It's 12:52 pm on a Wednesday. All 12 o'clock classes have just been let out and the race to McElroy Commons commences. In just seconds, a wave of students floods through the doors near the bookstore. They are all crawling their way to the second floor to Eagle's Nest, the lunch-only BC dining location on campus with the best sandwiches and salad bar around. In record time, the lines at Eagles end up out the door, and the hangry students become all too aware that their wait for food is about to be a long one. Some will give up and walk upstairs to Mac or down to Lower, but many will battle the masses and wait it out for their panini. If only there was a way to beat the lines at Eagles and get good food quickly!
Alas, I introduce you to my favorite BC food, the "Concept Bowl". Set up like a salad bar, you pick a base, either kale, brown rice, or quinoa, pile yummy, roasted veggies all over the bowl, and top it off with fire roasted chicken thighs or extra-cheesy Mac and cheese. In November, BC dining announced the launch of these new "Concept Bowls" in Eagles Nest.
As the lines for the salads and sandwiches seem to get longer everyday, the "Concept Bowl" line at the very end of the cafeteria is hidden to the public and the shortest one by far. Even with this launch and advertisements plastered all over the TV's, students stick to their habitual Caesar Salad or Tuscan Chicken Sandwich, making this delicious lunch option unpopular.
After religiously waiting in the salad line everyday, my friend told me to try the bowl. She said, "it is life changing, I promise you". And she wasn't wrong. As a lover of food and hater of the bland chicken breast in Mac, I can honestly say that the vegetables actually taste like what they are and have flavor, while the chicken is juicy and seasoned. Cauliflower, roasted brussels sprouts, and roasted squash are just some of the options that are seemingly unique to these bowls and unavailable in any other dining hall. With a hefty scoop of each topping of your choosing, it is nearly impossible to leave hungry. Who knew BC could be capable of this feat?!
The bowls have quickly become my go-to, and the best part is that not many people know they even exist.
If you can manage to sneak past the crowds and make it to the other end of Eagle's, hop into the bowl line and try it yourself. I guarantee it will be the quickest and best food experience you've had all week.