Students mingle about the newly opened dining area in the UC expansion.
The tables in the main section are taken up while a few students have wandered into the adjoining room, waiting for the rest of the building to be open.
The main attraction is not the virgin interior of the building, but the newly opened food providers, Salsa Rico and Cyclone Salad.
For over a week, students have tasted what these places have to offer.
The reviews are mixed, with most students preferring one place to the other.
Many have endured the long wait that has accompanied Salsa Rico for their opportunity to taste something new.
“It’s [Salsa Rico] something new,” said freshman CIS major Lucas Malicote. “It’s not bad at all. I think it’s great the way it is.”
Others, such as freshman nursing major Breanna Thurston, decided the Mexican food wasn’t worth the wait and tried some salads or Panini’s.
“I like that you get to make your own salad because I’m really picky about what goes in my salads,” Thurston said. “You can’t go wrong with salad.”
Some students really enjoyed their dining experiences, whether it is munching on a bowl of lettuce and veggies or a burrito with meat and cheese.
“The soup is really good,” sophomore psychology major Tim Chadwick said. “I would recommend the soup.”
Not all were satisfied with the new dining options though.
Several complained of the inability to modify menu items and the long wait at Salsa Rico.
“I think they opened before they were really ready,” said Lauren Spaetti, sophomore elementary education major. “I really like the salad place. I think it’s good. I’ve gotten it all last week.”
“They [Cyclone Salad] don’t have salmon, which makes me upset,” Thurston said.
Despite the complaints that were mostly directed at Salsa Rico, it remains the more popular lunch choice, as shown by the frequently lengthy lines.
The lines usually stretch at least across the span of the room. Time will tell if this popularity remains in spite of the criticism, or if the criticism predicts longer lines forming elsewhere.
