(Joseph Triolo / Fourth Estate)

The changes to Mason’s grab-and-go dining hall

BY JOSEPH TRIOLO, STAFF WRITER

In SUB I on the lower level, past the Mason ID service desk and Chick-fil-A, lies Mason Dining’s relatively recent addition: The Eaterie. 

Unlike other dining halls at Mason, The Eaterie is a retail dining option that serves made-to-order meals. 

So, is the Eaterie worth the trip to the basement of SUB I? Is it worth between $7.99 and $16.99 or a meal swipe? I went to check it out.

Initially, I found the aesthetics of the Eaterie to be modern and clean. Students are greeted by white floors, bright lights over the different food prep stations and digital food ordering kiosks. To the left of the door is a fountain drink station, an automated checkout station, and a red brick seating area with windows looking out to the Johnson Center and Horizon Hall.

The Eaterie currently has six main food stations: Mason Mensch, Chaat House, Wilde Greens, Sprig & Sprout, Crisp & Crust and Fairfax Street Subs. 

I had the Mason Mensch bowl, butter chicken from the Chaat House and a cheese pizza from Crisp & Crust. 

The main feature of the Mason Mensch bowl is the falafel. The falafel was a good size but had an extremely dark, almost burnt appearance. Unfortunately, the interior matched the exterior. The texture was dry, lacking moisture and the flavor left something to be desired. There were subtle hints of some spices, but there was a noticeable lack of depth and it would need to rely on the sides to be a suitable meal.

The first dip was hummus. Similar to the falafel, there was not much flavor added; rather, it was similar to a plain chickpea paste. However, the toum rocked it with an excellent level of garlic. 

The toum had the perfect amount of garlic to complement but not overpower. As for the vegetables, it spiraled downwards. The peppers were oily and too tender. The pickled onions had a nice crunch, but the sheer amount of vinegar overpowered any flavor from the meal. 

Despite the quality of the toum, the rest of the meal could not stand without it. This was also the most expensive meal I ordered, at $12.99, and for that price, I could have ordered a better meal from the Johnson Center’s food court.

Next up was the butter chicken. The sauce was light and smooth on the palate, and the chicken was just the right level of tender. Unfortunately, despite being extremely enjoyable, the meal also lacked much spice. 

The sides, however, made up for this. The aloo gobi cauliflower and potatoes had a deeper spice that paired well with the bland butter sauce. Then, there was the kachumber salad, topped with the cucumber-tomato raita.  This was absolutely stellar; the raita had the perfect amount of mint to add a sweetness that danced across the palate. The naan was nice and fluffy and absorbed the sauce excellently. 

Unfortunately, the two chutneys I ordered seemed to have already been mixed into the meal, but I can say that the whole meal was extremely pleasant, and for $10.99, it is comparable to any meal ordered from the Johnson Center.

(Joseph Triolo / Fourth Estate)

My final dish to review was the cheese pizza. Far from a typical N.Y. pizza, it is prepared on flat bread and has a unique taste. It was cut into two semi-circles from the ends and then typical triangular slices from the body. 

This resulted in the tip of the triangle pieces lacking sauce, and cheese being isolated in the middle. The flatbread had an excellent taste that worked really well for the pizza. The sauce was not a typical marinara, containing a possible soffritto base and a spice that was possibly paprika or cumin. 

Overall, it was still a good pizza. They also offer a lot of customization to serve a variety of preferences. For $8.99, it was definitely adequate and was prepared fairly quickly. 

The Eaterie provides an overall nice aesthetic. As for the quality of food, the butter chicken is the only item I would recommend.

Is the Eaterie worth its price tag? Is it worth not going to one of the dining halls for $10-$14, which covers an “all you care to eat” meal? 

I would say the food quality difference is noticeable, and with the increased price tag comes increased care. The priority seems to still be fast service, but it holds its own in aspects compared to the other similar food spots in the Johnson Center. I would rate the Eaterie three out of five stars.