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Danforth. As a senior, I vowed to never go there again because of over-exposure to the dining center’s unique and very collegiate personality during my freshman year. In light of the recent renovations, however, I decided that I would once again venture there to see how the dining center had changed.
The décor reminds me of a nightclub, and is quite pleasing to the eye. In trying to navigate the space, though, I had no idea where food was served or what was being served. Serving areas and seating areas do not appear to be mutually exclusive, which might be the reason for so much congestion around the seating areas, not to mention the abundance of dazed looking first-time diners.
My first visit resulted in a sandwich of unknown meat that looked quite healthy. In addition, I got a stir-fry that looked delicious, also of unknown origin. I must admit, the food was pretty good, and the presentation was nigh professional looking.
While the food tastes good, the portions are small and the lines take forever to get through, so grabbing food on the go is out of the question. Luckily, I do not have the unlimited plan, so I am not limited to just Danforth and Douglass and can get my quick meals elsewhere.
They also do not have as many options for vegetarians, vegans and those with special diets (peanut-free and gluten-free, for example). In addition, not all the food is clearly marked, and there have been reports of mistakes in labeling vegan and vegetarian options.
Hopefully, as the dining hall gets more traffic, options will expand. I also wish they would post a daily menu outside of the hall, so I can be aware of what’s being served ahead of time.
I do feel that, aside from the lack of information about what the food actually is, the food quality has overall improved. The desserts have remained as good as ever and, dare I say, have even improved.
The new renovations, while stylish, have decreased available seating. And, in light of more people going to Danforth, seating should have increased instead — especially for those with a reliance on the unlimited meal plan. Otherwise, even though I had originally never planned on going back, I will make more trips to Danforth.
Shiver is a member of
the class of 2012.
