Yay, winter break is here! We all get to go home! And you guys all know what that means… family time, relaxing, and home-cooked meals!! We finally get to eat nice, appetizing, and delicious home cooking. Which I’m looking forward to because dining hall food can be… less than satisfactory if you want to put it nicely. Despite that, not all dining hall food at the University of Connecticut tastes like barf. Some of it can actually be pretty good! Without further ado, here are the top five dishes from the dining halls that don’t make me want to vomit out my ears.
#5. Whitney’s Grilled Cheese Bar
One thing UConn’s dining halls know how to get right is grilled cheese sandwiches. I always look forward to getting a grilled cheese sandwich with my food at South whenever I go there. If anything, I know I can count on UConn’s grilled cheese sandwiches to be good, I love their salty, but somewhat sweet taste. What’s even better than a regular grilled cheese sandwich is the grilled cheese sandwich bar at Whitney. What I like about it is that not only do you get a grilled cheese sandwich, but you also have the option to add different kinds of meat (ham, turkey, tuna, or bacon) to augment your sandwich. Personally, I always choose ham and bacon. You can also add veggies (I like tomatoes). Grilled cheese tastes great on its own, but it tastes even better with meat and vegetables to enhance it!
#4. Tower’s Quesadilla Bar
I don’t go to Towers too often because it’s so far, which is a shame because they do have some good meals. However, no matter how far away I am, I always come running on Thursdays when they have their quesadilla bars because they’re that good. I love the toppings they offer, and I always make sure to put in some beans, some tomatoes, and some nice savory onions. Of course, no quesadilla is complete without bacon, so I always put some nice, salty bacon in, too. They give you the option between putting in chicken and beef (I prefer chicken) and they roast it while Taylor Swift plays in the background. After dropping it onto your plate, all you have to do is add a nice dollop of sour cream (because what quesadilla is complete without sour cream?) and it’s ready to go!
#3. South’s Zesty Fried Chicken Tenders
I always love it when South has their Zesty Fried Chicken Tenders. Must admit, I don’t know why they’re supposed to be “zesty,” but they’re still good nonetheless. I love how crunchy they are, and they taste good with ranch dressing or cheese sauce, if South happens to have that. It is also delicious with a side of a grilled cheese sandwich!
#2. Fried Calamari and Popcorn Shrimp at Putnam
Another dorm that’s far away but has delicious food is Putnam. The journey to Putnam can be long and arduous. Climbing up the long, zig-zagging hill that Putnam is on is always a tiring task, but it’s worth it when Putnam has good food. And I would definitely call fried calamari and popcorn shrimp “good food.” I like the salty and chewy taste of fried calamari, and I like the crispy popcorn shrimp. It’s not often UConn has seafood (other than the endless supply of scrod filets).
#1. The Sundae Bar at North!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! I don’t really like the dining hall desserts that much, but when I hear North is having a sundae bar, I will be there. After a long hard day of classes and studying, it’s the most satisfying feeling in the world to be able to relax and feast on a sundae. The whole process is a lot of fun, picking the ice cream you want, being able to add toppings (I love chocolate chips and crushed Oreos), adding whipped cream, drizzling on chocolate sauce, and putting a cherry on top! Then, you finally get to dig in! Bon appetit!
In conclusion, even though the food from UConn dining halls can be downright repulsive at times, there are some rare gems here and there that make it all worth it. Don’t worry though, at least we’ll all be home for the next few weeks to relax and enjoy some nice homemade cooking. Have a nice winter break, everybody!
