An Illustrated Culinary Adventure with Chloe Wang

The New York Times recently featured Durham as one of the top 41 places to visit in 2011, in large part because of its revitalized downtown nightlife and excellent restaurant culture. Below is an excerpt from article:

A decade ago, downtown Durham was a place best avoided after sundown. But as revitalization has transformed abandoned tobacco factories and former textile mills into bustling mixed-use properties, the city has been injected with much-needed life. In the heart of downtown, a crop of standout restaurants and cafes has recently sprouted around West Main Street, where low rents have allowed chefs and other entrepreneurs to pursue an ethos that skews local, seasonal and delicious.

Along these lines, MMSer Chloe Wang has written a guest post giving you a taste of (culinary) life at Fuqua and beyond.

--

Hi guys! My name's Chloe and I'm an international student from China. I did my undergrad at Washington University in St. Louis, and I will be working in the finance industry in NYC starting this summer.

Contrary to popular belief, Durham is actually a great place for foodies. Being a foodie myself, I have been exploring places to eat all around campus and in Durham. Part I will be about food in Fuqua, and part II will be about brunch places in Durham. Enjoy! I'll try take better pictures next time :)

Where to eat? (Part I: At Fuqua)
When we are at school having classes:
Fox centre is the only food place that’s available in the Fuqua building. There’s also the law school café right next to Fuqua, but Fox centre has more variety. During break, you’ll see all MMS kids rushing towards Fox centre to grab a bite. At lunch, we always eat together at huge tables. (The pictures are taken by phones so they may be a little blurry; hopefully they still give you an idea of the Fox centre!)
- Starbucks: We have a coffee area that serves Starbucks coffee and other soft drinks.

You can also get packaged sushi, sandwich, parfait, gelato and salad.

If you are in a hurry, or nobody is at the counter, you can check out at the self-check out machine. This is what we did during final weeks, when everyone is studying in the MMS team rooms and got really hungry late at night. A large ice-coffee is $1.94.
- A little on breakfast: You can either get cereal and bakery at the Starbucks stand, or get a real breakfast at the grill or the salad bar. There are omelets and pancakes and tons of other selections; at the salad bar you’ll see yogurt and fruits. Breakfast closes at 10, and reopens at 11 for lunch.

- The Grill: You get burgers and steaks here. My favorites are philly cheese steak with curly fries, and grilled cheese. The lines can be a little slow but it’s worth the wait. Prices vary.

- Pasta and Pizzeria: I love their pepperoni pizza. Around $3 per slice.

-Asian station: The food is great, but it is the same every other day: on day 1 there’s ginger chicken, grilled pork and udon noodles; on day 2 there’s bibimbab, pad thai and curry, and the cycle goes on and on. $7.95

– Indian station: A nearby Indian restaurant called Sitar serves Indian food in the fox centre twice a week for $7.95. You can also get Mango Lassi for $2.99.

- Comfort food: The menu is different everyday, such as fried fish, grilled chicken, and cavalry, with different sides. Price varies.

- Sandwich station: The sandwiches are huge! You can either have pre-made sandwiches or make your own sandwich, which is priced by weight.

- Salad bar: The salad bar is actually quite good. You pay by weight, and normally it costs me around $8.

- Dessert bar: Slices of cheesecake or chocolate cakes; around $2.99.

People sometimes complain that eating at Fox centre gets boring and it’s overpriced, but due to lack of choice they eventually come back and eat Fox centre food again.

However, if you happen to be having a light day, you can go to Bryan centre and eat at the great hall, where the undergraduates dine. They have a much bigger selection. Oh! Don’t forget to buy a locopop on your way there =)

Fuqua Friday:
Luke mentioned Fuqua Fridays before, but I would like to talk a little more about the food aspect of it. For those of you who don’t know, Fuqua Friday is an open event every Friday at Fuqua, where people come and eat dinner, hang out, and drink. There’s an overflow of drinks and food. Every week there’s a different theme. So far we have had themes of southern barbeque (hosted by MMS and I think is one of the best Fuqua Friday), Latin America, Asian, Italian, etc.

Part II on the way!