For the third night in a row, it’s a Sodexo cheeseburger for dinner. The burgers never quite satisfy a hardworking student’s hunger, but nothing else looks appetizing when it’s been served so often.
Suddenly, another student walks by with a plate of what looks like a gravy mountain. It appears tastier and much more filling than the cheeseburger.
The gravy-drenched “Loco Moco” is one of the off-menu items available to students.
“On the grill, we’re pretty open to requests,” said dining hall meal server Aaron Cross.
The dining hall operates using a cyclical menu, serving the same meals every two to three weeks. This schedule can make meals repetitive for those who take advantage of only a few stations.
“Most people get into a routine and go to the same stations every day,” Cross said. “They come in and head to the first ones they see right in front of them.”
Try these student recommendations to inspire your own mouthwatering creations.
Loco Moco
Ingredients: Rice, two beef patties, an over easy egg and gravy.
Directions: Request from the grill and wait for this popular and filling Hawaiin food.
Gravy Grenade
Ingredients: One large dinner roll and soup or gravy.
Directions: Take a dinner roll from one of the meal stations and pull bread from the middle to make it hollow. Fill the new bowl with soup or ask for gravy from the classics station when carved turkey or pork loin is served.
Breakfast sandwich
Ingredients: Bagel or English muffin, eggs and flat sausage.
Directions: Toast a bagel or English muffin. Add eggs and sausage as desired from the breakfast bar. Optional cheese can be requested from the omelet bar or chili during Sunday brunch.
Make-your-own panini
Ingredients: Your choice of bread and sandwich fillings.
Directions: Order a sandwich from the deli bar, choosing any combination of meat and cheese. Swiss cheese and hummus makes a delicious vegetarian panini. Press sandwich into the panini maker and wait until the bread is toasted and cheese melts.
Monkey Bread
Ingredients: Bread, butter, cinnamon and banana.
Directions: Toast a slice of bread. Spread butter over toast and add cinnamon sugar. Cut a banana into slices and cover toast’s buttered surface. Drizzle honey if desired.
Arroz con Leche
Ingredients: White rice, milk and cinnamon.
Directions: Fill a cup with rice. Add milk for desired consistency. Sprinkle cinnamon on top for this creamy Latin American dessert.
Perfect pairs
- Peanut butter and vanilla frozen yogurt.
- Orange soda and vanilla frozen yogurt.
- Peaches and oatmeal.
- Apple and caramel sauce.
- Breadsticks and salad bar olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
