Dishing up the various Yale dining experiences

FILE PHOTO Dining at Yale is what you make of it—creativity is certainly a plus

By Erica Catlin

At Yale you can dine at any of the 12 residential colleges, Commons, or the graduate schools. Yalies, however, eat most of their meals in their own dining halls, where they might run into friends, floormates, college fellows, key administrators, graduate students, and even professors. Dining halls make the residential college feel like home.

Lunch and dinner at the residential colleges include two or three hot entrees, a salad bar, sandwich fixings, ice cream, and desserts. Thursday nights feature "chef choices," which include student favorites like stir fried chicken and pesto pasta. A few times a semester, the dining hall staff organizes theme nights, like Mexican night or Mardi Gras.

Variety in dining hall decor enhances menu options. Davenport boasts a Waterford crystal chandelier, while the bi-level, well-lit dining halls in Morse and Stiles offer a relief from the gothic dimness of Jonathan Edwards. For intimate, secluded alcoves, head to Timothy Dwight. Pierson's self-serve line makes it unique among the undergraduate colleges. Calhoun and Stiles serve continental breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 to 10 a.m.,
and Calhoun, Silliman, and Ezra Stiles are open until eight for dinner.

Although Commons lacks the intimate setting of the colleges, it does offer the chance to catch up with students from all areas of the campus. In addition, it has the largest selection of food, including hot breakfasts and a frozen yogurt machine. Due to Berkeley College renovations next year, Commons will serve dinner Sunday through Thursday to students in any college. Since Berkeley upperclassmen will live in Boyd Hall (the swing space dormitory), a section of Commons will be set aside for Berkeley students who want to eat together.

Many freshman aren't aware of the high quality of food in graduate school dining halls. The Divinity School, School of Management, Hall of Graduate Studies, Med School, and Law School, all serve undergraduate transfers between specific times. Kline Biology Tower (located on the 12th floor with a panoramic view) is also open to undergraduates, who can transfer lunches there. Food is served à la carte at most of these grad school dining halls, as opposed to the buffet style in the colleges, and they offer excellent deli sandwiches as well brand name drinks like Snapple and Fresh Samantha juices. If you want a quiet lunch or a change of atmosphere, grad school dining halls offer a great way to get away from the hectic undergraduate scene.

Dining halls can also accommodate special dietary needs. Every meal offers vegan and vegetarian entree choices, as well as soy milk, tofutti, and trail mix. Although your choices are limited, dining hall management is remarkably receptive to requests or suggestions for specific items. Kosher students can eat at the Slifka Center, which is open to everyone for all meals. Slifka also has an excellent Shabbat dinner that's served family-style--it's a tasty meal to catch on a Friday night with some friends.

As a Yale novice, you might be tempted to just take what's offered. Don't. Explore the condiments--as well as the salad and sandwich bars--and learn to mix, match, and microwave like a pro. Soon you'll be making Rice Krispie treats, quesadillas, pita pizzas, grilled cheese sand-
wiches, cinnamon toast, ice cream sodas, egg creams, and gourmet salad dressings. Even when the only entree choices are soylada burritos and fried scrod, the salads, cold cuts, bagels, and ice cream will never disappoint.

Remember, dining is about more than food. Meals are a great chance to relax, talk with friends, and meet new people. If you're willing to try different conversations as well as different dishes, your four years of Yale University dining will spice up your college experience.

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