Street - Food Issue 2015

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday April 9, 2015

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FOOD ISSUE

MAMOUN’S FALAFELS HARRISON BLACKMAN

Senior Writer

Associate Street Editor

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his past October, Mamoun’s Falafel opened its doors on Witherspoon Street.

The latest location for the regional chain that started in 1971 in New York’s Greenwich Village, Mamoun’s brings Middle Eastern cuisine to Princeton, nestled in a location between Olives and Subway.

Mamoun’s narrow, rectangular restaurant layout features a kitchen and counter in the back and a seating area that stretches to the front.

Modern lighting and brick walls give the restaurant a trendy feel.

Mamoun’s follows a fast-casual model, much like Chipotle, where food is prepared and picked up at a counter to be taken to the restaurant’s seating area or on the go. Most entrees can be ordered as just a pita sandwich or in a platter that includes salad, rice and pita on the side.

Though there are few things in this world that I love more than falafel (in high school, my mother would make me falafel for my birthday), on this occasion I ordered a shawarma sandwich. For the uninitiated, shawarma is lamb roasted on a rotisserie, which is then shaved off as meat shavings

and served in a pita. (It’s a dish c o m p a r abl e to the Greek gyro.)

The shawarma pita pocket I received had a layer of lettuce insulating the lamb, tomatoes and onions, all topped with healthy dollop of tahini sauce. The pita itself was thin and not particularly noteworthy — it was what was on the inside that made the difference.

The layer of lettuce gave the sandwich a zesty, crunchy texture that reminded me of lettuce wraps. The tomato and onions complemented the lettuce, but were not mixed well enough to be experienced at the same time as the lettuce.

Which leaves the star of the show — the roasted lamb. The lamb was rich, a bit understated in its bitter flavor and cut in manageable shavings, though it was a bit salty and dry. The juxtaposition of the dryness of the meat and the tahini sauce concentrated at the top of the sandwich made this criticism easily resolved, if one has the insight to mix the tahini sauce with the rest of the pita pocket.

E HARRISON BLACKMAN:: ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR

To wash it all down I had a cup of Mamoun’s signature spiced iced tea, a flavorful, refreshing take on black iced tea that went well with the shawarma.

Overall, Mamoun’s shawarma game is strong but hindered by an easy fix — mixing the components of the sandwich to a more even consistency. A pleasant dining experience, Mamoun’s Falafel is a satisfying, but not spectacular addition to your Nassau Street lunch rotation.

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Associate Street Editor

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he first incarnation of Jammin’ Crepes was a food truck that frequented farmers’ markets and festivals. Though it opened up its first storefront last October, the checked plate liners, cork accents and silverware-filled mason jars somehow still recall Jammin’ Crepes beginnings — as does the fact that all of its napkins and to-go containers are compostable. The decor, warm and tasteful, feels vaguely “Southern,” my Texan roommate said. As for the crepes themselves, the offerings, especially on the savory menu, more closely resemble sandwiches than your average Nutella-slathered crepe — which also makes them

JENNIFER SHYUE :: ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR

more interesting.

Last weekend, I roped my three roommates into coming with me for a roomie brunch. We decided to split four crepes: the turkey sausage, egg and cheese; the bacon, egg and cheese from the breakfast menu, with pesto on the side; the Lemon Orchard; and the Nutcho-tella. I also picked up a (nonalcoholic) Boylan’s Birch Beer. The bottle was pretty — and contained pretty standard soda, a mix between root beer and Dr. Pepper.

Our crepes arrived after about 10 minutes. The turkey sausage, egg and cheese was good but unexciting — the sausage was cut into small square chunks that swam in cheese.

The bacon, egg and cheese was also heavy on the cheese, though there was a generous amount of bacon that made its flavorful presence presence known. The pesto I ordered with the latter was punchy, with just the right amount of garlic; scooped from its small paper cup and dolloped generously on top of the crepe, it ensured that the bacon, egg and cheese won the contest between these two savory crepes. I enjoyed eating these two crepes, but I think I would have enjoyed them even more on top of good bread — though the subtle sweetness of the dough that became more detectable at the open end of the crepe, where the filling didn’t quite reach the crepe’s ruffled edges, was a nice complement to the bacon’s saltiness.

The two sweet crepes were an-

stablished in early 2014 as an offshoot of the original 25 Burgers restaurant group and introduced to Princeton this past summer, 30 Burgers is wedged snugly between the Sperry store and Labyrinth Bookstore on Nassau Street and is ideally situated for those days when all you want is a simple, satisfying meal at a reasonable price.

The restaurant was conceived to meet customer demand for even greater choice in an already impressively diverse menu. Its designs for customer choice, however, are not without a few compromises. Owing to the size of the menu, every burger is (and must be) cooked to order, creating what 30 Burgers claims should be a seven to 10 minute wait time but what in reality comes closer to 17 to 20 minutes.

Though still relatively speedy in the grand scheme of service time

Pros: Satisfying shawarma,

plenty of seating.

Cons: Sandwiches can be

too saucy or too dry.

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JAMMIN’ CREPES JENNIFER SHYUE

ANNIE TAO

30 BURGERS

other story, especially in combination with one another. The lemon curd in Lemon Orchard was, a little surprisingly, not sour at all but rather very sweet. It may have been too much so if it weren’t for the Nutcho-tella, which is filled not with Ferrero’s Nutella but with Jammin’ Crepes’ own chocolate, hazelnut and almond spread. Unlike Nutella, Jammin’ Crepes’ spread has a slightly bitter edge to it that makes me think of amaretto, with bits of nuts that were pleasantly crunchy but not overwhelming. I found myself alternating bites of the two crepes almost without stopping because the combination was so good.

Jammin’ Crepes might be worth paying a visit just for the soothingly stylish “Southern” decor. If you go for the food, it’s solid as well, though the sweet crepes, which also tend to be less expensive, might be more worth the trip than the savory crepes. This was actually my second time there, and I would go back, especially for dessert.

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Pros: Diverse menu offerings,

good filling-to-crepe ratio, on-point sweet crepes Cons: Some savory crepes

probably better off as sandwiches, tight quarters

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ANNIE TAO :: SENIOR WRITER

OLIVER SUN

er was somewhat unimpressed by the persistent unavailability of certain menu items on multiple occasions. Perhaps most surprisingly, I was informed during one visit that both Pete’s Crab Burger and the Pizza Burger had run out, even though the former is listed as a “Local Favorite” and the latter was the featured “Burger of the Month.”

Selling out may attest to the popularity of these choices, but being unable to supply certain burgers undermines the franchise’s mission as a concept burger destination offering 30 different types of burgers.

My advice? Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and try the Burger of the Month, but if that fails, avoid the chicken burgers and the safer combinations. 30 Burgers’ menu shines where it goes off the beaten path, and prospective visitors would do well to take advantage of this.

Though not the finest gastronomic experience I’ve ever had, not by a long shot, I will be returning to 30 Burgers for seconds — if only in the hopes of finally sampling the elusive Pizza Burger.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Pros: Vast selection; generous

portions; vegetarian friendly Cons: Long wait time;

inconsistent availability; bland menu options

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EPS CORNER

Senior Writer

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at Nassau establishments, one may find the wait time harder to stomach while sitting in a near-empty storefront.

Not for the indecisive at heart, 30 Burgers’ menu is quite intimidating in both its extensive breadth and unexpected depth. Ingredients on its menu items range from the customary combinations of lettuce and tomato to more unusual additions like avocado and lamb, served on several varieties of buns.

Featuring buffalo meat marinated in chipotle, the Chipotle Bison Burger is an admirable addition to the 30 Burgers menu. The delicious fried onion strips included in this creation are a revelation. The chipotle sauce offers a striking burst of flavor, a welcome contrast to some of the other menu offerings, which can err on the side of blandness. The Chicken Avocado Burger is one such option, somehow managing to be both dry and flavorless.

Unfortunately, this seems to be a common flaw among many of the menu items with chicken patties.

Perhaps one of 30 Burgers’ strongest selling points lies in its surprisingly vegetarian-friendly menu. Indeed, one of the most flavorful and juicy items on the menu is the Black Bean Burger. To my delight, the kick of jalapeño peppers was balanced out by the grounding presence of fresh avocado slices.

Considering the fact that 30 Burgers prides itself on its wide selection of offerings, this review-

PS Corner is a small Chinese restaurant located at the intersection of Nassau Street and Chestnut. It displays its menu outside in front of a wide patio, where diners may enjoy their meals during the more temperate months of the year. On the inside, the dining area is partitioned with several small walls into separate blocks, which contributes to the cozy atmosphere of this establishment. Music plays softly in the background, just enough to be audible but never loud enough to take over the welcoming ambiance.

Service was prompt the evening we visited. There were a few other guests there, but EPS Corner was not at all crowded. However, the tables were rather small to accommodate all the dishes. We ordered chicken in chili oil as an appetizer, which arrived chilled and served with a crushed peanut garnish. The essence of the peanut flavor, combined with the subtle spice of the chili oil — just hot enough to feel, but not so spicy as to overpower the rest of the chicken’s flavor — was a great complement to the meat.

Unfortunately, the meat itself was

not especially juicy or tender.

For our main courses, we ordered spicy beef with onions and crispy duck, served with a bowl of rice for each diner.

The beef arrived on a sizzling hot metal plate and was cooked to perfection. Sliced thin and marinated with sauce and onions, the beef had absorbed the spice’s flavors into every bite. It was significantly spicier than the chicken appetizer, but the thick sauce tasted excellent when served over rice. The beef was the highlight of this meal. While several of EPS Corner’s items are served spicy, it also offers many milder options, such as the crispy duck.

The crispy duck certainly lived up to its name. Following traditional convention, the emphasis on this dish is on the skin rather than the meat, both of which were cooked to a crisp. Guests should be sure to distinguish crispy duck from the more well-known Peking duck, which is a meatier dish.

The crispy duck was a little salty but not overly so, and the delicate aroma of the duck still prevailed.

The crispy skin of the duck popped

OLIVER SUN :: SENIOR WRITER

in the mouth with a satisfying crunch.

Overall, EPS Corner is a solid Chinese restaurant. It offers comfortable seating and a calm, relaxing atmosphere. Service was attentive in providing us with menus, extra napkins and the check, and the food arrived quickly. The prices are in the medium range, with entrees starting around $10.

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Pros: Calm atmosphere;

attentive service; excellent beef.

Cons: Small tables; chicken

was not tender.

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STREET’S FO The Daily Princetonian

Thursday April 9, 2015

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CROISSANTS TERRA MOMO VS. CHEZ ALICE VS. LITTLE CHEF DOUG WALLACK Contributor

In this “food fight,” contributor Doug Wallack samples the fine croissants of Terra Momo Bread Company, Chez Alice and Little Chef. Which serves the best French pastries? The answer may surprise you. or many Princeton students, breakfast is the neglected meal. At almost any time of year, it is liable to slip through the cracks between a late night problem set and a morning class. A cup of something caffeinated will do for now, you convince yourself, and lunch isn’t too far off anyway.

But if you can manage to drag your weary bones past FitzRandolph Gate in the morning (and it must be morning), a wealth of croissants awaits you in town.

Here are my thoughts on the puff pastry offerings of Terra Momo Bread Company, Chez Alice and

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The Little Chef Pastry Shop.

I began with an almond croissant from Terra Momo Bread Company on Witherspoon Street.

Sweet almond paste made it soft and almost cake-like on the inside. The same paste was baked on the top and sides of the croissant, browned to a caramelized crunch that nicely offset the moist interior. The Terra Momo croissant was a behemoth — a huge mass, as wide as both of my palms placed side-by-side, speckled with confectioner’s sugar and liberally studded with slivered almonds.

This is a very fine thing.

The almond croissant from Chez Alice in Palmer Square was a smaller and more demure version of Terra Momo’s, with the crescent shape still underneath the almond paste. It had a deep almond flavor, like a very mild

marzipan. The inside was still moist, but it was a bit lighter than the indulgence of Terra Momo’s equivalent. The characteristic gratifying flakiness of the puff pastry was more discernible beneath the almond paste.

I went down South Tulane Street to The Little Chef Pastry Shop last, hoping to complete the almond croissant trifecta. There were none, I was told. Not because I was late, but simply because it wasn’t an almond croissant day.

This is more or less typical for the Little Chef. Its baker, FilsAimé (called “Pouchon” by customers), is well known locally for doing only exactly what he wants.

He opens shop daily (except for the days when it’s closed) at approximately 8:30 a.m. and closes at 5:00 p.m. — maybe. He makes what he wants on any given day, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. But many people are willing to put up with this, because what he makes, when he makes it, is incredible.

I bought a chocolate croissant, which was not a bad consolation prize, but it was a very different beast. The dough itself was more complex, very delicate and with a slightly tangy flavor that complimented the melty chocolate woven into that small tightly-wound ball.

But most notable was the texture: When I bit into the chocolate croissant, it crackled happily, the rich buttery pastry almost melting in my mouth.

My friend once told me how he had tried to devise a set of criteria for the perfect food. It didn’t work out, but he said what he did find was that everything was

COUTESY OF DOUG WALLACK

improved by the right amount of crunch. I was initially skeptical.

This was a very blunt theory. But then I thought: What improves yogurt? Granola. What makes soup better? Oyster crackers.

What breathes life into a salad?

Croutons.

And so I too came to believe.

There is a joy in crunch. And when everything works out, you can find it in Little Chef on South Tulane Street.

Winner: Little Chef.

RIGATONI TERESA CAFFE VS. LA MEZZALUNA EDRIC HUANG Staff Writer

In this “food fight” of epic proportions, Street Contributor Edric Huang compares the rigatoni served at Teresa Caffe and La Mezzaluna. And out of the epic clash of pastas there arose a champion. Read on, dear reader. hen I stepped into Teresa Caffe, the scent of freshly baked dough teased out the undis-

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ciplined carb-loving foodie in me. By the time I left, said carb-lover was sinfully fulfilled, especially following the restaurant’s adventurous Mezze Rigatoni recipe.

Teresa Caffe: Mezze Rigatoni $17 The dish’s presentation seems inevitable; the smooth, dark brown of the balsamic reduction mirrors the restaurant’s

EDRIC HUANG :: STAFF WRITER

rustic interior. But the sauce is more bold than homely. Its strong vinegar base is tamed with dashes of sweetness, creating a cream with a cool, tangy aftertaste. The sauce was never overpowering with the other ingredients; it was gentle on the taste buds but aggressive in making me pick up my fork time and time again.

The rigatoni, a tube-shaped pasta, was al dente — chewy, buoyant and satisfying against a light sauce like the balsamic reduction. Cubes of chicken were scattered throughout the dish and were also scattered in tenderness and size. Some pieces were not bite-sized, others a little too tough. Thankfully, however, the chicken was resilient against the balsamic reduction, not soaking up too much flavor.

Sprinkles of asparagus were a surprising treat, adding some spring to the dish. The vegetable complemented the balsamic sauce much like the chicken with its mild, earthy flavor.

Though simple in parts, Teresa Caffe’s rigatoni recipe strikes a perfect balance and deserves to be served with a glass of wine by the sea.

La Mezzaluna: Rigatoni $19 It’s as though La Mezzaluna’s owners chose a minimalistic décor in order to surprise customers with a punch of seasoned dishes. The rigatoni in orange cream was vibrant against the neutral colors of the tables and seats, and its taste was no less intense.

But it got to be a little too intense at times. The pancetta, or un-smoked Italian bacon, was nicely tough enough to withstand the weight of the creamy vodka sauce. However, its saltiness had me drinking water (out of a rather fancy cup) more often than usual.

Contributing to this was the sauce. It warmly melted in my

EDRIC HUANG :: STAFF WRITER

mouth at first, but midway through, the shallots and two grape tomatoes were lost in its cheesy complexion. The occasional garlic, however, mellowed the taste by soaking in the sauce and allowing me to appreciate the dish’s liveliness once more. I would only have wished there were more.

The pasta also provided a relief from the monotonic taste.

However, its flabbiness confirmed my general feeling that the dish felt too easy, too safe; my teeth did not work enough to chew out a taste beneath the initial, convincingly strong punch.

La Mezzaluna works until the halfway point — that moment in the night when you realize you have a bit too much on your plate.

Winner: Teresa Caffe.

ICE CREAM HALO PUB VS. THOMAS SWEETS VS. THE BENT SPOON JACQUELINE LEVINE Contributor

In this “food fight,” contributor Jacqueline Levine tries to determine the best ice cream in Princeton. The truth: It’s not easy. ver since freshman year, I have always shied away from participating in the

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JACQUELINE LEVINE :: CONTRIBUTOR

Thomas Sweet versus Halo Pub versus The Bent Spoon debate.

Ice cream is by far my favorite dessert. I have therefore enjoyed these three shops immensely over the past three years, never wanting to choose a favorite. However, formulating an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each store’s particular specialty this week has been an exciting endeavor.

As I live in Holder Hall, I decided to make my way west on Nassau Street beginning with The Bent Spoon, continuing on to Halo Pub and finishing big with T-Sweet.

The Bent Spoon, known for its edgy flavors and thick hot chocolate, is situated in Palmer Square across from a park with a few picnic tables and benches, perfect for sitting down to enjoy your ice cream on a beautiful day. The servers are very willing to indulge you in tasting as many flavors as you desire, which is definitely necessary, as you probably have never before tried kale or ricotta-flavored ice cream. I am always very adventurous when it comes to experimenting with different cuisines. However, kale ice cream just doesn’t appeal to me.

I decided on dark chocolate (ice cream, not sorbet) and stepped out of my comfort zone a bit with the ricotta flavor after a taste left me craving an entire cup. The ricotta was very thick and rich and tasted like a refined mixture of vanilla, eggnog and cream cheese frosting. The dark chocolate complemented the ricotta wonderfully, tasting more chocolatey than sweet.

The texture of The Bent Spoon’s gelato is perfect — not heavy, but not too light or airy either. The portions, although they seem petite at first glance, are actually quite large, especially when served with a tiny spoon, allowing you to savor each and every bite. The Bent Spoon’s strength is the excellent quality of the ice cream’s flavor and consistency, even if it’s a bit pricey.

On the way to Halo Pub, I let my friend finish my cup in order to save room for what was to come. Halo Pub is slightly hidden on Hulfish Street, right next to the Princeton Public Library.

The shop has two sections: one where you can grab your ice cream and another where you can plop down and eat. Halo Pub’s selection is tremendous, including many classic flavors like chocolate chip cookie dough, butter pecan, chocolate peanut butter, toffee crunch and mint chocolate chip, to name just a few. My two go-to flavors

are chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate peanut butter.

One scoop is a reasonable size, but if you’re looking for quantity, definitely splurge and go for two.

The best thing about Halo Pub is experiencing your favorite flavors done right. I always feel that chocolate chip cookie dough never has enough cookie dough and chocolate peanut butter never has enough peanut butter. This is not the case at Halo Pub. The vanilla and chocolate ice cream bases overflow with their respective toppings, which is always a wonderful surprise. Halo Pub presents classic flavors the way you always imagined them, and they even accept credit cards now!

Thomas Sweet was my final stop. If you’re looking for quantity, T-Sweet is definitely your best bet. Their signature is called the “blend-in.” Like Cold Stone Creamery, T-Sweet mixes toppings of your choosing directly into your made-to-order ice

cream. I decided on cake batter ice cream with brownie bites. This is my typical order, and I love it every time, as T-Sweet’s cake batter is unparalleled. If you like your ice cream to have a firm texture, the “blend-in” is definitely not for you. The consistency is almost soupy. However, the “blend-in” is only one of the many options TSweet has to offer. If large quantities and the ability to create your own customized ice cream/toppings blend-in is appealing, TSweet is your spot.

Comparing these three ice cream parlors is like comparing apples, oranges and kiwis. It really depends what you’re in the mood for on a given day. However, if someone were visiting me at Princeton, I would absolutely take them to The Bent Spoon.

If you’re looking for amazing quality, gourmet flavors mixed with more mainstream options and surprisingly large serving sizes, check out The Bent Spoon in Palmer Square.

Winner: The Bent Spoon.

OOD FIGHTS The Daily Princetonian

Thursday April 9, 2015

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COCKTAILS THE ALCHEMIST & BARRISTER VS. AGRICOLA LIN KING Street Editor

In this “food fight,” Street Editor Lin King assesses the cocktail situation at The Alchemist & Barrister and Agricola. Only one restaurant would prevail. h, the age of 21.

It is the capstone of collegiate birthdays — the one that graduates you from plastic cups of light beer to sit-down ambiance and professional mixology.

The portal to a whole new world of Princeton beckons to you, urging you to sip from its ridiculously tiny straws.

I did not have the alcohol tolerance or the budget to sample every establishment in town, so I stuck with the two hotspots on Witherspoon: The Alchemist & Barrister and Agricola. The latter was completely filled by 8 p.m., and my friend and I made our way to the A&B.

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A&B has two entrances, both lodged in a vaguely European alleyway. There are two dining rooms and a traditional pub to choose from, and we opted for the latter. The overall vibe of the dim taproom was quaintly casual, even homey. Someone was working on his laptop at the bar, and two middle-aged couples were on a double date with dark drafts. The hardwood furniture and tartan curtains would have made it quite easy to convince myself that I was in London, if not for the NationalsMets game playing on three flat screen TVs. The menu consisted primarily of wines and drafts, but being relatively ignorant in both these art forms, we chose to stick with the fruity specialty drinks. Of the eight options, I went for the Pear Martini ($10) and my friend chose the Apple Manhattan ($10).

The Pear Martini made a poor first impression purely because the outside glass was sticky all over.

That aside, it was a sweet (but far from cloying) concoction, topped with a rim of salt and sugar. The ingredients were Absolut Pear, Stoli vanilla vodka and fresh lemon, and while I admittedly could not taste lemon, the citrus must have contributed to the lightweight aftertaste that was all pear, little-to-no vodka. This is not to say that the alcohol was imperceptible, but the mix of two flavored liquors accentuated fruitiness and guaranteed minimal burn. Conclusion? Easily downed.

Unfortunately, the Apple Manhattan was not nearly as well received. It did not taste bad, per se, but of the ingredients — Wild Turkey whiskey, amaretto, sour apple pucker and cranberry juice — the overpowering one was Wild Turkey, and Wild Turkey alone. At best, it was Wild Turkey with a tinge of cough syrup. My friend and I left

this one mostly untouched, but to A&B’s credit, the bartender noticed this took it off our tab. Talk about great service!

Agricola was much less about the family-oriented service. What can you expect, though, from a place with marble tabletops, a bustling young crowd and cooler-thanthou bathroom sinks operated by pedals? To complement the fruity choices we made earlier, we ordered Aviation ($13), with Maraschino cherry liqueur, Greenhook gin, crème de violette and lemon, and Blood Rye Brew ($12), with blood orange, rye whiskey, Campari and white beer.

The Blood Rye Brew was a dangerous game: I am a huge fan of blood orange soda as well as whiskey, and this drink is a perfect balance of the two. The alcoholic taste was strong in the first sips, but the aftertaste alternates between the orange, which is left tingling on the tongue, and the whiskey, which settles somewhere deeper in

LIN KING :: STREET EDITOR

the throat. After a while, the white beer surfaces and there is a distinctive, almost mead-like undertone to the citrus.

Aviation, on the other hand, was an even bigger flop than the Apple Manhattan had been. It smelled sort of like spearmint, which I disregarded mostly for the aesthetic of the blue drink. The overpowering ingredient was gin, and the lemon, instead of lightening the gin, only brought out the sourness of the cherry and crème de violette — and not in a pleasant way. This, too, was

left mostly untouched, except with an extra loss of $3 and nobody to take it off our bill.

All in all, I loved the Pear Martini at A&B a bit more than I did the Blood Rye Brew, and hated Agricola’s Aviation a bit more than I did the Apple Manhattan. Don’t get me wrong — Agricola is an unrivaled choice for its delicious food and hip, flannel-clad waiters. But when it comes to latenight fun, the Alchemist & Barrister has my vote.

Winner: Alchemist & Barrister.

OREO PJ’S PANCAKE HOUSE VS. PANCAKES CHEEBURGER CHEEBURGER GRACE REHAUT Staff Writer

In this “food fight,” senior writer Grace Rehaut tries Oreo pancakes at both PJ’s Pancake House and Cheeburger Cheeburger. Though the review may be complete, the battle between the pancake stalwart and pancake upstart has only just begun. ere in Princeton, PJ’s Pancake House is iconic for its constant supply of pancakes and its one-of-a-kind web domain; fortunately, the hype surrounding this local breakfast (and allday!) favorite is fully deserved. On a rainy Tuesday night, drowning in work, I put my books aside and stopped by PJ’s cozy Nassau Street headquarters to give its most re-

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cent and most infamous concoction a try: Oreo pancakes. Though my expectations were not particularly high, these pancakes did not disappoint.

On paper, Oreo pancakes sound like an over-sweetened culinary disaster. Pancakes are already sugary enough, and I have more than once found myself wondering why the Oreos that make these pancakes so special could not just be substituted for classic (and far more dependable) chocolate chips.

Even more pressingly, Oreos and pancakes seem to me to be very respectable foods on their own — why would they need to be mixed?

As I would discover, however, Oreo

pancakes are no paradox — they are perfectly sinful, and PJ’s gets them perfectly right.

Light and fluffy, chock-full of soft Oreo chunks, these pancakes are the stuff of every student’s late-night comfort-food fantasies.

I ordered the half size, which got me three large pancakes for the fair price of $7.95. Soft and chewy, they absolutely hit the spot. PJ’s pancakes are what pancakes are meant to be, and with the addition of small Oreo bits, these ones are a culinary marvel. Though this sugary meal is not for the faint of heart, it makes a perfect dish for the stressed-out Princeton student in search of some ideally mindnumbing comfort food.

Princeton’s own Cheeburger Cheeburger restaurant on Nassau Street has gained a strong reputa-

ASK THE SEXPERT

tion as a retro-chic distributor of greasy cheeseburgers and sugary shakes, but in its culinary ventures into breakfast foods, it has found less success. Taking on the daring task of creating Oreo pancakes, Cheeburger Cheeburger has floundered where others have found more luck.

Though Cheeburger’s adaptation of Oreo pancakes is still worth a try, it simply does not match up to PJ’s pancake-making prowess. Dark and smaller, bordering on being slightly burnt, my pancakes from Cheeburger were not as sweet, light or fluffy as those from PJ’s. Even more concerning, though the display of the Cheeburger pancakes was far superior, featuring scattered Oreo bits and strawberries atop the pancakes, the Oreo concentration inside the Cheeburger

My girlfriend and I have been dating for several months, but we haven’t had sex yet, because she wants to save her virginity for marriage. However, she told me we could have anal sex, because “it doesn’t count.” I’m not really comfortable doing anal, but I want to be more intimate with her, and she wants to feel close to me as well. Should I just try it? What can we do?

— The Wait Might Be Over?

Dear Wait, There are times when what you want, or don’t want, won’t perfectly align with your partner’s wants — and that’s okay! For your girlfriend, her want is saving her virginity for marriage; for you, it is not having anal sex. The most important part is that you are communicating your desires or boundaries and respecting each other’s. It is also important to note that preferences can change over time, so it is good to revisit the conversation every once in a while.

That said, there are tons of activities that you and your girlfriend might agree to engage in while respecting each other’s wishes. To

clarify, it sounds like your girlfriend is talking about “saving her virginity” to mean avoiding vaginal intercourse until marriage. The term “virginity” is often deeply personal and can mean very different things to different people — ranging from complete abstinence from all sexual activity to abstinence solely from vaginal penetration by a penis.

If the latter is the case for your girlfriend, there are other options for physical intimacy and sexual pleasure that do not involve penile penetration. Outercourse, or nonpenetrative genital touching, is always an option. For example, you and your girlfriend could engage in mutual masturbation, using your hands to stimulate each other, or you could also engage in oral sex.

Remember, in sexual activities where you may come in contact with each other’s bodily fluids, use barrier methods (e.g., condoms, dental dams). Even if your partner has not engaged in sexual intercourse before, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be transmitted through other activities.

While anal sex is not something you want to try now, if you might consider it in the future, here are some tips for making it safer: Use lubrication to increase comfort and decrease friction; go slowly

and introduce fingers one at a time to loosen the entrance of the anus; and use a barrier method, such as a male/external condom or a female/ internal condom with the inner ring removed to increase protection against STIs. Moreover, there are plenty of ways to feel close to someone without engaging in sexual activity!

Think of your family and friends; though the relationships are obviously different, you are able to display to them your respect and appreciation in platonic ways. You and your girlfriend could offer each other massages, which can be sensual and affectionate without sexual contact. Cuddling or trying new experiences together, such as eating a new cuisine or exploring a new city are also other options. Intimacy doesn’t have to be sexual to exist. It can simply be about existing together and sharing your lives.

— The Sexpert Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert is always looking for members of the community to join the team of sexual health educators who, along with fact-checking from University health professionals, help write these columns. Email sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com for more information and questions about sexual health. Don’t be shy!

Cheeburger’s young breakfast career. Perhaps this Princeton staple should stick to what it does best — (chee)burgers.

Winner: PJ’s Pancake House.

GRACE REHAUT :: STAFF WRITER

FIT TIPS healthy study-eating

This week, she discusses “first time from behind.”

Dear Sexpert,

pancakes was far lower than that of the PJ’s pancakes.

As we all know, when it comes to Oreos, more is always better; jot this down as a fatal flaw for

NICOLE BUNYAN Staff Writer

W

hat is it about studying, libraries and papers that make you want to do anything else but deal with them? And by anything else, I mean constant snacking.

But snacking, combined with long periods of sitting at a desk, can add up — especially if you’ve been spending long hours in the library working on your R2, JP or of course… the dreaded t-word. So, if you’ve found yourself with a case (or several cases) of the munchies, check out these tips to keep your mind sharp and your body strong.

1. Set water goals. When I study, I make a point of making sure I am constantly drinking water throughout the day. This not only helps keep “fake” hunger pangs at bay, it also helps keep my mind sharp and alert. Plus, it forces me to get up and take mini breaks to go to the bathroom! It’s a quick trip, but I find that a little break every hour or so helps clear my head.

2. Keep the snacks light. I’ll admit, sometimes that history reading is just more interesting with food by your side. And if you’re trying to get through that entire book before seminar tomorrow,

chances are you’ll be at it for a while, meaning you’ll be needing a substantial amount of sustenance! However, snack foods like chips and candy can make you feel mentally and physically lethargic, which will only make your reading drag on for a longer period of time.

If you need something to munch on to keep your brain working hard, opt for something lighter, such as popcorn, grapes or baby carrots. All three of these foods are much better for you than Cheez-Its or Peach-O’s, so you don’t have to worry too much about polishing off the entire bag (oops… guilty!).

3. Give yourself a small reward. I don’t usually study with mounds of chocolate by my side because I know that I will end up turning all my attention toward the delicious treat and away from my work. That being said, I’ve found it quite comforting to come back to my room after a long session in the library and be able to enjoy a small piece of chocolate or after grabbing a couple of Murray Dodge cookies on the way home.

Knowing I have something to look forward to at the end of the night makes the task at hand seem much less daunting!

4. Get caffeinated (or have an-

other comforting drink). Seriously. Unless you see caffeine as a “drug” (hey — those people, a.k.a. my dad, exist!), or absolutely hate the taste, I really suggest you give it a shot. For me, now sometimes it’s not even about the caffeine content so much as the act of sitting down with my coffee, opening my computer and getting to work.

Having that ritual really helps me focus, and I feel comforted with my lovely U-Store or Wawa coffee by my side. If you’re not into coffee, that’s fine too! You can substitute just about anything else, as long as it motivates you to commit to working. By that I mean it’s probably best to stay away from beverages you might ordinarily consume on a Thursday night and instead opt for tea, juice or even gum!

While these tips will hopefully help you keep a focused and healthy mind, remember that it is natural for your body to crave high-fat and high-sugar foods during times of stress! So if you find yourself in the middle of thesis crunch mode at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night, and someone’s just brought you a gigantic chocolate chip cookie from Olives (ahem — I highly recommend it), go for it. I most definitely did!

The Daily Princetonian

Thursday April 9, 2015

page s4

“Eyes Up High in the Redwood Tree” celebrates Ken Kesey CAROLINE HERTZ Senior Writer

F

rom its first moments — when Ken Kesey leaps out of the audience onto a stage patterned with light, sporting a fraying straw hat, the poetry of e.e. cummings still lingering in his mouth — Annika Bennett ’15’s new play “Eyes Up High In the Redwood Tree” reveals its intention to tell two stories at once: one personal, the other generational.

And so you embark on a two-and-a-halfhour long acid trip that both charts the fluctuation of Kesey’s personal allegiances (to tribe or to family?) and documents how this spiritual guru (perhaps best known for his work “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) shaped an entire generation full of readers, writers and activists. Every aspect of this production devotes itself to giving the sense that everyone in the theater is on one collective trip: We’re warned in the program about strobe lights, anachronism and vampire bats. The run time is listed as “somewhere between two hours and 50-70 years, depending on how you look at it.” The pre-show features Kesey (Matt Seely ’15) speaking into a mic that distorts his voice, reading from a book of poetry and heckling the crowd. Throughout the play, voice amplification and distortion is used to mimic the distortion of the senses under drug influence. It’s less historical fiction, more historical fancy.

The play mostly follows Kesey and his band of tripped out, hippie-esque followers, who travel by renegade school-bus from their colorful, ragtag camp in Oregon to New York City for the release of Kesey’s second book. But the route is far from linear, and the story is constantly looping forward to give us flashes of the future — where, decades later, each of Kesey’s followers is still struggling to make sense of that ecstatic summer.

“Eyes Up High” is one of the rare student-written plays that receives a fullyproduced, fully-designed, department-

funded run in the vast Berlind Theatre.

And what a production: the set in particular is an effusive, kaleidoscopic optical illusion, continually recreating itself into forest commune, jail cell or school bus. The lavishly finger-painted jumble of elements may seem like a hodgepodge, but there’s intelligent form within the seeming formlessness, and each element transforms with delicious cleverness to carry us forward. It’s an exciting endeavor — the entire team, including director and Lewis Center theater professor Tim Vasen, had just a few short weeks to put this piece together, with playwright Bennett busily revising every day as the rehearsal process revealed new insights. Bennett originally hails from the same town as Kesey, and her personal connection to the man is apparent: though a few doubts and reservations come up along the way, “Eyes Up High” nevertheless truly believes in the euphoric communitarian spirit it exalts.

We share the joy of the blissed-out members of this forest commune.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ‘Eyes Up High In the Redwood Tree’ Pros: Gripping themes, beautiful

language.

Cons: Occasionally sluggish.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Thematically, the question of celebrity looms large. For these people, including a journalist who tags along for the summer fun, Kesey is a literary and cultural messiah. His ideas dominate their lives — quite literally for one character, who is gradually turning into paper as he in-

spires more and more of Kesey’s written work. At one point, one of Kesey’s followers, charmingly named Junebug, voices her discomfort that their commune is so far from egalitarian. “It’s his trip,” she complains, and this production dedicates itself to upholding that point of view.

Kesey directs all the stage magic: “It’s night,” he commands, and immediately the lights go blue and crickets begin to sound.

He asks for light, and when a spotlight snaps to attention, he purrs, “That’s gorgeous, thanks.”

The surrounding characters speak not as themselves, but as Kesey’s versions of them. Filtered through Kesey’s consciousness, they all speak a touch more playfully and a touch more opulently than ordinary mortals. At one point, the pregnant Junebug (Maeli Goren ’15) confides in Carrie Ann (another Kesey follower, played by Evelyn Giovine ’16), about how she wakes up with the unsaid words of her baby tucked under her tongue, its jumbled phrases caught in her eyelashes — about how frightened she is of the baby’s impatience with the fact that she cannot understand it. The language, sacred and vibrant, is one of the most successful qualities of Bennett’s promising work. Kesey is represented as the self-absorbed creator, the source of a constant silly-string flow of imagination that transforms the stage. The play manages to celebrate Kesey’s imagination while keeping a critical distance from his ego, and it achieves this in large part through the character of Kesey’s wife Viv, played by Anna Aronson ’16. The victim of Kesey’s selfish, relentless neglect, Viv does her best to maintain some semblance of a home while he’s away. A major question

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Things to tell pre-frosh

Princeton is great.

COURTESY OF WARREN RIEUTORT-LOUIS

in this play is whether Viv’s building resentment over Kesey’s abandonment will inhibit their reconciliation when Kesey finally goes home to her.

There’s a considerable amount of fat that needs to be trimmed from this play, which sometimes second-guesses whether its thematic point has landed and needlessly reiterates itself. And two and a half hours of attention without an intermission is no small favor to ask of an audience. But the exultant humanity of this play is hard to resist, and why would you want to? At one point in the show, Ken Kesey asks, “Isn’t it all true? Even if it didn’t happen?”

This play is still in development; there are bumps that need smoothing, places where the play doesn’t quite “happen” the way it wants to. But more than that, this play is True. And on account of that, it deserves our attention.

DISIAC STUNS WITH “NOVUM” HEATHER GRACE

Contributing Photographer

N

ovum means a new thing in Latin, and that’s what diSiac promises to bring to its spring show, hosted this year in R ichardson Auditorium. Here’s a sneak peek at what promises to be an electrifying showcase of talent.

2 4 6 8 10

I love it here.

No, I really do.

We have close to no homework, ever.

I do not drink five coffees a day.

Social stratification is not a thing here.

There are effective measures to prevent underage drinking.

I do not wish I were in California.

I got into Stanford, though, FYI. I know all the words to “Old Nassau.”

CAMPUS PICKS EVENT: EVENT: ADTHIS PRESENTS “REACH 2015: GENERATIONS” Robertson Hall Saturday at 9:30 AM

If you’re interested in marketing, big brands or free stuff, then Advertise This’ second annual conference, “REACH 2015: Generations” may just be for you. Spend the day listening to an array of speakers from prestigious companies such as Nike, Google, Audi, Bacardi, Venmo, Buzzfeed, the New York Times and more! Breakfast and lunch are included with the price of your $1o ticket, (independents — jump on this!), and you’ll have the opportunity to receive sponsored merchandise as well. Tickets must be purchased at Frist Box Office in advance, and registering tickets online is encouraged.

MUSIC: TIGERLILLIES PRESENTS “LILS THROUGH THE AGES” Chancellor Green Library Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Want to listen to all the hits, a cappella style, in the most Instagram-able space possible? Well, now you can! Tigerlillies, Princeton’s first female a cappella group, will be presenting their spring concert, “Lils through the Ages,” in Chancellor Green Library, on Saturday night. They’ll be featuring a variety of songs, including hits by Bruce Springsteen and Katy Perry. The Tigerlillies will be joined by Pennchants, UPenn’s premier male a cappella group, so there’s even more reason to attend!

POETRY: CHINESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION PRESENTS “AN EVENING WITH SPOKEN WORD POET PHIL KLAYE” Mathey Common Room Friday, 9 p.m.

HEADLINERS AND HEADSHAKERS headlines you didn’t read this week DAILY PRINCETONIAN STAFF

Reduction in number of senior reunio ns wristbands confirmed, sparks stude nt outrage U. acquires iTunes library of French philosopher Jacques Derrida, sparks student outrage Temperature drops down to low 40s after two days of beautiful weather, sparks student outrage

CLASS OF 2019 ADMITTED, E SPARKS STUDENT OUTRAG P/D/F and spring term course drop deadline this week, sparks student outrage parties, Rutgers bans fraternity and sorority ) sparks student outrage (somewhere

In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, spoken word poet Phil Klaye will headline an evening of poetry in the Mathey Common Room. Featured on NPR and at Lincoln Center, Klaye’s poetry helped him discover his racial and cultural identity as the son of a Jewish-American father and a Japanese mother. Klaye will be joined

by Princeton’s own Ellipses slam poetry team. The event is coordinated by the Chinese Student Association, in conjunction with the Fields Center, the Edwards Collective and the Program in American Studies.

DANCE: PRINCETON UNIVERSITY BALLET PRESENTS “PUB 102” New South Dance Studio Friday, 3:30 p.m.

So you think you can dance? No matter your answer to that question, Princeton University Ballet (PUB) is prepared to teach you ballet in a course titled “PUB 102.”

The second of a semi-annual course for ballet beginners, the workshop will prepare you to move with poise and grace on the dance floor at Houseparties. Don’t worry, attendance at the first workshop, PUB 101, is not required to attend PUB 102.