As an English major and an avid reader, Strand Bookstore in Union Square is by far my favorite place to be when I’m not working or in school. With books priced as low as $1, I always end up walking out with a bag filled with great literature that amounts to less than $20. I went out to Strand this past Monday to pick up some readings and caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar café named The Bean. I’m a 100% loyal customer to Starbucks and their caffeinated drinks, so buying coffee elsewhere is always a rare thing for me. However, my experience at The Bean has completely changed my narrow-minded view on coffee.

Decorated with pieces of art spread across its brick walls featuring couch-style seating along the windows, The Bean exudes a vintage flare with an air of artsy-smart. I was greeted by friendly waitresses who recommend some of the café’s highlight drinks and desserts. I decided upon the Mona Lisa, an original frappe drink mixed with espresso, frappe mix, and milk. The Mona Lisa comes in different flavors–caramel, white chocolate, and mocha– and I decided to go with the mocha for my first. The frappe was a phenomenal blend of sweet and creamy, with the deep coffee taste of espresso–perfect for a hot day in the city. Frappes are drinks that people tend to consume only once in a while because of their high calorie count; however, the Mona Lisa is a low-fat drink that tastes just as sweet as a regular frappe, freeing me from the guilt of calorie binging.

I was also given a chai latte after having been told that The Bean took great pride in their chai. I’m not a big fan of chai, especially because of the notoriously spicy taste. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by The Bean’s take on the drink. Using the best blend of chai tea from David Rio, The Bean’s chai latte isn’t overpowering, but rather filled with a sweet milky-creamy flavor that I crave during the cold winters. If you’ve been holding back on chai for the same reasons I did, I guarantee The Bean’s chai will turn your chai-empty life upside down. With four different types available (original, vanilla, non-fat, and decaf), I’m eager return to The Bean so that I can indulge in my new favorite drink.

The Bean also offers a wide selection of baked goods, sandwiches, and salads, all of which are vegan friendly as well. I had the chance to try one of their sunshine cupcakes, and I absolutely loved the fluffy, light, and moist cake and its frosting. Everything in The Bean is definitely healthy and perfect for vegans who want to enjoy a range of delicious food and desserts. Usually packed to the brim with customers, The Bean is a great place to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee with a good read or catch up with a friend. With its friendly service and quality foods and drinks, The Bean is perfect for café junkies like me, and I will definitely be taking another trip to Union Square for their chai latte.

Visit The Bean with a friend to get a free latte or cappuccino using this coupon from the Campus Clipper!

Becky Kim, Queens College, Read my blog and follow me on Twitter
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As a lover of the arts and travel, I’ve always dreamed of studying abroad or traveling across Europe. Sure, NYC is beautiful; the aesthetic beauty found in everything – literally everything – is exactly what I’ve been yearning for while living in the city that never sleeps. But I still want to experience and absorb the beauties found in European architecture and, of course, the traditional European cuisine. Because I haven’t had the opportunity to go abroad to Europe, I’ve been satisfying my cravings for anything European through the restaurants and cafés within my city. Having said that, I recently had the pleasure of enjoying crepes, a type of French dessert, at the Crepe Café in 14^th street.

This petite café features charming interior designs spread across the walls, and baskets full of fresh fruits and vegetables line the counter to show that they serve their customers only the freshest ingredients. With four different categories of crepes and an infinite number of drinks, Crepe Café offers some variety while still focusing on its main item–crepes. Bo, one of my co-interns, and I each started off with a drink. She decided on the Sunny Day smoothie, an iced blended drink with fresh orange, mango, and banana, and I ordered the almond bubble milk tea with pearl tapioca. Both of our drinks were made fresh and on the spot. The smoothie was well-blended with a mix of sweet, sour, and tropical tastes, cool enough to fight off the summer heat, while the almond bubble tea was creamy and milky, with just the right amount of well-soaked pearl tapioca.

As for the crepes, Bo and I started with the chicken and mozzarella, one of the savory varieties. I was surprised by Crepe Café’s extremely hearty servings, with crepes much larger than those of many other New York creperies. The chicken and mozzarella crepe consisted of fresh spinach as well, adding an extra freshness to the already savory and cheesy dish. The combination of chewy chicken breast with the rich mozzarella cheese under a bed of thin crepe sheets had an addicting taste that kept both of us wanting more. We therefore followed this up with the Nutella fresh strawberry and banana crepe. The Nutella crepe was packed with fresh fruits and a heaping amount of Nutella spread across the crepe sheets. With the sour strawberries mixed in with sweet Nutella and bananas, this dessert crepe was the perfect finishing touch to our meal.

Chicken and Mozzarella Crepe

Nutella Fresh Strawberry & Banana Crepe

Crepe Café has such an extensive list of crepes and drinks that I’m already looking forward to going back to try some different combinations. With a firm emphasis on  fresh ingredients, Crepe Café definitely offers the best for its customers. I’m confident that almost everyone will find something to suit their tastes at Crepe Café, particularly in light of the variety of the menu and sizable portions. Crepe Café is a great place to go for lunch or tea with your friends, especially after a long day of classes – its crepes and refreshing drinks should help you unwind from your stress.

Enjoy a free bubble tea or smoothie with a purchase of any crepe at Crepe Cafe using this coupon from the Campus Clipper!

Becky Kim, Queens College, Read my blog and follow me on Twitter
Click here to download the Campus Clipper iTunes App!
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Summer is the time for picnics; picnic season means it’s time for barbeques. While growing up in Korea, the term “barbeque” only meant the zesty sauce that McDonald’s gave out with my four-piece chicken nuggets. It was only after moving to the states that I came to understand the origin of this word. After indulging in my first barbeque during a summer night in California, lounging around in my uncle’s backyard, I realized that America was the land of good food. Barbeque involves cooking meat slowly over a smoked fire and then covering it in a sweet and tangy sauce. Despite my love for classic barbeque, I’d been disappointed in my food search in NYC– until I visited BBQue’s Smoke Shack on 6th avenue.

Upon walking into the restaurant, I instantly fell in love with the barn-meets-cowboy interior, southern antique pictures hanging upon walls of wooden logs. The menu is filled with traditional southern foods, ranging from pulled pork to collard greens. Joe Cutolo, the owner of BBQue’s Smoke Shack, briefly explained the menu, recommending the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. In Cutolo’s own words, BBQue’s Smoke Shack is “great BBQ served fast, and an alternative to fast food”. With its focus on only pit smoked barbeque meat untainted by preservatives, its no wonder the restaurant is enjoying its current popularity. Hordes of people people came in seeking meat and went out laden with trays of pulled pork sandwiches.

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Coleslaw and Waffle Fries

Stuffed Burger with American Cheese

My meal came out quickly and I was able to dig into the famous pulled pork sandwich. I quickly understood just why Joe had recommended this to me after the first bite. This was BBQue’s Smoke Shack’s finest, with the pit smoked taste fully integrated into every part of the pork mixed with their special barbeque sauce; I knew that this was the type of barbeque I’d been searching for. Tender meat, fresh and tangy homemade coleslaw, crunchy waffle fries: this was the perfect combination of a well-done southern meal. My friend had opted for their stuffed burger and waffle fries, which she said was cooked to perfection as well. We sat in silence as we buried our faces in our trays of food, only lifting our heads up to tell each other of how great the meal was.

With its options of dine-in, take-out, or delivery, BBQue’s Smoke Shack might be a busy, hungry college student’s dream come true. BBQue’s Smoke Shack will also be incorporating draft beer and wine into its menu soon, opening up its drink selection to a wider variety of customers. Personally, I think a cool, refreshing cup of beer is just the thing to go with the restaurant’s zesty sandwiches. I also loved the laidback ambiance and friendly service, and I can’t wait to return to try their Smoke Shack ribs and more of their southern styled sides. Offering flavored wings and platters of pulled meats as well, their classic barbeque menu is enough to remind students of the barbeques they had with their families back at home. My experience at BBQue’s Smoke Shack was fantastic and has convinced me that quality doesn’t have to be sacrificed for speed of preparation. So take a trip down to BBQue’s Smoke Shack– it’s a meal worth the subway ride.

Becky Kim, Queens College, Read my blog and follow me on Twitter

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Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions and follow our Tumblr and Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book