Punxsutawney Phil has once again spoken and the word is six more weeks of winter. So far it has felt like spring – all the more reason to get away from campus to get food that is better tasting, better valued and more nutritious. You may think that you only have time or money to shovel down the fast food slop from the Union and even enjoy eating food that contains ingredients which may not even meet the USDA standards to qualify as meat.
Well, this semester I refuse. Let’s stick to our New Year’s resolutions by enjoying this “winter” and walking down to all the restaurants on Oakland. If in a real rush there’s always the eateries by the Southwest Quad: Qdoba, Noodles & Co., Jimmy John’s and the newest addition, the Eastside chapter of the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe (I broke out of my normal routine to visit this throwback to traditional delis, and for someone who used to live in New York City, it was everything I could hope for). Where most places go horribly wrong, like the Dogg Haus and nearly all the sandwich offerings on campus, taking a decent set of meats, cheeses and toppings, and then ruining it with cheap bread, West Allis does completely differently.
West Allis’ grilled roast beef sandwich is served on real French bread and is butter-toasted perfection. The light German potato salad and crisp dill pickle wedge that came with were perfect complements to the rich caramelized onions, blue cheese and garlic mayo. I’m so hooked on offerings like poutine (fries topped with cheese curds and gravy), lasagna, soups, homemade custards and “big dogs,” I’m going to have a hard time not walking that extra block past my old standby, Qdoba. While the prices do range from three dollars for the dogs and up to nine bucks for some of the fancier sandwiches that come with side deli salads, a small discount for students is available.
With a little prior planning and that bus pass that you’ve paid for, anyone can make it further down Oakland and Locust faster than walking across campus. Once you get there, the world is your oyster. Got a craving for cheap junk food? Little Caesars has whole pizzas for five dollars and Cousin’s Subs has the two for five deals; also keep in mind that Subway is on the other corner. An obvious choice for any member of the college crowd would be Oakland Gyros, conveniently open till the wee hours, serving likely the best post-bar time foodstuffs.
Have you a penchant for ethnic food? There’s a plethora of great choices along Oakland for Thai (Thai Kitchen), Persian (Shiraz) and Greek (Oakland Gyros, obviously) foods. Let’s not forget Oakland’s choices for pizza, the staple of the college diet. Of course there are several choices, but those in the know walk up to a bland white brick building with a sign for Lisa’s Pizzeria. Even if its quaint dining atmosphere sways away from those of other area restaurants, you’ll never find a better thin crust pizza in town.
