Embarrassing as this may probably come across, I have decided to devote an entire body of text and an outpouring of creative expression to the subject of food. Just a few weeks into the job and here I am exposing to the world my manic adoration of the glories of eating. While this is by far not the classiest thesis to have picked for my second blog post, one cannot deny that food is a subject about which blog posts ought to be written. So, ladies and gentleman, look forward to a passion charged ramble about my favourite dining spots in and around Oberlin. Feel free to salivate and smack your lips in awe of the seductively scrumptious options to which this blog post is dedicated.
STEVENSON DINING HALL (STEVIE)
Stevenson is probably the bedrock of the dining halls at Oberlin. Conveniently located right next door to my dorm, Kahn Hall, Stevenson's location eliminates distance as a viable excuse for my missing a meal, which happens unreasonably often in my collegiate experience. Go figure, Mom.
The buffet at Stevenson, when meticulously surveyed and conscientiously navigated, can lead to a satisfying and pleasant dining experience. The options are expansive, from French fries and grilled burgers to salads of every variety to breads that you will not recognize but whose aroma will endorse their deliciousness. There is always an Exhibition bar which will feature anything from omelettes to pasta to Philly cheese-steak. Stevenson is an exploratory eater's territory, and it is up to the eater to bring their imagination to the table (pun intended) and make a meal suited to their tastes. (Again, pun intended.)
LORD/SAUNDERS DINING HALL AT AFRICAN HERITAGE HOUSE
Southern Comfort is the only phrase I could pull out of my memory that does complete justice to the atmosphere at Lord/Saunders. My friend Poon and I, at the peril of injuring our feet, choose to deny ourselves the convenience of Stevie and make the great migratory trek all the way from North Campus to eat at Lord/Saunders twice every week. Situated in the heart of south campus, Lord/Saunders is the place you go to feel that comforting, nostalgic quality that brings back those sepia-coloured, hazy flashbacks of home and being spoiled by grandma. Selections vary, but you can expect to see the likes of rice, corn on the cob, fried chicken, garlic breadsticks, meatloaf, and as many of their tasty cousins as you can think of. All this against the background of soothing RnB jams from yesteryear that may or may not include Boys 2 Men, TLC, and Destiny's Child. Can you handle this?
DASCOMB
Dascomb has built its solid reputation on its ubiquitously named Fourth Meal. Fourth Meal is an opportunity to admit to yourself that three meals a day for a hyperactive, ever-engaged college student is simply not going to cut it. You can therefore go ahead and load up your tray to capacity with a selection of chicken wings smothered in a range of tantalising sauces and a slab of rich cheesecake to wrap up the meal. Fourth Meal is also a wonderful opportunity to come to terms with the fact that any exercise you may or may not have attempted to do during the week has indeed come to nought. But your desolation will be momentary because you will further perpetuate your own undoing by plunging yet another morsel of cheesecake into your mouth in order to recover your good spirits. Sigh...
SELECTED RESTAURANTS
There is a large variety of restaurants in Oberlin, which range from your blueprint American Diner to sophisticated upscale restaurants which you will afford only to admire. They serve food ranging from Chinese to Asian fusion to pun style food. My personal favourite is the Feve, which serves a delicious "Feve" burger and tater tots that will dramatically heighten your respect for the potato as an ingredient.
These are just but a few options you could choose, but the reality is that the options are limitless. With a little bit of imagination, eating in Oberlin can never be a dull experience.
