I'm dan brown; I'm a professor in the Cheriton School of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo.
Summer 2012 has been a really challenging summer for having good food here at lunchtime, because my usual place for getting lunch, the Grad House, has been closed for renovations.
I've been eating in Uptown Waterloo more than usual, particularly having zoup! at Zoup!. This is fine, but I wish I could just enjoy eating in the University Plaza, the bunch of stores and restaurants adjacent to our campus.
But the reality is that, well, I don't. There are places I'm okay with there, but it's certainly not Collegetown in Ithaca, or Baldwin St. in Toronto, or anything that wonderful. My favourite restaurants that have opened for lunch in the last two years are all not there: the Burrito Boyz and Fratburger are both by Laurier, and the German Bakery and Zoup! are both in Uptown Waterloo.
Still, last week, because of a going-away party for a friend and the lunch we throw for our co-ops at the end of their term, I wound up at both Mongolian Grill and East Side Mario's. And while I was on my way to ESM, I realized I'd not eaten at Curry in a Hurry in more than half a decade. Maybe this time is different!
(Probably not.)
So, I have resolved to eat lunch at every single restaurant in the plazas, over the next few months: the ones I do eat at, the ones I don't eat at, the ones I swore I'd never return to, all of them.
Welcome.
Hey, I can second that University Plaza is nothing like UofT's Baldwin St or Ithaca's Collegtown!
ReplyDeleteA large selection of mediocre food.
I don't know whether I miss CTB more than I miss the $5 thai takeout place in Collegetown.
ReplyDeleteBut I miss both.
Have you tried Kismet? It's Bangledeshi but I don't mind their Indian butter chicken. Admittedly a bit on the pricey side but fairly edible :)
ReplyDeleteOh, sure. It's not bad. We'll get there, I promise. :-)
ReplyDeleteKismet's real good. I also have a special fondness for Mr. Panino.
ReplyDeleteA worthy goal, good sir. May God (or the FSM) have mercy on your soul as you're going to have to eat at Mr. Panino's soon enough
ReplyDeleteI think the last time I went to Mr Panino was before it became a Chinese place without changing its name. That is a bit confusing.
ReplyDeleteI hope your cardiovascular system survives the circuit. =) Or barring that, may the good reconnaissance you provide result in a net benefit to the UW lunch-throng. Sounds like fun! If I weren't so dang cheap and such a homebody, I'd do a similar tour of Salzburg.
ReplyDeleteI would much more enjoy doing this in Salzburg!
ReplyDelete