Five nights a week, a crowd forms in the center of Elder to eat at the hottest dining hall spot on campus: the Elder United Table. Each week, this station serves a different fresh-made delicacy inspired by global cuisine.
From tacos, to crepes, to waffle sundaes, students rave about the United Table’s dishes. However, the wait for these popular items can hit a staggering thirty minutes or more. Some students, like first year Marina Braggio, wonder whether the food is really worth the wait.
Maria Braggio: I think Ice Cream Bar, waiting 15 minutes in line, it was kind of, got kind of old kind of quick.
But not everyone agrees. First-year Billy Dekraker regularly braves the long lines for a taste of his favorite United Table meals.
Billy Dekraker: I would say United Table, for the most part, is always worth the wait, especially when it’s tacos. I’ve never waited in line and I’m like, wow, that wasn’t that good.
Last week, the United Table served Gnocchi two ways: red pomodoro and white cacio e pepe. Unlike some United Table dishes which are a resounding success, students had mixed feelings about this staple Italian dish.
Michaela Atkinson: It was good. We got the white one, and I think I would have, I didn’t realize there was, like a red sauce, so I think I probably would have rather gotten the red sauce, but it was good.
That was Michaela Atkinson, a first-year Elder resident who was satisfied but not wowed with her gnocchi. Little does she know, she might have dodged a bullet by reaching for the white cacio e pepe. First-year Ivy Frater opted for the pomodoro, and noticed it was far too peppery.
Ivy Frater: I’m literally crying right now because of all the pepper and it’s making me cough.
Still, many students, like first-year Akayla Siddiqi, thought the dish was delicious.
Akayla Siddiqi: I really appreciate the gnocchi station. I think it’s creative, I think it’s innovative, and I think it was really, it was a delight.
The United Table might not be Northwestern’s fastest or most consistent dining establishment. But when I asked students about the United Table as a whole, the responses were overwhelmingly positive. Residents of Elder Hall, such as first-year Asher Joseph, are particularly fond of the station.
Asher Joseph: It’s always worth the wait. The food is always good. I always enjoy being able to send pictures home to my family, being, like, look at the amazing food that my dining plan is paying for.
First-year Claire Chen also loves how the United Table prepares dishes from different cultures.
Claire Chen: It just like makes your day when there’s like a new cuisine you haven’t tried yet. And yeah, it’s really wonderful.
Week after week, United Table brings students together over fresh cooked food. If you haven’t tried it out yet, it’s worth a trek up north.
For WNUR News, I’m Ella Alexander.