Down Under Food Court is affordable but cheap in quality

Students looking for a place to eat on Central Michigan’s main campus other than the dorms need look no further than the The Down Under Food Court located in the Bovee University Center.  This food court has the feel of a cafeteria, but serves cuisine that is more up to par with a restaurant.

Having eaten at The Down Under Food Court before and sampled the burrito, I can say I was excited to see what else the food court had to offer.  On this particular day only two food stations were open, which was frustrating because it was only 3 p.m.

So instead of sampling the Zoca! Mexican station or trying the very talked-about sushi booth, I tried the wrap station.  This station offers people the option of making their own sandwiches or wraps with various toppings to choose from.  Cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, olives and banana peppers are some of the toppings that can be selected, and popcorn chicken, bacon, chicken and other deli meats are the options for the main portion of the wrap.

Regarding the chicken club on a jalapeno cheddar wrap: disappointment is an understatement.  This wrap included chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and low fat mayonnaise.  The chicken tasted like cardboard and the onions were way too over-powering.  Also, the jalapeno cheddar wrap tasted like a regular wrap; there was nothing special about it.

“I felt like it was cafeteria food with signs everywhere,” Kristyn Hess, an elementary education major, said.  “It wasn’t anything special.  It was normal food with a facade of better quality food.  I wasn’t impressed at all.  It reminded me of Gordon’s Food Service,”

Contrary to what Kristyn had to say, the wrap was found to be very affordable, costing just under $5.  The food court does offer a variety of drinks and other side dishes that can be found on food stands or buffet-style in the middle of the food court.  One up side to the food court is that there is plenty of comfortable seating to choose from.

If a person doesn’t want to order food, they can just hang out with friends or do homework in the Down Under. Whether it’s using their Flex Dollars to grab a quick snack on the go or sitting down to enjoy a meal, it’s always an option that CMU students need to make up their own minds about.