Coming to Brandeis as a freshman, I heard the excitement and anticipation for Sodexo from numerous returning students. Maybe not impressed, but I was definitely satisfied with the food at Sherman, where I spent my first few mealtimes. The grilled chicken is restaurant-quality, the sweet potato fries are always a pleasant surprise, and I can’t complain about mini sushi plates. The salad bar is always filled with fresh, unique options from shredded carrots to bean salads. Even if it is only melon, there is always fresh fruit available. If one wants to eat healthy, it is definitely always possible at every meal. Of course, there are even more opportunities to gain the freshman 15 with fresh fries with deliciously plastic cheese sauce and pizza bagels are always plentiful at Sherman—no complaints. While some days there are more options than others, I have never left Sherman hungry, as the concept guarantees.
As Brandeis is very friendly to various dietary needs and restrictions, the rest of us are found overwhelmed with options and plates. My typical meal at Sherman includes at least 3 or 4 plates: my sushi plate, my Simple Servings plate, my regular food plate, and my Kosher tray. Perhaps I have a soup bowl as well and of course an ice cream bowl at the end. While I understand the purpose of having so many separate stations at Sherman, someone like me, who eats everything, is easily annoyed by having to separate the foods I get from each station.
Upon my first visit to Usdan, I was so excited to see the amount of options available. Few, however, ended up impressing me. Looking at the Mexican station menu, I was ecstatic that a Chipotle substitute was on campus! I ordered a chicken burrito bowl, which came as a snack-sized portion of terrible quality. The rice was mushy and bland, the beans were dry, the cheese was heavily processed and the salsa could barely mask the flavorlessness. The sushi is the hidden gem in Usdan—I am not a seafood eater but even the vegetable sushi was better than what I anticipated. Too bad, of course, we can’t use a meal for it.
Eating on weekends can be a bit of a hassle, as Usdan hours don’t seem to make sense. The upper level is closed entirely on Saturdays and doesn’t open until 7pm on Sundays. The lower level is still serving pancakes at the Mexican station and omelets at the sandwich station by 3pm on weekends, so it’s nearly impossible to get a real meal. Even when the Usdan hours state it should be open, there’s a good 40 percent chance it won’t be—they seem to run on their own schedule.
I heard from an upper-classman that the dining halls used to be one of the biggest student employers on campus. As I am currently job searching, I am disappointed to find they are not hiring students. We should be a self-run campus and it is unfortunate we have an entire dining staff leaving no opportunity for student workers. Hopefully they will open job opportunities to students in the near future.
College food is notoriously unhealthy and horrible, but I am satisfied with the options that Brandeis offers. No matter if you are Kosher, vegetarian, vegan, or allergic to a vast number of ingredients, you will not starve here. As a school created under the value of being accepting of everyone, our food definitely reflects such. Â