Even without papier-mâché dementors and floating candles, Suwannee Dining Hall looks like the Great Hall at Hogwarts. On the night of Oct. 21, FSU’s dining hall was transformed into a Harry Potter fan’s paradise. The first 200 meal plan holders to arrive at the banquet received a complimentary wand before walking through Platform 9 ¾. Upon stepping into the Great Hall in Harry Potter, students were sorted into their Houses before taking a seat at one of many long tables.
The main event of the night was the food itself. Each section of Suwanee was themed to an eating establishment from the Harry Potter series; for example, the dessert bar became Honeydukes and the homestyle grill became The Hog’s Head. At each location, the dining hall’s chefs—who sadly did not don Dobby ears as I had hoped—prepared unique meals inspired by the books and films.
As Her Campus FSU’s resident Potterhead, I eagerly attended dinner on an empty stomach with my wand in hand. Here’s how I rated most of the food items offered at the feast.
Shepherd’s Pie: Four stars
We’re starting off strong with the most book-accurate item of the night. Harry didn’t enjoy his slice much in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, but I enjoyed mine! I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the meat, which is a rare compliment as far as Suwannee steaks go. My favorite aspect of the Shepherd’s Pie were the two forms of potatoes used: mashed and shredded. Bold? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely. The Shepherd’s Pie loses a star because it included an egregious amount of mushrooms.
Roast Beef and (Singular) Potato: Two stars
Just when I had foolishly gathered some hope about the quality of the beef tonight, the roast beef brought me back to reality. It was dry, bland and overall flavorless. My potato singlehandedly saved this meal—literally. I was served one half of a potato.
Fish and Chips: Five stars
Third entree’s the charm, they say! I cannot rave anymore about the Leaky Cauldron’s fish and chips. I usually steer clear of Suwannee’s fish selection, but I ran straight towards these deliciously battered fish fillets. They tasted fresh, crispy and juicy. This is hands-down the best fish I have ever eaten on campus. 10 points to the chefs!
Harry Birthday Cupcake: Zero stars
One bite of this made me feel like the girl who takes Puking Pastilles outside of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes in The Half-Blood Prince: green and continuously vomiting into a bucket. I somehow picked up this monstrosity’s flavor profile as I forced it down; I can’t be sure, but I believe it was a sriracha-spiked chocolate cupcake with chocolate peanut butter frosting. The ingredients sound great individually, but when combined, they taste like a dirt-covered slug. These aberrations were placed by plain vanilla cupcakes 45 minutes into dinner, which was definitely the safest choice for all attendees.
Spiced Apple Parfait: Four stars
This parfait tasted like autumn in a cup. The sugary whipped cream offset the strong cinnamon glaze from the apples. It was fruity, light and warm. Luna Lovegood would be proud.
Pumpkin Pasties: Three and a half stars
The “pumpkin pasties” were false advertising at its finest; they were actually brownies topped with cream cheese. So not pumpkin pasties. They were heavenly nonetheless! But, because they didn’t taste like pumpkin in the slightest, they receive three and a half stars.
I wish I could have tried Ron’s favorite corned beef sandwich, but my Hagrid-sized appetite was filled by the end of the night. I had a wonderful time pretending to live out my Gryffindor fantasy. Seminole Dining did a fantastic job of adding a touch of magic to the fall season!
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