College Park is in desperate need of some quality places to get your grub on. Where do you want to go grab some dinner? The standard answers are normally Jason’s, Noodles, Chipotle, or Jimmy Johns, but after the first month of school our appetites are craving diversity. There are shadily great places to eat within a few minutes from campus that your average student might not know about.
Here’s a rundown of a few places you could take the time to explore:
A prized hidden gem is a family owned Thai and American restaurant called Siri’s Chef’s Secret located at 5810 Greenbelt Road, a few minutes drive from campus. The owners are a Thai couple named Siri and Sutti. All of the recipes were handed down from Siri’s mother and Sutti takes care of the design, décor and presentation of the dishes. If you are looking for high-quality authentic Thai food, Chef Secret is a must. The yummy food pictured is from their website http://sirichef.webs.com.
Another pretty unknown treasure is Yogi Castle, basically Yogi Berry but on steroids. It is located right down the street in Hyattsville at 5501 Baltimore Avenue. Yogi Castle has six locations around Maryland and one in D.C. They, have over 30 flavors of non-fat frozen yogurt as well as other low-fat options. Favorite flavors include red velvet cake, Reese’s peanut butter, cake batter, Irish mint, New York Cheesecake, and every fruit flavor you could imagine.
If you think the flavors sound intriguing, wait till you try the toppings. Cookie dough, raspberry chocolate and fresh fruits are just some of the infinite possibilities awaiting you at Yogi Castle.
“It is actually heaven,” said junior psychology major Keara McMahon. “I would drive to Yogi Castle over walking to Yogi Berry any day.”
In the same shopping center there is an Elevation Burger and a Busboys and Poets. Busboy’s has two locations in D.C., one in Virginia and just opened in Hyattsville. The restaurant is named after American poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy before getting recognized. Every day and night there are events hosted at the restaurant where activists and poets come to express their ideas on race, politics and culture. There is also a bookstore and bar located at the restaurant, which would give students a very different dining experience.
Craving charbroiled chicken? Beltsville has it at Sardi’s Pollo a la Brasa on 10433 Baltimore Avenue, near the new Wawa. A favorite among locals, their chicken has brought a few students up Route 1. Oren Goodman, a senior finance major and a serious eater said he usually goes in groups of 20 guys with his fraternity. “Their portions are huge, you won’t finish you meal,” Goodman said. “Their sauces are amazing.”
Ollie’s Grill right in town across from CVS has been getting a lot of hype from students lately. “It’s different from the rest of the food around the area, and one of the only good Middle Eastern options,” said junior psychology major Nilo Fallah-Sohy. “Their French fries are banging.”
If you go to see a movie and are craving a sit-down American meal, Hank’s Tavern and Eats right outside Hyattsville Regal Royal Theatre is a must. They offer dozens of American classics and have a large bar.
The last glistening gem is a Chinese restaurant at 7701 Greenbelt Road. Royal Jade will remind you of your hometown Chinese restaurant and is a nice break from Panda and Shanghai. “If you go there to eat, you get these fried wontons as appetizers with great sauces,” said junior journalism major Jason Brendler, “It is the best Chinese food around by far.”