Take In Your Take-Out

As the semester winds down and winter approaches, the cold weather hides students under big jacket and scarfs or indoors. Walking across the quad, it looks like a ghost town. You don't see students throwing frisbee, taking naps, studying for test, or my favorite...eating lunch! Since the weather has driven so many students inside, I went to look for the best indoor spots to eat outside of the dining halls.

With a campus so large, three different buildings stuck out to me as perfect places to post up for lunch.

Wilson Hall
The icon staple of the JMU community. Set right in the middle of the quad, it is the perfect location between dining halls and class. The building is filled with many offices for student services, but has two key locations to eat.

1. Wilson Hall Auditorium- Quiet, quaint, and comfortable are the best ways to describe it. Students don't know that the auditorium is open through out the day. Pick any seat (there are over a thousand), sit right on stage, or even go up to the balcony to eat. There are outlets to plug into all around, so you can use your laptop or recharge your phone. It is so quiet, you can even play music on your phone without headphones while you eat.

2. Career and Academic Planning Resource Center- Open for all students to get help looking for resume help, grad school information, or thinking about a career path, this place is a fun lunch spot. The people in this office are a pleasure to talk too. If you are eating lunch alone, stop by and make a new friend. The room has both table and couches for your lounging pleasures. They have four computers to use if you need to check and email before you jet to class. Usually the office is never busy so you won't have to worry about not having a table to sit at.

Taylor Hall
The student union on campus has one of the main hang out spots, but that isn't the only place to eat in the building. It just takes a little exploring.

1. Taylor Down Under (TDU)- Referred to at JMU's living room, its eclectic nature invites people from all over to use the space as need. Whether its to grab coffee, eat lunch, nap, or study, TDU has a very unique atmosphere because all the chairs are painted, banners hung on the walls, and photographs exhibited by students. When you come to TDU to eat there are other things you can do with your meal. Here are just a few ideas while you dine: Check out an iPad, play a board game with friends, listen to live music with "Toons at Noon", or shoot some pool with a friend.

2. 4th Floor- All the rooms are reserved for organizations or events in this building. However, if you are eating with someone else then sit on the group of couches and people watch. The view overlooks the patio in front of Grafton-Stovall Theatre. If you eating alone, go to the other end of the hall way. A single chair overlooks Hillside field. The view of the mountains from here is breathe taking. This is a great time to reflect about life and escape from JMU for a few minutes during your lunch break.

East Campus Dining Hall (E-Hall)
While this building is already an all-you-can-eat dining hall, bringing take out to eat here is a great way to mix things up and change scenery.

E-Hall-  On the second floor of the building is a balcony/foyer area used during receptions for events in the Montepelier Room. A semi-circle of glass windows gives a perspective of the campus at its entirity with the Appalachian Mountains in the background. Multiple couches are available, but not many students go up there. If you are a resident on the east side of campus, this option is a great way to grab food away from the crowds and your dorm room.

Explore these options and create your own. There are hidden gems all over campus when it comes to great indoor spots to sit down and enjoy your meal. It will take a little creativity, but it is worth it.

Food Adventures: Taste of Thai

What comes to mind when you think of Thai food?

For me it's the mysterious Pad Thai, spicy curry and peanuts. Three reasons why I have never tried Thai food before (I'm allergic to peanuts and I almost cried when I thought of the idea of trying the Blazing wings challenge at Bdubs for this blog).

I regret that I haven't been to a Thai restaurant sooner. I will certainly be going back to this one.

I met up with some friends driving through town at Taste of Thai. Though the building looks a bit run down from the outside, I was immediately impressed by the aroma. Even from the parking lot, the wafting smell of spices and garlic sauce invited me in.
General Appeal: 3/5


The restaurant has two large dining rooms, neither of which were completely full at 5:30 p.m. We were seated at a booth near the window in the dimly-lit room. The red on the walls was definitely making me hungry, as were the smells of the food going to the neighboring tables.
Atmosphere: 4/5

I ordered the Fresh Asparagus Saute with seafood and garlic spice sauce. I decided to go easy on the spiciness, as this was my first foray into the Thai food world. We got all six of our meals within 10 minutes of ordering!

Fresh Asparagus Saute with Seafood and garlic sauce-- $13.99

And now I may have to reorder my mental list of favorite cuisines. Thai has now jumped to the top five, behind Italian food made by my grandmother, the American version of Chinese food and Diner food, but now above breakfast for dinner.
Taste: 5/5
Service: 4/5

I left full and I want to go back for lunch tomorrow, but unfortunately, it's a little bit expensive for the everyday college student. Get Mom and Dad to take you there when they visit! Most entrees are between   10 and 15 dollars, depending on what kind of meat you get.
Price: 3/5

Taste of Thai is one of three Thai restaurants in the Harrisonburg area. It's located on South High Street between South Ave and Maryland Ave. If you have a car, it's about two minutes from campus. If you don't, maybe about 15 minutes walk.
Location: 3/5

My first Taste of Thai was a great one. Good friends, delicious food and a great evening to head back into the 'burg after break.
Overall: 4/5


--Amanda

Dirty, Sloppy, and Rough

I know you like somethings Dirty, Sloppy, or Rough, but is it usually your food? I would think not. But at the Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine (181 North Main Street in Downtown Harrisonburg), that is exactly what you get. The crazy part of it is, it's delicious.

They start you off with a cozy feel at the entrance of the door. The waitress is nice, and sets you at a empty table, where no plate and no silverware will ever be seen. You drink. You order, and eventually you are given your food, without plates and without silverware. Then, the waitress walks away, and you look at it and wonder "How am I supposed to eat this?"

Lucky for me, my first time at Blue Nile was with Micky Arafaine, who's family actually owns the restaurant, which I later came to find out. So I had somewhat of a translator as to what exactly was happening.

She ordered us Injera, which is a spongey bread that has a similar consistency to a wet piece of rolled up sandpaper. It's rather bizarre. Then she ordered us Tibs, which is basically a Chipotle style meat set up (she ordered lamb) and Keye Wat, which is a jelly-like meat set up that has the consistency of cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving. Also on the plate was an assortment of salsas and veggies.

The waitress handed us a giant serving dish with a piece of Injera on it, and all of these foods spread out upon it. Mickey then took the extra Injera, ripped off a piece, dipped it in the food with her fingers, pinched some, and put it in her mouth. I naturally followed suit. I licked my fingers, and wiped them and everything, and repeated the process. And nobody cared surprisingly. The secret was in the finger set up on the Injera, which, after practice, only touches your own piece (A secret that is easily learned in fact).

After dinner, I decided to explore, and found a downstairs club area, full with a bar, dj area, dance floor, and side tables set up. The lights were flashin', the party was hoppin', it was a good time. They have bands come and play, they have clubs book their facility for their formals and parties, and they have great food. It's sloppy, dirty, and rough, in all the right ways.

(Dont worry, they have food for the strong and weak stomach)


Menu Items:

Traditional Item Highlights:
Tibs (Chicken, Beef, or Lamb) $14/$15/$18
Keye Wat (Chicken, Beef, or Lamb) $14/$15/$18
Mixed Platters (Veggie and other) $30-$35

Regular Item Highlights: (In case you are a picky eater)
Cheesesteaks $7
Grinders $7
Tacos $7
Veggie Assortments $7



Their Happy Hour is also pretty happy, and lasts for three hours, and they have half priced pitchers and dollar margaritas on Sundays, so if you're 21, you can enjoy that as well.

Who would have known that such a traditional way of eating could be:

    A) So tasty
    B) So close by
    C) So fun and interesting to experience
    D) So traditional

I didn't, but after I went to the Blue Nile, I did, and you can too!

http://bluenileva.com/
Images found at: http://bluenileva.com/gallery/

A New Twist on a Traditional Holiday

 Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we all know the clichés, huge turkey, football and the Macy’s parade, but here in Harrisonburg students celebrate before the break in a variety of different ways. 

           

Juniors Betsy Kaeberle and Kristen Kelijen started their new annual pre-Thanksgiving tradition. They had a potluck style dinner with their friends from three different houses. “We had about 12 people,” says Kaeberle.

 Their pre-Thanksgiving party did not just include food. They played corn hole, watched football and hung out. “It was really nice to get to celebrate with our JMU family before we go home and celebrate with our actual family,” says Kelijen.

Wednesday, November 16 at 7 p.m. The Catholic Campus Ministry held its annual Interfaith Pilgrim Feast. It cost five dollars to attend. “All the money goes towards our yearly alternative spring break trip,” says junior Katie Benusa.

 The event is annual, but this year is the first time it has been called Interfaith Pilgrim Feast. “We decided to change the name to draw a larger group of people,” says Benusa.

The event is open to everyone regardless of religion. This year they are hoping to have one hundred people attend the event. Besides food they are going to have a Thanks Tree. People will be able to write what they are thankful for on precut handprints made from construction paper. “Once everyone has put them up, the tree will look like it is covered in fall leaves,” says Benusa.

Thursday, November 17, The Stratford Players are hosting their annual Thanksgiving dinner. “This tradition has been going on forever,” says junior Amanda Herman. “There are professors who are currently teaching here at JMU, who remember having this dinner when they were undergraduates.” 

 It is potluck style and the house that hosts the dinner does the turkey. “Everyone else brings a dish, usually something they do at home with their families, such as home made pumpkin cheesecake,” says Herman. The dinner starts at 5 p.m. and usually goes until about 11 p.m.

There is also a senior case race for anyone who is over 21. This is where seniors see who can drink a case of beer the fastest  “It’s really entertaining to watch and everyone always has a great time,” says Herman.

Thanksgiving is also a time to think of the less fortunate. JMU Circle K International did a canned food drive and collected over 40 cans to donate to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. “It’s a great feeling to help someone less fortunate,” says junior Justin Kibiloski. “Our club does this sort of thing all year long, but around the holidays it is even more important.” 

The food drive went on for three weeks, and club members were able to bring cans in to the weekly meeting. “I like knowing I’m helping someone else have a nice meal, especially around the holidays,” says sophomore Morgan Bibb.

The club will also be doing another canned food drive in February, since that is when the food banks are usually in need of more food. “Everyone thinks about it around the holidays, but we have to remember there are people who are hungry all year long,” says Kibiloski.

Another Thanksgiving tradition going on this week is the on campus pre-break, family dinner. “My suite mates and I pick a day of the week before break and we all go somewhere on campus and eat, hang out and just relax before we go home for break,” says sophomore Claire Fogarty. “This year we all went to D-Hall for the Thanksgiving dinner.”

D-Hall featured a traditional Thanksgiving meal at lunch and dinner, on Thursday before break.  “It reminds me of being with my real family, but I get to have it here with my JMU family,” says Fogarty.  

           

There are many different ways students celebrate before the holiday break, but they all involve good food, fun and friends.

-Olivia Fogarty 

That's So College..."Hotdog Spaghetti"

That's So College...when you make spaghetti with hot dogs in it, but even more "college" when you make hotdogs with spaghetti in it!

You know when you look in the refrigerator and you see nothing of true substance. It seems that we eat the same things over and over against as college students, Ramen, Mac N Cheese, Spaghetti, Hotdogs, PB & J, etc.  This "Hotdog Spaghetti" puts a new twist on the routine bland foods we eat as broke college students.


The concept is simple, yet genius. Instead of cutting up hot dogs and putting them in a bowl of spaghetti, try cooking the noodles in the hotdog.

Follow these instructions:

1.Get a pack of 8 hotdogs.

2.Slice the hotdogs into half inch medallions.

3.Boil  6 cups of water.

4.While water is coming to a boil, open a box of spaghetti.

5. Spear Hotdog medallions with dry spaghetti noodles (use at least 5 noodles per).


6. Once water comes to a boil, cook until pasta is tender.

7. Enjoy!

For easy eating, use a fork to grab hotdog and twirl pasta around.

The final product looks interesting. Most people ask what does well with this combination. My recommendation would be ketchup, butter and parmesan cheese, or just plain!

Hotdog Spaghetti....That's So College!


-Mike

Cheap Eats: Cozy Comfort Casserole

This weekend ushered in the final days of the warmish fall season. Winter is almost here, people!

I decided to curl up today with one of my favorite dishes while watching Elf on television with my roommates. My aunt created the recipe for an easy, cheap and delicious casserole, which she calls "cozy comfort." I call it the only thing I actually enjoy cooking.

This everything-but-the-kitchen-sink recipe is really simple, too. It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to bake.

What you'll need
a glass baking dish, a frying pan and a strainer
vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 can of Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 bag of mixed frozen vegetables
1 pkg. ground beef (or turkey, if you want to go leaner)
1 bag frozen tater tots
1/2 bag shredded cheddar cheese


Start by browning the ground beef in your frying pan on a medium setting.

Set the oven to preheat at 375 degrees and grease your baking dish so they will be ready when the meat is done.

Strain your meat and pour it into the glass dish. Then, pour in the milk and the can of soup and mix well.  You can also put a few tater tots on the bottom of the dish as a base.

After you've mixed your ingredients, pour on a layer of the mixed frozen vegetables. I used a Food Lion brand with carrots, peas, corn and green beans. On top of that, add the rest of the tater tots and top it all off with a layer of shredded cheddar.

Before it goes into the oven it looks like this:

Bake for 45 minutes and do some homework or something while you await the bliss. That's the hardest part.


But when time is up:

Enjoy the delicious warmth of the cozy comfort casserole!

In this pan, there's enough to save and eat it all week. Or bring it to a potluck! I brought it to one and it was gone in less than 10 minutes. At just $15, the deal is unmatchable.

--Amanda

It's Just Food Y'all

Sometimes, we all feel like cooking food. Cooking food. Not heating up frozen dinner. Not thawing leftovers. Actually cooking behind a stove, with heat, and fresh food. But as a college student, I say from personal experience that it is very difficult to make myself cook at home when there are other easier options, like ordering pizza, or heating leftovers. But occasionally I too get a wild idea to cook, and one of my favorite dishes is thus: Beans, Tuna, Rice, and Quinoa.

You're probably going to want to buy the 16 oz bag of Goya Kidney and Goya Black beans, the ones that you have to soak overnight. You may have to soak them, but we are cooking here, nobody said it was easy! Quinoa you can take or leave, but I find that it adds a nice flavor that sometimes bland beans cannot give. Rice is used as a little additive and filler. Brown is better than white, but all rice is good for you! Tuna out of a can is the only thing you can do unless you go to the market and catch or buy your own, which is up to you.

Ingredients:
Goya Black Beans (Soaked overnight)
Goya Kidney Beans (Soaked overnight)
Quinoa (Soaked overnight)
Rice (Brown or White)
Tuna salad (Mayo and Relish, if it tickles your fancy)

It stays good, long: At first glance, this meal seems to be sub-par compared to pizza out of a box, but the best part of this combination is that you can buy it in bulk, and it will take a very long time to go bad. Because you have to cook it each time you want it, the dried ingredients will keep for a very long time, a perfect quality for saving money and eating healthy and well.

The steps: (Keep in mind, the amounts of ingredients you insert are depending on your appetite, and the amount of people eating with you, etc.)

1. Soak the beans and Quinoa: This not only makes the beans softer, but it will allow the cook time of them to hasten drastically. If you don't you'll be boiling water for over an hour trying to get the beans to be edible without breaking your teeth. the Quinoa? Same deal. If you don't soak it, it will be rock hard.

2. Cook the rice: Got a rice cooker? Perfect! If not, a pot and boiling water will work just as fine.

3. Make the Tuna Salad: Unless you are in love with mayonaise, go easy on it, and add some relish to your can of tuna to make it delectable. A good consistency will make or break your tuna experience

4. Mix it all together: I like to add rice first, then beans, then quinoa, then tuna. Salsa (especially Newman's own) is also a nice flavor to add to the mix on top.

5: Take a picture of your food: Send it to your mom. She'll be happy you are eating.

6: Ignore step 5! Just Dig In!

-Mark Overstreet
Blogger
Food 411

El Charro vs. Dona Rosa

 Vs.

Contenders: 

When it comes to authentic Mexican food in Harrisonburg there are two main places people tend to go, El Charro and Dona Rosa. Both serve authentic style Mexican food so how do you choose? I decided to go to both and get the inside scoop on how they compare. 

Both menus offer a variety of authentic Mexican cuisine with comparable products.  Both are also well known for their Fish Bowl Margaritas, a huge hit with college students out for happy hour.

Taste:

El Charro has good quality meat, delicious rice and refried beans with cheese. They have very good tasting guacamole and crispy chips. Their salsa is milder and a little watery. Their enchiladas, burritos and taco salad are very good.

Dona Rosa has very crispy chips and very good salsa. They bring two types of salsa, one is hot and the other is mild but both are very tasty. Their refried beans are ok, and their rice seems to be green. Their meat is a little tough and their guacamole requires an acquired taste. 

Taste Winner: El Charro 

Price:

El Charro offers the majority of its entrees for around $8.00, with dinner specials that include enchiladas, burritos, or tacos with rice and re fried beans as sides.

Dona Rosa offers most of its entrees for around $10.00 and also has dinner specials, also with rice and refried beans.

Price Winner: El Charro 

Atmosphere:

Dona Rosa is a smaller location, with dim lighting that creates a private, personal setting. It is almost too small, you can hear everything everyone else is saying and if you aren't on a date its too personal. 

El Charro is a bigger building which offers more seating. It is well lit and is usually bustling with activity. 

Atmosphere Winner: El Charro 


Service:

El Charro has a large number of wait staff and within seconds of sitting down the complimentary chips and salsa are brought to the table. The staff is friendly and attentive, frequently checking to be sure water glasses are full.

Dona Rosa has a smaller staff since it is a smaller establishment. The staff is friendly and brings the complimentary chips and salsa out to the table quickly. They are not as attentive with refilling water but they do check on the customer a good amount.  

Service Winer: Tie


Location:

      Dona Rosa has one location:

1.     43 Linda Lane, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

El Charro has three locations:

1. 1570 East Market Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

2. 1580 South Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

3.  Opening soon on Port Republic Rd, right next to Salad Creations.

Location Winner: El Charro

Overall:

Winner is: El Charro

For superior taste, price, atmosphere, wait staff and location El Charro is head and shoulders above the competition. 

-OF

Downtown Restaurant Review: Union Station

It's not everyday that you get a history lesson along with a great meal. Union Station Restaurant & Bar is set in historical downtown Harrisonburg, offers a unique look of the town as it has transformed over the past hundred years.

Union Station is found in the Wetsel Seed Building that served the B&O line for passengers in the area for many years. Opening their doors in 2009, the history of the building/area brought the restaurant to life. At each table sits a table tent with a short lesson on Harrisonburg history. All the tables have different lessons, creating a new experience after every visit. The table I dined at taught me about when electricity first came to the town. It included pictures of light bulbs hanging in the street as the first streetlamps. From my booth, I could see the view of the train tracks, bringing the story full circle as you dine in.

photo credit: epodunk.com

The menu has a plethora of options ranging from burgers and paninis to steak and seafood served in large portions.  They even have a vegetarian sections for the non-meat lovers. The price range is affordable; most items on the menu range from $8-$14, which perfect for college students living on a tight budget. The service was professional, timely and friendly.

Photo Credit: Around Harrisonburg Magazine

If you are looking for a great place to go on a date, Union Station is it! The variety on menu helps give options to the pickiest of eaters. They have great prices that won't break your bank, while still having a classy meal. The history lesson along with your meal helps create conversation, especially when you are both learning something new.



Located on 128 West Market St. in the heart of downtown, customers can enjoy a great meal and an evening stroll around the town. The area is surrounded by local shops and music venues, so there is always something to do. 

Visit  UnionStationDowntown.com to get more information.



-Mike P.