“Dining” often evokes fine china, sophisticated flavors and general classiness. College? Not so much. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that Northwestern’s food is, well, edible. In fact, if you know which stations to frequent and which underrated ingredients to seek out, dining hall noshing can be downright delicious. Here’s a peek at the dishes to skip, the best dining halls to replenish your minifridge, and desserts worth contributing to that inevitable “freshmen 15.”
SargentThe good: Northwestern’s best grilled chicken can be found at Sargent, the North Campus dining hub. It has a stereotypical high school cafeteria feel, thanks to the Big Ten pennants festooning its halls. Hinman might have the best salad bar on campus, but Sarge is a close second. Major points for their lemon wedges; a couple squirts in the soup du jour, your water, that aforementioned chicken breast… anything gets a gourmet upgrade from a splash of citrus. Keep an eye out for fresh pineapple and strawberries, and stock up on a couple cup’s worth at the start of your meal since non-canned fruit goes quick in a dining hall. You’ll welcome some variety to your late night Tostitos and salsa routine with something healthy to snack on. The gross: Another Sarge gripe? The same cinnamon-infused, raisin dappled granola available in temptingly unlimited quantities at other halls is available on a sketchy by-request-only basis.Don’t miss: Even though all of Northwestern’s dining halls have themed meals throughout the year, Sargent tends to excel at the “special night” category. A Superbowl Sunday evening might mean nachos, hot dogs and a cornucopia of fried everything, while a Cinco de Mayo dinner yields a sombrero-ed staff ladling a dubiously authentic burrito-enchilada hybrid. Sunday morning brunches at Sarge will likely become a tradition. Nothing cures a hangover like gossiping as your bagels run through the conveyor-belt toaster and flirting with last night’s hook-up on the omelet line. The made-to-order sandwiches and wraps are great; toss in some chicken, saut
