFA is that you can add cheese and vegetables to your sandwich. Honestly, this is what makes the CFA original sandwich so good. I like mine with no pickle, American cheese, and bacon strips. Plus add some Chick Fil A sauce and you got yourself a killer sandwich. Another great menu item is the breakfast platter. This little known menu item is the highlight to CFA’s breakfast. The platter comes with a biscuit, filet, eggs, and sausage gravy. It’s pretty delicious. But overall, you really can’t go wrong with anything on CFA’s menu.

Cravings Buffet at the Mirage

If you’re looking for good food choices without the steep prices, Cravings is a pretty good buffet choice. Rated by the “Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas” as the 6th best choice, Cravings, allows diners to “celebrate the art of eating in a visually appetizing scene designed by Adam Tihany and experience eleven cooking stations, a street of restaurants and an array of tempting elements.” (Mirage.com). I really enjoyed the different stations especially the gelato section and its variety. The overall atmosphere was very modern and contemporary, and the service I experienced was attentive. Overall, this is a good pretty good buffet that I will probably return to it in the near future, hungry for more.


College Kid Budget: $$

Things To Do
Las Vegas

Buffets, buffets, and more buffets!

Ahh the buffet…I truly enjoy your all-you-can-eat nature.  From your endless selection to your moderate prices, I can always leave you feeling happy and satisfied.  I especially love being in your presence in one of my favorite cities in the world, Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a city of dazzling lights, elegant casinos, extravagant clubs, and my favorite, world class food.  For those with a huge appetite and plenty of time, buffets are the way to go.  Buffets can be found in almost every hotel and casino and the food quality can range from casual to gourmet.  For those who are willing to spend a little extra for fine dining quality foods in a buffet format, they should check out the buffet at the Wynn Las Vegas, Bellagio Buffet, and the newly opened Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan. These buffets provide delicious gourmet food at a premium price.  Prices usually range from $20 to $30 for lunch and $35 to $50 a person for dinner.  So how do you win big? At most buffets in Vegas, they never close in between dinner and lunch.  This then allows hungry customers, such as yourself, to come in just as lunch is about to be over and get lunch prices.  Then if you wait for a few minutes, the buffet will start bringing out the dinner meals.  So basically, you are getting the same dinner selection, but at half the cost.  So the next time you find yourself going to a buffet in Vegas or elsewhere, make sure to go in between lunch and dinner and you will win big!

Things To Do
Las Vegas

Nacho Mamas in Baltimore Has Great Affordable Nachos

During the summer, my and I roommate took a trip to a small bar/restaurant outside of Fells Point, Md. called Nacho Mamas. My roommate has always been talking about how much he loves going to this place so I decided to finally see what all his hype was about. Now I must say when I first arrived at Nacho Mamas, I wasn’t really impressed. It just looked like a typical sports bar with limited seating and wooden booths. Plus the restaurant didn’t even have a Mexican or Hispanic theme, which is what I’d expect with a name like “Nacho.” However once I my meal arrived to the table, and I took a huge first bite, I was quite impressed. After scanning the menu, the only thing that caught my eye was these chicken nachos. I then ordered this meal expecting to have an average size portion. But boy was I wrong. The serving size of these nachos was ridiculous.  This thing honestly could’ve fed 4 people and still have leftovers. I dug in and didn’t even make a dent in the nachos. I literally tried to continue eating after I was full so that it seemed like I got my money’s worth. But I just couldn’t succeed. Despite this failure of finishing my meal, I was very satisfied with my nachos. The chicken was large and tender, the cheese was baked and stringy, the beans were beany, and the tortilla chips were warm and crispy. It was pretty good. Now the best thing about this was that it was only about ($10). Not bad if you ask me.

In terms of the restaurant’s atmosphere, it’s very dark, and sports bar like. What I mean is that people are drinking beer, talking loudly, and watching the game on the TV screens near the bar.  Also within this restaurant the Elvis theme is pervasive throughout the restaurant with many pictures and memorabilia covering the dark walls. It’s a pretty cool setting to enjoy a nice meal.

So overall, Nacho Mamas is very affordable and is a great dining option for those on a college student’s budget.

College Kid Budget: $$

Baltimore Vacations

The Grand Buffet at MGM Grand

The MGM Grand Buffet is not my favorite buffet in Las Vegas but it is satisfactory. With a name such as "Grand" Buffet, I expected to have a large selection of different food, but unfortunately selections were limited. I honestly found myself filling my stomach with plates full of mac and cheese. The quality of food was okay but the crab legs and seafood just wasn't what I expected.

The one thing that saved this fiasco of a dinner buffet was the dessert section. This section, yet small and secluded, offered some tasty pastries and desserts that I actually enjoyed. Now this wasn't amazing, but it did help me feel better about spending money on this buffet.

I must say that one good thing about this buffet is that it was kept clean and was well maintained. The staff was also fast at giving us refills and clearing our tables of plates and silverware. So overall, my experience with the service was good, but the ambiance and atmosphere was filled with noises from the casino.
I honestly must say that I will probably never go back again unless I receive a free buffet pass. But other than that, I think I'll just have to pass.

College Kid Budget: $$

Things To Do
Las Vegas

Possibly the One of the Best Korean Restaurant in the D.C. Area

If you love sushi and buffets, then boy oh boy do I have a great place for you.  Located in Alexandria, Va.,

there is a nice, family owned Korean restaurant called Heebeen. Although Heebeen does feature a menu that you can order items off of, the highlight of this restaurant is their lunch and dinner buffets. From extensive selection of authentic Korean dishes to the fresh preparation of freshly made sushi, Heebeen is the ultimate restaurant for the Korean and Asian food enthusiast. I myself love sushi, so I always try to make an effort to come here in order to fulfill my cravings. For $15, you can eat plates after plates of sushi and Korean food, a price that is well worth the money. I can’t tell you how many times I went to sushi bars or Panda Express Sushi, paying $10 for only 6 pieces of tuna sushi and California rolls. But here at Heebeen, I can stuff my face for hours at a time. Now the location is a little hectic and crowded, but once you make it to the restaurant, it will all be worth it. So overall, this is hands down my favorite Korean restaurant and it will definitely fulfill your Asian palette.

College Kid Budget: $$

So What's Gluten Free at Chick Fil A?

If you’re like me then you probably love Chick Fil A. Not only because of their great service, but mostly for their amazing chicken. Now for some of you, you may have Celiac Disease, or gluten allergies, or maybe you’re just on a gluten-free diet. In that case, it may be kind of difficult to determine which foods do an do not contain gluten. But don’t worry, I got you covered. Here is the official listing of gluten-free menu items, as verified by Chick Fil A, that you can now eat and be almost 100 percent sure that it’s gluten-free. (I say almost because there still is that small chance that someone in the kitchen cross contaminates.) You can also find this information in HERE

Entree

• Chick-fil-A® Chargrilled Chicken Filet
• Chick-fil-A® Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad
• Chick-fil-A® Chargrilled Chicken & Fruit Salad
• Tortilla Strips

Wolfgang Puck Cafe at Downtown Disney

When I found out that Downtown Disney had a formal Wolfgang Puck restaurant, I was pretty ecstatic. Unfortunately, this excitement disappeared when I saw the menu. Although this restaurant is very nice and has a beautiful view of the lake, the food was mediocre. I ordered lobster risotto and it was actually really good. However, the portion was minimal. And for a $45 risotto, I expected a huge bowl full, but that didn't happen. My family also had the same thing happen to them. There entree's were good, but the portion was just too little. We honestly could have went downstairs to the cafe restaurant and have 4 times as much as we did for about half the price. Despite my disappointing and overpriced meal, I was very pleased with the overall service that I received at this restaurant.

So to be clear, at Downtown Disney, this restaurant is called "Wolfgang Puck Cafe." Now once you go inside, there is a very casual family friendly restaurant downstairs, and a more formal and expensive restaurant upstairs. So overall, in my opinion, the upper dining room of this restaurant is not worth the premium. As a result, I would suggest that you save your money and try the more casual restaurant downstairs. Enjoy!

College Kid Budget: $$$

Fulfill Your Barbecue Cravings with a visit to Famous Daves

The other day, I had this HUGE appetite for some barbecue. Whether it was chicken, ribs, or just the plain sauce by itself, my craving for something barbecue was immense.  As a result, I couldn't resist but to take a trip to my local barbecue joint, Famous Daves. And boy oh boy was I satisfied!

Famous Daves is one of these restaurants that I truly can't get tired of. I have found myself gorging away at their smoked meats day in and day out (well mostly like twice or three times a month). The atmosphere is very casual and the decor is greatly influenced by pork. Now in terms of food, there is one thing that I always get, the Famous Dave's All-American Feast. Now let me tell you that this is nothing shy of a feast. You get delicious ribs, brisket, barbecue baked beans, potato salad, mac and cheese, french fries, corn on the cob, warm cornbread, and barbecue baked chicken, all of which is placed on like this huge trash can lid that cover's your entire table.  I never have room for dessert so I can't really provide any comments about them, but I'm pretty sure they're good.

In terms of service at Dave's, I must say that it's attentive when needed. What I mean by this is that the waiters and waitresses are very nice and helpful, but they do know how to give you your space, especially when you are devouring your feast. Also the food comes out really fast and is very fresh and hot. So overall, the service from once you are greeted until once you leave this restaurant is very good.

So if you ever have a huge barbecue craving and are looking for great food at a very reasonable price, be sure to check out the nearest Famous Daves.

College Kid Budget: $$

Baltimore Vacations

Ohana at the Polynesian Resort in Disney World

Ohana is a very nice restaurant nestled in Disney's Polynesian Resort. I went to Ohana and truly enjoyed every aspect of this dining experience. You truly can't beat enjoying Hawaiian and Asian Pacific influenced delicacies in a very cool and relaxing atmosphere, all while being accompanied by a singing ukulele player.

In terms of the menu items, everything was pretty good. I must say that it's not fantastic but everything was cooked and seasoned very nicely. Just the fact that this restaurant was in an all-you-can eat format made the food taste better in my opinion. When you arrive at your table, your host greets you and then immediately starts bringing out the food. First we got appetizer type foods such as Asian dumplings, noodles (pretty delicious) and small tangy chicken wings. Then came the real food! Our host brought out a variety of meats on skewers such as chicken, beef, and pork. Overall, the meats were great and really filling. Then came my favorite item of the night...the dessert. I don't know what it was that I was eating but it was amazing. It was like some bread/cake/pastry with sugar coated bananas, caramel, and ice cream. But either way, I loved it.

Winning Big at Buffets...Especially in Vegas

Ahh the buffet…I truly enjoy your all-you-can-eat nature.  From your endless selection to your moderate prices, I can always leave you feeling happy and satisfied.  I especially love being in your presence in one of my favorite cities in the world, Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a city of dazzling lights, elegant casinos, extravagant clubs, and my favorite, world class food.  For those with a huge appetite and plenty of time, buffets are the way to go.  Buffets can be found in almost every hotel and casino and the food quality can range from casual to gourmet.  For those who are willing to spend a little extra for fine dining quality foods in a buffet format, they should check out the buffet at the Wynn Las Vegas, Bellagio Buffet, and the newly opened Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan. These buffets provide delicious gourmet food at a premium price.  Prices usually range from $20 to $30 for lunch and $35 to $50 a person for dinner.  So how do you win big? At most buffets in Vegas, they never close in between dinner and lunch.  This then allows hungry customers, such as yourself, to come in just as lunch is about to be over and get lunch prices.  Then if you wait for a few minutes, the buffet will start bringing out the dinner meals.  So basically, you are getting the same dinner selection, but at half the cost.  So the next time you find yourself going to a buffet in Vegas or elsewhere, make sure to go in between lunch and dinner and you will win big!

Things To Do
Las Vegas

The Wynn Buffet at Wynn Resort Las Vegas

The Wynn Buffet is arguably one of my favorite buffets in Las Vegas. From the gourmet fare to the delicious desserts, this buffet is nothing short of spectacular. The food at this buffet almost resembles eating fine dining quality food in an all you can eat format. There are also some very unique dishes that you just won’t find at any other Las Vegas buffet, such as octopus salad.  The buffet features quite a bit of live action stations such as a great pasta station that allows you to make your own past. I highly recommend doing this because it won’t disappoint. There is also a large selection of gourmet cheese, fresh fruit, unique pastas, and some melt in your mouth cheeses.  Plus if you add in the always fresh crab legs and shrimp cocktail, you got yourself a great all around buffet.  So overall, if you’re looking for delicious gourmet meals, high quality meals, and spot-on desserts, all in a very bright and upscale setting, the Wynn Buffet is your buffet of choice.

College Kid Budget: $$$

Things To Do
Las Vegas

Great Mac and Cheese and Even Better Prices

Noodles and Company is a great restaurant for noodle enthusiasts like myself. With the vast variety of noodles to choose from as well as a very affordable price, Noodles and Company is the way to go. With steep food prices at the nearby University of Maryland campus diner, the affordable prices as well as quantity of food given is a very nice change. My favorite dish is the Wisconsin Mac and Cheese (around $6) primarily because it's so simple, yet delicious and plentiful. I've tried numerous other options here but this mac and cheese is still my favorite. So overall, this is a nice little noodle shop that provides great food and affordable prices, which ultimately provides you with the most bang for your buck.

College Kid Budget: $

  

Baltimore Vacations

Seafood So Fresh that it was Swimming in the Ocean Yesterday

If you're looking to try seafood that was swimming in the ocean yesterday, then be sure to head over to the Oceanaire Seafood Restaurant.  With many fresh seafood choices updated daily, the Oceanaire is a nice restaurants for all seafood enthusiasts.

The Oceanaire outside of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, however, left me with ambivalent feelings. The service of this restaurant was very attentive and our waiter was quite informative. The atmosphere is not dark like most fine dining establishments, but it still felt intimate. The dining room had a number of full sized fish replicas on the walls and the room was very open.  The food actually left me with negative opinions about this restaurant, but only because the entrée I chose was close to disgusting. I ordered the crab and shrimp stuffed rainbow trout and it tasted awkward. It might have just been the way it was cooked but it just had this very soft and squishy texture to it that didn’t sit well in my mouth. Honestly, my favorite thing on the menu is their lobster mac and cheese. It’s very creamy, and just has a very nice texture. Plus, since it was baked, the top had a very nice bread-crumbed crust to it. It was quite delicious.  In terms of other their other menu choices, other members of my party had seafood entrées that looked and tasted great. My parents had these lump crab cakes which were very large and delicious and also had a family sized side of au gratin potatoes. This is something that I would definitely get the next time I go back. So overall, the Oceanaire is a very nice seafood restaurant that I would definitely like to go back to in the near future.

Now on a side note, if you are familiar with the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, one of the main ships actually delivers king crabs to this restaurant. I just thought this was pretty cool.

College Kid Budget: $$$

Baltimore Vacations

The Gluten-Free Guide to Fast Food Restaurants

How many times have you gone to a Burger King or McDonalds and never knew what to order since you had no idea what was gluten-free or not? I can tell you from past experiences that I have found myself in this situation countless times. Let's face it, eating gluten-free at fast food restaurants is very tough and troublesome. There's no doubt, it's probably the most daunting task for any gluten-free dieter to go through. Frankly, making a safe and accurate meal decision is the slowest and most inconvenient part of eating fast food. You constantly find yourself going to each fast food restaurant and asking the employees for a breakdown of all their gluten-free products -- a task that can take forever and sometimes seem quite nagging in some eyes. Sound at all familiar?

Thankfully there is a great guide called the "Gluten-Free Guide to Fast Food Restaurants." In this guide, you will be provide with simple, easy to read lists of gluten free food available on the menus at most major fast food chains. You'll get listings from Burger King, McDonald's, Panera Bread, Chipotle, Sonic, Starbucks, Baskin Robins, Noodle's & Company, Chick Fil A and much more. I even made sure to contact each company for their gluten-free items if they weren't available on their websites. This means that there were no third parties involved during the creation of this book.

The "Gluten-Free Guide to Fast Food Restaurants" is your way to eat with confidence. To start eating gluten-free now, click HERE