Halo Pub and Thomas Sweets satisfy students' sweet tooth

College is a time for consuming lots of ice cream, and, fortunately, Princeton students have a particular advantage in this area, with two tempting ice cream shops in walking distance from campus, Thomas Sweets and Halo Pub.

Thomas Sweet, nicknamed "T-Sweets," is colorful, inviting and the perfect place for ice cream-lovers of all ages to let loose and indulge their sweet tooth in a manner usually limited to children.

T-Sweets seems to be favored by a younger crowd and seems to be more popular among students than Halo Pub. While many Princeton students have never been to or even heard of Halo Pub, T-Sweets, conveniently located next to 185 Nassau, is a favorite destination for late night treats, afternoon snacks and study breaks.

The daytime crowd usually consists of a handful of kids and their grownup escorts, but at night the place is always packed, with lines out the door and the tables inside and outdoors all taken.

Unfortunately, an over-the-top mural depicting some type of candy land we know we all have dreamed about seems to have been removed over the summer, and in its place are two comparatively sedate renderings of the storefront.

The somewhat controversial funhouse mirror, however, remains. While some may argue that a mirror that makes everyone look short and fat has no place in an ice cream shop, I would encourage taking a glance in it. You'll be surprised how quickly you'll start giggling, which is how every T-Sweets experience deserves to be started.

The offerings at T-Sweets include all the basics, but also range from the exotic, like Eastern Chai, to the extravagant, like Moose Tracks, Cookie Monster, or one of my own personal favorite, the Elvis Special — banana ice cream with swirls of peanut butter and chunks of chocolate fudge.

Most of the flavors can be made with any of the candy, fruit or nut toppings finely blended in (ingeniously called a "Blend-in"), which alters the original flavor in a way that traditionally placed toppings will never do, allowing for a myriad of creative opportunities and personalized T-Sweets taste sensations. For whenever your inner child is feeling particularly rebellious, only at T-Sweets can you order Oreo ice cream with Snickers Cruncher blended in and M & M's and whipped cream on top, without feeling any qualms.

While the quality of the ice cream is obviously top notch, it is really the creativity and variety that reign at T-Sweets.

The options can sometimes be quite overwhelming, so it is good to have a personal favorite to fall back on. Whenever that's the case, or when I feel pressured to decide what to order immediately —which can happen relatively often, as the employers don't like to keep their long line of customers waiting — I opt for cinnamon ice cream blended with almonds, an original flavor I have yet to replicate anywhere else.

T-Sweets also offers a variety of shakes, sundaes, frozen yogurt and homemade chocolates, of which there is a larger variety at their Palmer Square location. Customized ice cream cakes can be ordered as well.

In terms of ambiance, Halo Pub and T-Sweets are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Designed to look like an old-style pub, Halo Pub's interior is decorated with lots of dark wood, with one wall covered with many charming paintings of cows, each one with a different antique-looking frame.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

When you step into Halo Pub, an instinctive reaction is to automatically fall silent, taking the time to muse over which flavors sound interesting, quietly absorbing the elegant and soothing environment.

The décor is so well done, that one is easily convinced that Halo Pub offers the highest quality ice cream available. At Halo Pub, ice cream isn't simply ice cream, it is "Ye olde hard stuff;" soft-serve isn't merely soft-serve, but is "draught ice cream."

Yet none of this feels at all kitschy. The pub-like atmosphere definitely makes you feel slightly cooler for choosing Halo Pub, as if you have discovered a secret that only connoisseurs know about. Next to Halo Pub, T-Sweets seems like the McDonald's of ice cream stores.

Appropriately, the crowd at Halo Pub is decidedly more sophisticated, mostly consisting of older couples and women carrying shopping bags boasting recent purchased at the upscale boutiques across the street.

The flavors of "Ye olde hard stuff" are divided into categories such as "the simple but elegant," "the liquors and liqueurs," "the heath bars," and even the "We'll never make," which includes Tutti Frutti and Bubble Gum.

Some of the more uncommon flavors offered at Halo Pub are Strawberry Amaretto, Chocolate Hazelnut, Raspberry Peach and a peanut-lover's ultimate fantasy, Peanut Paradise — a blend of vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and dark chocolate-covered peanuts. The saltiness of the peanut butter and the crunchy bitterness of the chocolate peanuts perfectly offset the sweet lusciousness of the ice cream.

All the flavors at Halo Pub are intensely creamy, so those with a low tolerance for decadence should be forewarned. The serving sizes are comparatively modest (it is even possible to get a half-scoop serving, a mere two ounces of ice cream, for a dollar), which makes it possible to fully enjoy your portion without being too overwhelmed by the richness. A small cup is just enough to savor every last drop while wishing you had one more bite left, without feeling like you've overdone it.

Shakes can be made with any flavor of ice cream, and lower calorie "draught ice cream" is available too, with the calorie content per ounce listed beneath each flavor, a move only Halo Pub can get away with without succumbing to tackiness. Halo Pub also serves a selection of baked goods and coffee and espresso drinks.

Princeton students are fortunate to have two equally superior, yet distinctive, ice cream shops so close to campus, each one serving high quality ice cream with character.