Students unwilling to wait in long lines for their food can now get a new type of meal in the corner store. Director Greg installed a new noodle bar over spring break that offers both vegetarian and carnivorous options available for self-selection. Whether in the mood for cellophane noodles or soy sauce on daikon, the bar has everything. The sauces include a spicy Sriracha imitation and sweet ginger sauce that when mixed can produce delightful results. Noodles are bought by weight and some of the options may seem a little heavy for the price. However, the culinary cash necessity will limit the number of customers the noodle bar will have, as $7.95 a pound is steep for those with only $150 to spend this term.
“It should really be a swipe” says freshman Jori Warwick, referring to the system for the sack lunches that can be purchased from Kate’s Corner Store. This is a belief held by many Lawrence students, who want culinary cash and swipes to be more compatible in the campus center dining areas. Students are still required to buy a drink or any other foods separately from their noodle dish, even though the bar feels more like Andrew Commons than any other campus dining location. “I want a chocolate milk or something, not just noodles,” said sophomore Zach Eichorst on the subject of a full meal. The regular hours of operation, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., don’t apply on the weekends, as the bar is closed. Students have to go noodle-less for Saturdays and Sundays.
The noodle bar may not be everyone’s Cup O’ Noodles though. “I didn’t like it” says freshman Audrey Cuthbert, “It was cold and made my tummy upset afterwards.” Cold noodle cuisine may be an unappealing option for many, so a microwave is provided right next to the bar. It may be a good thing that it costs a lot, as freshman A.J. Williams says she can see herself getting very tired of it. “They’re all very similar flavors, kind of like cafeteria syndrome all over again.” She is speaking of the tendency some students have to become bored with the same options showing up again and again, leading to these cycling foods becoming monotonous. This type of feeling towards the noodle bar may be held by some students, but overall it’s too soon to tell. The introduction of this new type of food has been met with mixed reviews, but it’s very possible Director Greg will break out some new surprises in the near future.