According to a recent poll conducted by me, one in three EMU students are vegetarian (sample size: three). Upon learning this information, I took it upon myself to explore the vegetarian dining options for EMU students. The Caf, of course, is probably the best option as there are many choices available at each meal. However, if you would like to dine on your vegetarian dish outside of the dining hall hours, you’d be fresh out of luck at the Caf.
The Royals’ Den, EMU’s secondary on-campus dining option, was originally opened as the Snack Shop in the 1940s. Since then, it has seen many changes and is now managed by Pioneer College Caterers (the same service that manages the dining hall). The Den offers a variety of quick and easy meal options, as well as packaged snacks and drinks.
The Den’s atmosphere is somewhat chaotic, heightened by the new scrolling menu on the TV screens. Although splitting the menu onto two separate slides allows the words to be larger and more easily legible, the slides change quickly, making it difficult to process what is on the screen. Fortunately for me, though, I wanted a transfer meal, so I just looked at the paper transfer meal menu on the counter.
I ordered the new plant-based burger (which has replaced the veggie burger on the menu), waffle fries, pink lemonade, and the dessert of the week, a chocolate chip cookie. Two of the three meals my roommates and I ordered were ready within a few minutes. However, one meal took longer than the others, as there was a bit of a rush when a certain team’s practice was over. I started eating before everyone’s food was ready, because unfortunately I was too hungry to abide by dining etiquette.
In regards to how the plant-based burger was different than the veggie burger, the first bite was very enlightening. The new burger seems to be more soy-based than the veggie burger was, and without veggie chunks in the patty. I enjoyed the texture of the new patty more than the old one, but the soy flavor was a bit overpowering. I also forgot to order toppings on my burger (don’t make this mistake), so I only had ketchup and mustard on my burger and it tasted quite plain.
The waffle fries I ordered were hot and crispy, but unseasoned. This is another common Den oversight: forgetting to salt your fries at the self-serve seasoning station. There’s a great variety of seasonings to mix and match, but I did not add any, as I was too hungry to take the time to season my fries. They still taste good unseasoned, but I would recommend adding some salt to boost your fry experience.
The other components of my meal, the pink lemonade and cookie, were delightfully predictable. The lemonade was as pink as ever, and the cookie tasted like a chocolate chip cookie. It was crispy on the edges and soft in the middle. I would recommend dining at the Den when the dessert of the week is the chocolate chip cookie; I liked it a lot better than some of the other desserts they’ve had.
The dining environment was rather crowded, increasing in increments as two teams finished their practices and arrived at the Den. It was a bit loud, but not louder than the Caf during a lunch rush. The main downside to crowding in the Den is that it can take longer for your food to be ready. Another downside is that the volume and activity levels increase, which can be unpleasant after a long day.
Overall, I’d recommend the Den for anyone looking for a quick, hot meal, including vegetarians. But if you’re looking for a relaxing dining environment, take your food to go.