This year, I swear that I have found the most rewarding way to spend flex points. I unironically think that Decio Cafe has changed my life. Last year, I was a naive freshman and confined my flex point usage to Modern Market, Star Ginger, ABP, the Huddle and Subway. However, thanks to divine intervention, I stumbled upon Decio Cafe this year; and now, it is the most important thing that I budget flex points for. I have made it my mission to try out every item at Decio and make its name known on campus. Trust me, if you have not eaten at Decio before, you need to walk there right after reading the rest of this article. Here is a list of six reasons why I love Decio Cafe:
- Meditteranean Bowl
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Alright, so this beautiful creation comes with brown rice, quinoa-lentil salad, roasted seasonal veggies, beans, hummus, artichoke, cucumber salad, spinach, feta, and tzatziki. It also comes with a choice of protein, so I chose falafel (obviously). I would have to rate this bowl a 6/10. It is very aesthetically pleasing, and I am always down for a hummus/tzatziki combo. While this is definitely my least favorite item at Decio, priced at $6.15, I still rank it well above most other dining options on campus.
- Asian Bowl
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This protein bowl comes with brown rice, quinoa-lentil salad, roasted seasonal veggies, beans, edamame, asian slaw, korean bbq, and cilantro. For my protein on this bowl, I decided that pulled pork carnitas would tie in the asian-bbq fusion flavor nicely. Also, I topped off the bowl with some Sriracha sauce that Decio offers next to the bowl-making station. This item is also priced at $6.15, and I would rank it a 7/10. It is very good, and Decio’s bbq sauce is something that I definitely daydream about in my free time.
- Fritos Bowl
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The Fritos Bowl is something that I feel is very unique to Decio, and it is a masterpiece. This flavor-explosion comes with brown rice, quinoa-lentil salad, roasted seasonal veggies, beans, corn salsa, mexican cheese, spicy bbq sauce, lettuce, fritos corn chips, smoky sriracha mayo and cilantro. I chose to add braised chicken to this bowl. This bowl is also priced at $6.15, and I would have to rank it at 8/10. This bowl has the right amount of tang, crunch, and savory goodness to leave you full and happy for the rest of the day.
- Southwest Bowl
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The Southwest Bowl is my favorite protein bowl that Decio offers. It seems kind of like a Chipotle burrito bowl but more homemade and healthy. This bowl has brown rice, quinoa-lentil salad, roasted seasonal veggies, beans, shredded lettuce, corn salsa, pepper jack, salsa verde, cilantro and chipotle ranch. I also added tomatoes and jalapeños to my bowl. For protein, I decided to add the sriracha chicken. This bowl is also (surprise, surprise) $6.15, and I’m going to rank it a 9/10. It is a perfect combination of spicy and filling, and I love the way the different flavors work together. I would HIGHLY recommend this protein bowl.
- Chicken Wrap
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Alright, this is the real deal here people. I have spent a lot of time trying to perfect my chicken wrap, and it has taken a lot of trial and error. My final masterpiece consists of this: spinach wrap (although sometimes I like to dabble with the jalapeño-cheddar wrap or honey wheat wrap), grilled chicken, pepper jack cheese, spinach, tomatoes, onions, banana peppers, green bell peppers, crushed up fritos corn chips, bbq sauce, and sriracha mayo sauce. This wrap, I am not kidding you, is straight up a gift from God. It is $6.33 and comes with a pickle on the side and a bag of chips or piece of fruit. I would definitely rank this wrap a 10/10, and I would even go so far as to say that it is the best food that you can get on campus.
- Sustainability
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Finally, as an Environmental Science Major, I really appreciate the efforts that Decio puts in toward being more sustainable. They have reusable green bowls for the protein bowls, and you can buy them for $2 extra the first time, and then you are given a coin if you return it. If you bring this coin back, you can get another green bowl for free next time. This is a great way to reduce the amount of one-time-use plastics that Decio produces, and it is an easy way to help the planet while enjoying a delicious meal. I also would like to recommend that people carry around a fork in their backpacks instead of using plastic forks. It is a super easy way to reduce your daily waste and carbon footprint.
I eat lunch at Decio three days a week with my friends because it is so delicious. In fact, we have even adopted a new mindset and often say to each other “power through… we have Decio tomorrow.” I would be lying if I said that I haven’t considered working there just so I get a free wrap every time I work. In fact, I go so often that one of the workers recognizes me and my friend and has our orders memorized, and I am proud of it. I understand that people feel that exploring Decio might betray their loyalty to Modern Market, Star Ginger, ABP, etc., but I have to say that if you don’t try Decio Cafe at least once during your time at Notre Dame, then you aren’t living. Not to be dramatic, but I hope that the first thing I see when I walk through the gates of Heaven is a Decio Cafe wrap.