Photos by Gabriella Chan
When one enters the Waves Cafe, an overwhelming sensory explosion hits the innocent bystander, who, for the sake of convenience or hunger, has entered this bustling culinary realm.
Sometimes it can be quite intimidating to pick a meal, particularly when there is a dictionary-thick stack of orders piling up at The Grill, or if the broccoli-and-apple medley from the vegetarian section just isn’t cutting it. The question that arises, then, is where to start.
The salad bar is like a trusty old friend, or perhaps even a great aunt whom you occasionally oblige to call and say, “Hey, how have you been?”
The salad bar is a reminder that absence makes the heart grow fonder. While it may not be your first choice, a mix of healthy greens can definitely be a good choice — a fun one, even. But where exactly do you pick up the conversation? Which leaves of lettuce and which selection of vegetables do you choose? These are your Shakespearian “salad days,” and, fortunately, the answers are not too far away.
1. Mediterranean Salad: Add ample servings of couscous, spinach (or mixed greens, if you so choose), olives, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, tomatoes and chicken with an olive-oil-and-vinegar dressing. Add a bag of Stacy’s Pita Chips, and suddenly Mykonos does not seem so far away.
2. Melon Salad: Although the selection of salad bar toppings rotates, an assortment of melon seems to be a constant. A combination of fruits and vegetables (with the exception of the pseudo-vegetable that is the tomato) may seem unappealing. However, if you combine assorted melons (honeydew and cantaloupe) with cucumbers, tomatoes and orzo pasta, summer is once again at your fingertips.
3. You Got the Beet: Sprinkle your plate with beets, sunflower seeds, mixed greens, artichokes, mushrooms and bell peppers for a colorful and healthy vegetable medley. Add Italian dressing or ginger-sesame dressing for a tangy treat.
4. Julius Caesar Salad: Add Romaine lettuce, croutons, cheese and Caesar dressing. Optional: Stab 23 times.
5. The Faux Cobb Salad: Add iceberg lettuce, eggs, chicken, cheese (bleu cheese if available), avocado and your choice of dressing. Just don’t tell Ron Swanson that there is no bacon.
6. Quinoa Salad: Add quinoa and tomatoes, then the bulgur, dried cranberries and cucumber mix from the grain bar for a refreshing treat. Crush some Stacy’s Pita Chips from the chip section (either “Simply Naked” or “Garlic Herb and Parmesan”) to add a delightful crunch.
7. Waldorf Salad: Add spinach or mixed greens, grapes from the fruit section, sunflower seeds and your choice of dressing. To get your protein fix, add slices of grilled chicken to get you through the next class.
8. Salad Nicoise: Add tuna, spinach, tomatoes, black olives, hard-boiled eggs and the dressing of your choice. Feast on this French classic while enjoying the Caf’s scenic ocean views — now you can experience two different kinds of paradise.
9. Garbage Salad: The aptly coined “garbage salad” is not for the faint for heart. Simply add every ingredient that is in the salad bar — yes, that means the broccoli, too. While your meal points may be significantly depleted, may your heart rest knowing that you have achieved a truly victorious feat and have presumably eaten your vegetables for the remainder of the week. As of now, your picture will not be hung on a wall for completing this meal, but in due time, it will go down in history.
The salad bar no longer has to be a Pepperdine student’s last resort when braving the culinary world. Push your chicken quesadilla and those amusement-park-length lines away, if only for a day. It’s time to experience your salad days like never before.
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