This is The Cafeteria Chronicles where I review the cafeteria food and risk a tummy ache so you don’t have to. I rank the food on a 1-10 scale: 1 means avoid at all costs, and 10 means heavenly.
The week of Feb. 8-14 was a fair mix of ratings. I was surprised by many options. I thought my stomach was going to explode but I went back for more.
Wednesday shocked me the most.
For lunch, I had a bowl of chili and grilled cheese sandwiches. The chili wasn’t too spicy, but it wasn’t bland either. It was almost as good as my mom’s chili. The grilled cheese was on another level. The butter on that freshly grilled bread was to die for. It had the perfect amount of cheese and a crisp crunch. I gave this classic combo a solid 8/10. I don’t see how anyone could dislike this meal—unless you’re allergic to cheese. If dairy isn’t your friend, stay away, because this combo will not play nice.
For dinner that night, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try some new things.
I had cauliflower gratin, chicken bacon ranch fried rice, tater tots with bacon and cheese, and chicken and wild rice soup.
The cauliflower gratin was cooked cauliflower smothered in yellow cheese. It was definitely not my forte. I don’t like cauliflower at all, but I thought the coating of cheese would change my mind. I was wrong. I thought it was absolutely disgusting. Based on my tastebuds, I gave this a 2/10. However, if you love cauliflower, you would probably like this.
On the other hand, the chicken bacon ranch fried rice was absolutely amazing. I had seen this on the menu before, but I thought it sounded nasty, so I didn’t try it. I wish I had tried it sooner. It was fried rice and chicken with a vegetable mix. I expected the chicken to be bland and dry, but I could not have been more wrong. The chicken was not dry at all and was perfectly seasoned. The veggies were also a good addition to the mix. If you add some soy sauce like I did, you have yourself a terrific 8/10.
The tater tots were even better, though. The tots were nice and crispy and perfectly salted. I added melted cheese and bacon to mine, which made them even better. These tots were definitely a 10/10.
Unfortunately, this is where the positive streak ends. The chicken and wild rice soup reminded me of the Chum Bucket from SpongeBob. I was expecting a salty bite; instead, I got a mouthful of sugar. I’m not sure if this was an accident of how the soup is actually supposed to taste. Also, if you have a sensory issue with food texture, avoid this. It was chunky and thick yet runny. This one is definitely a 1/10. You’ll harm your tastebuds if you eat this one.
Overall, Wednesday’s food wasn’t that bad. I actually enjoyed trying new things for a change. My taste buds hated me at some points, but they loved me the next.
Be on the lookout for these menu items!
