When I first attended college 20 years ago, we had a fancy Student Activities Center that contained a Taco Bell and some random Pizza restaurant - the pizza was overpriced and terrible. It was something to nibble on between classes, but I'm not even sure the majority of what they served there was food...
Times certainly have changed when it comes to college food offerings! There are many options at MiraCosta that don't involve vending machines (even though there are plenty around campus) or greasy fast food devoid of nutrients. I happened to come across the Cafe here by compete accident. I was looking for the bookstore and ended up in a room that smelled delicious!
There's plenty of fresh fruit, an array of beverages, plenty of seating space to enjoy your food while double checking a homework assignment (or Yelping, because the college has free WiFi...), and it's definitely not the greasy, non-nutritional food I'd become accustomed to when I was in college the first time around.
The food is arranged in a cafeteria/buffet type setting, so you just walk around the counters, choose your food items, and take them to the cashier to pay for it. It's actually pretty decent food too...especially for a college! The smell of the food was not just some lie my nose told my brain because of my hungry stomach! It's not only fresh and healthy (well, most of the menu items are, I should say!), but this is now a place I plan on frequenting since I've got a class that runs past lunch every day this semester. The staff are professional and courteous, and the food may not be homemade or gourmet, but it's relatively affordable...and it's not Taco Bell!
It's nice to have a place to grab a bite while waiting for your study group to start, or get something quick and simple to make sure your growling gut doesn't interrupt your entire class. It's one of the many things I've discovered on this campus that make going back to college a much nicer experience than it was the first time around. The seating area is clean, the people are friendly, and the food has ingredients you can actually pronounce. I think this may be one of my new favorite places on campus. :) read more