I’m sure all of you all have been to a traditional Mexican restaurant. I’m sure you’ve all loved it. I’m sure you loved the complimentary chips and salsa, the pleasant savory aroma, the expansive and tasty-looking menu, and the absolutely delicious food. I’m sure your mouth is watering just thinking of your favorite Mexican restaurant back home. My go-to was called El Toro. I always went there for cast parties after performances or sometimes for family dinners, and I don’t think to this day that I’ve had better complimentary chips and salsa.

That being said, I was very happy this Sunday when I was taken by my friend to the Plaza Mexican Grill on South Atherton Street. when I walked inside I instantly sensed promise akin to that of El Toro. The place was maybe half full, so the waitress greeted us pretty much as soon as we sat down. My friend–a regular at this institution–knew to order some queso to come with the chips and salsa, and once we had that holy trinity at our table I was already quite pleased.

Looking at the menu, I felt conflicted. Usually at El Toro I would get steak and/or chicken fajitas, but they’re kinda expensive and I didn’t feel like carrying a to-go box around with me all day (as is usually the case with fajitas), so I wanted to try something else. The most-promising options were: Enchiladas, Lunch Burritos, Tacos, and Chimichangas. After much careful consideration and balancing of the options, I decided to try one of the lunch burritos, the Fajita burrito (big surprise, right?).

The food actually came quite quickly, which was nice because sometimes it takes a while to get your food at restaurants like this one. The second we got our plates, I knew that I’d be going back again. One of my friends ordered Chimichangas and the other got a chicken plate, and they both looked so delectable that I contemplated proposing a trade. I didn’t, though, because my Burrito with traditional rice and beans to the side was actually heaven sent. The cheesy sauce on top of the burrito made it a fork and knife engagement rather than a finger food, but that just made me feel even fancier while eating it. The only small complaint I have is that I asked for a steak burrito but they gave me chicken. I was too busy devouring my meal to care, however. The chicken was tender and juicy, the sauteed onions and peppers were nicely flavored, and the rice and beans made the perfect foundation for an amazing meal.

I made a huge mistake of writing this while I was hungry, so I’m going to stop torturing myself and just go back as soon as I can. Overall, Plaza is definitely the best restaurant I’ve been to in state college so far (Pho 11 is still a close second), and I rate it 10/10.

Thanks for being wonderful readers as always and have a nice break y’all!

~Asim~

Here are my slides for the TED Talk:

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Thanks for viewing!

~Asim~

Hey y’all,

I haven’t been to any new restaurants recently, so instead I’m going to talk about by favorite things to eat at Thanksgiving dinner (’tis the season). I’m gonna try to describe my family’s staple foods as specifically and deliciously as possible!

Turkey

First up is the most essential item, the Turkey. Is there a food that’s more iconic for thanksgiving than Turkey? In my family, The turkey is oven baked and sliced by my grandfather. People always complain about dry turkey, but I’ve rarely had that issue, especially when I put some gravy on it. The turkey definitely isn’t my favorite part of the meal, but it is absolutely necessary to get me in the mood.

Mac N Cheese

My all-time favorite is the Macaroni and Cheese, which my aunt used to make when I was little, but my brother recently took up the mantle and makes some of the creamiest, cheesiest, most flavorful, and — well — best Mac n Cheese that I’ve ever had. The Mac always takes up the largest portion of my plate.

Lamb

I didn’t know until recently that most families don’t eat lamb for thanksgiving dinner, but it’s a classic in my family and probably my second favorite part of the feast. My grandpa cooks this one too, but I plan to learn this year so that I can be the lamb guy from now on. When I tell you that thanksgiving lamb is some of the juiciest, tenderest, and most delicious meat that you can have, you had better believe me.

Mashed Potatoes

Up next is the Mashed Potatoes! These are also a classic and they’re simple and easy to make, but still have so much to add to the meal. My aunt makes these and boy am I glad she does, because she works some magic on those potatoes. I don’t know how she just infuses them with flavor in the way that she does, but whatever it is, it’s a gift.

Collard Greens

What would a balanced meal be if there were no greens? Collard greens to be specific! My granny knows how to make some bomb greens, but I’ve actually learned the recipe and made them myself before. It’s fun, because you have to keep adding new leaves when they shrink down in the pot. I like to see how many I can fit into the pot, but it never fills up! You can also throw a turkey leg in there to add flavor and whatever meat falls off the bone just becomes a part of the dish.

Cranberry sauce + rolls

My number 3 spot definitely goes to the Farmhouse rolls and Cranberry Sauce that my mom and sister make. Alone they’re both great, but together this dynamic duo is undefeated! Imagine a roll as light and fluffy as cotton candy, sweet as honey, and as big as both of your fists put together. Now imagine that, but glazed in a sweet-slightly-sour purple jam made from ripe cranberries. I bet your mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Thanks for reading my long-winded reflection on how much I effing love thanksgiving dinner. I can’t wait to go home in 2 weeks and get induced into this long-awaited food coma!

~Asim~

There’s this really cool trifecta of businesses downtown on College Ave called Mr. Wish, Hibachi Express, and Aone Market.

I was with a friend downtown last week on the hunt for bubble tea (boba), and google led us to this special place called Mr. Wish. My mom and sister actually went there a few week ago when they visited for parent’s weekend, and they told me I needed to check it out. When I finally went inside and saw three different businesses all in the same large room, I was intrigued about this culinary Frankenstein. To the left was Mr. Wish Natural Fruit Tea, to the right was Hibachi Express, and down the center was an opening into the Aone Market. When I saw separate registers for each in the front, I deduced that there were in fact three different institutions in one building. I ordered a brown sugar boba milk tea from Mr. Wish and my friend and I split an order of custard waffles. While we waited on our drinks and food, we walked down into the market. This was the real jackpot.

The second I walked into the large market, I saw way more Asian snacks, treats, and cookable products than I’ve seen in a long time. The first area I went to was the frozen treats section, where I saw mochi, ice cream treats, cake slices, and many other goodies that I’ve never seen before. Since I just ordered boba, I didn’t snatch any of the sweet treats, but I plan to go back and stock up at some point. Next, I went to the dry snacks section where they had a lot of unique and unfamiliar potato chip flavors, and we tried the “Roasted Cumin Lamb” flavor. They were kinda weird at first, but once I adapted to the new flavor palate I really enjoyed them, and thinking about them now makes my mouth water.

When we picked up our Boba from Mr. Wish, I took a sip and my eyes widened as it was the best milk tea I’ve had while being here. I do declare that the drink was delectably delicious! Even better were the little paw-shaped custard-filled waffles. The breading was so light, fluffy, and flavorful that I almost drifted into a peaceful sleep while biting into it.

I went back this week and got another flavor of boba as well as some chicken fried rice from Hibachi Express. I didn’t like the 3Q boba flavor as much as the brown sugar, but it was still good. The fried rice was also good, but to be honest Kondu’s chicken teppanyaki was better and came with way more food for the same price.

Overall, I rate Mr. Wish a 9.5/10, Aone Market 10/10, and Hibachi Express 7/10. You all should definitely check it out if you haven’t already!

~Asim~

During parent’s weekend, My mom and sister came up from Chicago to visit, and it was so nice to see them for the first time in almost 2 months. On Saturday we saw a show, went to the local farmer’s market, did a Walmart trip in preparation of the long fall and early winter, and ate dinner at Pho 11 on North Atherton. We’re huge fans of Vietnamese cuisine, so since Pho 11 is the only Vietnamese restaurant in town, we had to check it out. Similarly to Kondu, I could tell the food was going to be good because of how homely the location was. There were magical teal concrete and ceramic steps that lead up to the front door, and the iconic doorbell that rang when we walked in. I was expecting them to be busy because it was parent’s weekend, but to my surprise it was completely empty inside (I guess all the other families were busy waiting in line at Raising Cane’s).

There were electronic kiosks that we used to order, and they pretty much just had typical Vietnamese appetizers, bubble tea, and a whole lot of Pho options. One thing that I had never seen before though, was this beef stew noodle soup that looked greatly promising. My sister ended up getting that, my mom got duck noodle soup, and I got my usual go-to, beef brisket noodle soup. Since we were the only guests, it wasn’t long after we sat down before they brought out our food. My sister and I both got Thai iced teas with boba and popped into them immediately. It’s one of my favorite drinks, and I got my taste for it from her, so it was really nice drinking boba with her again.

when took my first taste of the noodles and brisket, I was very pleased. It instantly reminded me of this place called The Phodega back home, a Vietnamese restaurant with a convenience-store style market that has a lot of great snacks and treats. The Phodega also has a brisket noodle soup that makes your taste buds want to  explode. We were kind of in a hurry, so I ate up that Pho at rapid speed. It was a big bowl, so by the time I was two thirds of the way through eating the noodles, the noodles started eating me. It was hard to finish, especially since the three of us did a brief taste rotation and I ate a lot of my sister’s beef stew. Hers was definitely the best of the three, and I’m excited to eventually go back and get the stew for myself.

Overall, I’d rate Pho 11 an 8/10, because the food was delicious and the family that own it are really nice. It’s still not the Phodega, though. If you’re ever in Chicago and want some noodle soup, check it out and you’ll know what I mean. Regardless, Pho 11 is a really nice spot, especially for being the only Vietnamese place here.

~Asim

Hey y’all!

Today I’ll be reviewing El Jefe’s Taqueria in downtown State College.

Last Friday, my friends and I were instructed to meet up at El Jefe’s before a party. Knowing we’d be hungry, we decided to go an hour early and see what this highly recommended place was all about. I had high expectations to see if it would meet the standard, and might I say, this place is quite literally a bombshell! The second I walked in, I new that I had found paradise. I looked all around the room and saw the most delicious-looking bowls, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos that I’ve seen in months at this point. Not only were my eyes stimulated, but that savory aroma of the meat cooking in the back was like sensory heaven. There’s nothing I love more than sensory heaven. As I walked up to look at the menu, I saw something else I love: simplicity. Basically, you could get tacos, burritos, bowls, fajita bowls, or quesadillas. There were a lot of choices of components and add-ons, but the basic selection was simple and easy. I knew from my analytical observations of the room that I absolutely had to try one of the bowls. They not only looked filling, but I knew I could have my choice of the exact flavor palate I wanted. In other words, I could get a little bit of everything. I got a fajita bowl because it gives you extra meat and it comes with flour tortillas. When I tell you I had enough food to make three tacos with my tortillas and still had a dinner’s worth left in the bowl, I hope you can imagine my satisfaction.

My friend got the same thing I did and had leftovers for the next day. My other friend got a chicken quesadilla and the one bite I had made the dining hall’s quesadillas look like dog food (and I liked those). I enjoyed the ambiance in the place as well. The metal stools and wood tables gave a comfortable casual-yet-chic aesthetic. Mind you, we were dressed like we were about to go to Beyonce’s Renaissance tour, so our vibe didn’t necessarily match the energy of the room. However, the guy at the register said he liked my cowboy hat, so maybe they should think about adding a dress code to the place. All in all, the portion sizes were excellent for the price. I think the bowl I got was $13, which, compared to the meal from Kondu for a bit more, I definitely got more food at El Jefe’s. This is currently my fav spot on campus, so I definitely recommend trying it if you haven’t already. They’re open really late, but be careful about going after midnight because they’re one of the only places open and the line is a million miles long.

Best of luck and farewell!

~Asim

Today I’ll be rating Kondu, a Japanese food spot on South Allen Street.

Last Saturday was my friend Bella’s birthday, and she really wanted sushi for dinner on Friday, so our group decided we’d go to Tadashi downtown. I’d been to Tadashi’s other location which serves ramen primarily and it was delicious, so I assumed their bigger location would be just as good. We called ahead of time and they told us it’d be a 45-minute wait for our party of 12. When we arrived, the place turned out to be full — full of lies — we waited an hour before they told us it’d be another hour. So there we were — 12 hungry first-years — helpless downtown trying to find somewhere that could fit us in. I eventually found this place on Google called Kondu. They were open, had room for all of us, and possessed a 4.3 review on Google, so we went immediately.

When we entered, I knew the food was gonna be good. From my experience in Chicago, it’s always the restaurants that look a little beat up on the inside that make the best authentic cuisine. Kondu definitely fits that description. It was actually a nice place, the wall decorations were really cute and traditional for a Japanese restaurant and the workers were very kind. It was the fact that they used paper plates, plastic utensils, and a QR code virtual menu that told me they prioritize making good food over aesthetics.

The menu was pretty simple. They had the typical appetizers (gyoza, fried rice, miso soup, chicken wings, seaweed salad), sushi rolls, delicious-looking entrees, and an interesting specialty I’ve never seen before — Sushi burritos — caught my eye on the menu. I didn’t end up getting the sushi burrito, but I’m definitely gonna try it next time. I got chicken teppanyaki because the lady at the counter told me it would be the largest portion size and I was HUNGRY. I also got an acai-berry fruit tea with boba which was delectible. The Teppanyaki was delicious and I loved how much food it was (I devoured every last grain of rice). I also tried some of my friends’ gyoza, fried rice, and noodles and they were all great.

I’ve noticed that at certain restaurants you can spend the same amount of money for more food than you would get elsewhere. Kondu definitely fits that bill. Even though it was far more expensive than a dining hall meal would be, I got a large entree and bubble tea for about $20, which in this inflated economy is pretty decent for a nice place like this. Overall, I had a great experience at Kondu and I rate it 4.6/5. I’d probably rate it higher if a side like miso soup or a salad came with the entree, as it does at most other Japanese restaurants I’m used to.

Tune in next week for another review!

~Asim~

Restoring Stolen Resources to the continent of Africa.

Johnny and Lisa were friends and liked to share their toys with each other, but one day Johnny got really selfish and decided to take all of Lisa’s toys as his own. Some time passed, and Johnny decided to give Lisa her toys back, but he still got to use them whenever he wanted whether she liked it or not. Even more time has passed now, and Lisa is still wondering whether her toys will ever truly be her own.

This situation presents the same moral issues as the relationship between Europe and Africa.

The comic above illustrates the exploitation of African resources that began centuries ago with the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade that continued through colonization in the 19th and 20th centuries and still exists today under the well-hidden ploy of Neo-Colonialism. The majority of Africa’s resources, worth trillions and trillions of dollars, still end up being exported to wealthy nations all over Europe, Asia, and North America, while many African people experience extreme poverty, hunger, limited access to clean water, and governmental corruption. I will examine this issue through the lenses of Ideological criticism, the commonplace of “There are hungry children in Africa”, and the misrepresentation of progress in global media. The exploitation of African resources addresses the SDGs of reduced inequalities, no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth, and peace, justice, and strong institutions. If we address this issue carefully and collaboratively, we can work as a global community to repatriate the wealth of Africa, finally giving Lucy her toys back.

Thank you.

-Asim

Sources:

http://revealinghistories.org.uk/africa-the-arrival-of-europeans-and-the-transatlantic-slave-trade/articles/the-ongoing-exploitation-of-africa.html

http://www.whenthenewsstops.org/2014/06/neo-colonialism-and-changing-nature-of.html

Which Residence area has the best Dining Hall?

Today I’ll be giving my honest review of 4 of the 5 dining halls on campus. As a disclaimer, I’ve only been here for about a month and these opinions are still mostly first impressions. I’ll go through North, South, East, and West. Pollock remains the only buffet that I haven’t been to, but I said last week that their market is really nice, which competes with the others on its own. Without further ado, let’s get into the Dining Hall Olympics!

NORTH:

I admit that the North dining hall, Warnock Commons, is definitively the weakest dining hall on campus. Yes, the menu is basically the same everywhere, but the difference lies in the quality of the food, the amount of options, and the ambiance of the room. For example, North always has about 5-6 different meal elements in the buffet that rotate each day, as well as pizza, pasta, and a salad bar that are always there. West, in comparison, has about 3 times the amount of those same options plus a few extra, and It all tends to taste better over there. Worst of all is North’s ambiance; Warnock’s dining hall feels unsettlingly similar to a high school cafeteria. Overall, I give it a 6/10. I still eat there most frequently because it’s close to home, but it’s just too small and rough around the edges for a good rating.

SOUTH:

I talked about a bad experience I had at Redifer in my previous passion post, but it hasn’t served me too badly other than that one time last month. I did the Musical Theatre summer program last summer for two weeks and we ate there every day. It’s probably the second largest dining hall, scaling practically three times the size of North when it comes to the buffet. I wouldn’t say the food is any better than North though; I’ve actually had better versions of the same meals at North. However, they do have far more options usually which is a huge plus. Overall, South definitely does the job and I give it an 8/10.

EAST:

I’m sure you’re all aware that EAST is a BEAST when it comes to basically everything. More buildings, more students, bigger commons, and of course, the biggest dining hall, Findlay Commons. This, however, doesn’t make it the best. To be honest, with East, it’s all about timing. At certain times I’ve gone there’s been a wave of students and the food quality kinda goes down because of how fast they’re producing it (at least that’s my theory). Other times, though, It’s pretty empty and that’s actually when I had the best chicken that I’ve eaten at any of the dining halls here. The ambiance is okay, but similarly to North it just feels like a bigger high school cafeteria. Overall, East gets an 8.5/10 for its offerings.

WEST:

I’m not sure whether this is a controversial opinion or not, but I think that West (Waring Commons) is actually the best dining hall from what I’ve seen so far. It’s kind of removed from everything, so I never tried it until recently, but each time I’ve gone has been great. Their pizza has a really nice fluffy and light crust, they have more pasta options, there are about 3 buffets, and their cookies are GAS. I’ve also heard that they do breakfast and bunch really well, so I’ll have to get over there in the morning or afternoon at some point. The ambiance at West is great too because they have the coolest seating; there are two areas and both have elevated booths with a really nice design. I give West a 9/10 for my experiences over there so far, but maybe that will change after more visits.

In a final ranking, the gold goes to Waring Commons (West), Findlay (East) takes silver, Redifer (South) gets bronze, and Warnock (North) is disappointing. Thanks for reading!

-Asim

Hey y’all,

I decided that my passion blog would explore my food journey on campus. Since I still need to get around to most of the good spots, today we’ll talk about my best and worst culinary experiences in State College so far.

I prefer to end on a good note, so let’s talk about my worst experience first. Surprisingly, I fail to find many issues with the food here. The dining hall food obviously falls below the qualification of excellent, but it tastes better than some other campuses I ate at during the visiting process. My worst dining hall experience, however, happened very early in my time here at SHO Time. One of the days we ate dinner at Redifer Commons in the South dining area. After a long day, hunger overtook me and the food just looked so good. And here lies the issue, the meal surpassed the status of terrible, but it disappointed me. I fail to understand how one cooks chicken to look seasoned when it in fact tastes dry and flavorless. They served bland chicken, bland rice, and bland pasta, but the mac and cheese tasted okay. The title of the weakest link, however, belongs to the sour honeydew. It tasted halfway fermented. I know that good meals at Redifer manifest relatively often, but this one failed to deliver.

My favorite food here so far came from this Indian spot downtown called India Pavillion. As a huge fan of authentic Indian food from Chicago, I found myself pleasantly surprised when the chicken curry contained some kick to it. My taste buds would’ve preferred if it tasted spicier (since I asked for the highest spice level), but I reminded myself that I currently reside in State College, Pennsylvania. The only drawback came printed on the bill, so I guess I should limit India Pavillion to special occasions.

A few honorable mentions for the best food here include Hibachi-San at the HUB, the Asia Market at Pollock, and ShakeSmart at the White Building and IM gyms. Hibachi-San surprised me because, despite the name, they actually serve Poke Bowls. All the protein options they provide (tuna, salmon, chicken, tofu) appease the appetite and leave you satisfied, and their toppings add the perfect touch of flavor. The Asia Market also makes pretty good bowls, as well as some epic brown sugar boba (for pretty cheap). ShakeSmart lives in a special compartment of my heart because it resides in such a great location for getting hefty amounts of protein and nutrients after working out, all in a delicious shake or bowl.

Overall, I keep discovering a lot of good food on campus and I eagerly await sharing more reviews with y’all!

-Asim