Every Wednesday, McCarthy quad bustles with the noise of vendors from the greater Los Angeles, setting up their kiosks and making conversation with students. Comprised of more than twenty vendors, the Trojan Farmer’s Market is no walk in the park; you can easily find yourself lost amongst root vegetable chips and dried fruit options, overwhelmed by the choices.
We’re here to make it easier for you and identify what’s good at the market.
Ready-made lunches: Ihsan’s Falafel
Photo by Deena Khattab
Of the prepared food options — conveniently lined up along the Leavey-facing edge of the quad — you can’t go wrong with Ihsan’s Falafel. Ihsan’s sells Sudanese green falafel, which can be hard to find among your typical Levantine yellow falafel. One nine dollar wrap and you will be a happy camper for the rest of the day, guaranteed.
Mom’s Products
Photo by Deena Khattab
While I always get roped into the 3-for-10 hummus deal, by far my favorite food available at Mom’s will always be their tabouleh. Normally I avoid buying salad because it’s relatively easy to make, but this salad — chock full of bulgar, olive oil, and finely minced parsley, onions and tomatoes — is definitely worth the four dollars.
Rustic Loaf
Photo by Deena Khattab
One thing that consistently appalls me about all the supermarket options within USC’s proximity is the lack of sourdough bread. Luckily, Rustic Loaf meets my sourdough needs by offering freshly-prepared loaves of love. I highly recommend the lemon-rosemary and multigrain sourdough, both of which will provide a solid foundation for all of your sandwich needs.