Commentary by: Nic Peischl, Regina D’Urso, and Tom Dillard

     In the next two issues, the Joust will be conducting a different type of restaurant review. We will be comparing other Colonial States Athletic Conference cafeterias to what Neumann dining has to offer.

Cabrini College

Food

     The presentation of the food at Founder’s Hall made the food look very appetizing but ended up being a facade for what was a disappointing meal. The weekend brunch had the normal variety of breakfast and lunch favorites. We sampled pizza, scrambled eggs, potato wedges, french toast and pancakes. We arrived 30 minutes after the dining hall opened and the food was not as hot as it should have been. The pizza was dry and the crust was soggy. The eggs were certainly real scrambled eggs, but they were dry and colder than any eggs should be. On the positive side, the potato wedges and french toast didn’t receive any complaints. The pancakes weren’t up to par and were barely warm and hard. Some encouraging news came when we talked to junior Amanda Robotti.

Cabrini's spacious cafeteria!

     “On weekends, it is worse than on weekdays.”

     She explained that every week has the same rotation of food from Monday through Friday, something different than Neumann’s dining services. Overall, the food at Founder’s Hall didn’t come close to meeting expectations and received 3 out of 10.

Service

     When we walked up to the counter for our meal in Founder’s Hall, we were greeted by a pleasant woman who was nice & helpful to us. The servers weren’t willing to help right away but after they noticed us standing around for a few minutes, they came over to serve us. 

     “When we ask them for something, they get it for us,” explained Ribotti. “They’re typically very friendly towards us.”

     We didn’t end up experiencing the friendliness as we went to put our plates away. A gentleman behind the counter screamed and told us that we were putting our things in the wrong place. Overall, the service received 7 out of 10.

Ambience

     Founder’s Hall is the main cafeteria at Cabrini. It is a large, open area with several tables for large groups of friends or teams to sit. Around the perimeter of the cafeteria were four seat tables, perfect for grabbing a quick bite to eat by yourself.

     “My friends and I usually just come down, sit and talk, even when we’re not eating and stay for a while after we’re done eating,” said Ribotti.

     The natural light makes the cafeteria a welcome hangout for students and staff. The ambiance of Founders Hall snags 8 out of 10.

Rosemont College

Food

     Rosemont’s Cardinal Hall had the feel of a high school cafeteria but the food was better than anything you’d find at a high school. We sampled the baked ziti, which was very good and received no complaints. The sauce was smooth and creamy and the top had a crunchy hard noodle that makes ziti so phenomenal. Next was the parmesan fish which was extremely tender. Next was the pizza, a necessity at a college dining hall. It was thin with a good sauce, just enough cheese and a fluffy, yet nice crust. There were also hot dogs which were decent and a little different taste. Rosemont also offered self-serve Hershey’s ice cream, soups and the normal bagels and cereal. Overall, the food at Rosemont’s Cardinal Hall was a very good, receiving 9 out of 10.

Some of the food that can be found at Rosemont College's Cardinal Hall

Service

     Upon entering Cardinal Hall’s cafeteria, we met Tyler, a cashier who was very nice and willing to help us. He warned us to check the menu before paying to make sure it was what we wanted to eat. We didn’t really interact with any servers at Rosemont since it was all self serve. There were people behind the counter who were asking if we needed any help. When we were done eating, we didn’t know where to put our plates and asked Tyler, who helped us out no problem. The people behind the window thanked us for returning our plates. The few people that we interacted with were all very cheerful and helpful. Overall, the service notched 9 out of 10.

Ambience

     Rosemont’s campus may appeal to newcomers as two sided when seeing many old castle-like buildings with the inside proving a different story. Cardinal Hall, the main cafeteria to the campus, is a step below Neumann. Walking in, there are many tables to choose from, including four seat tables along the wall, great for grabbing a quick bite to eat before class. Of course there are also the round tables throughout the hall to have meals with all your friends. While it wasn’t an awful place, the overall feel of the cafeteria was of an old diner that you could visit late at night with your friends.  The ambience of Cardinal Hall grabbed 5 out of 10.

Cabrini Photo By: Regina D’Urso
Rosemont Photo By: Tom Dillard