Dear fellow Big Ten-ers,
Yes, UW-Madison, Ohio State and Michigan—I’m talking to you. We all have something in common. We’re Big Ten schools. According to the Dictionary.com, this means we’re “a group of prominent midwestern universities known for high academic standards and keen athletic competition.”
Let’s focus on the last part: keen athletic competition. When I think athletics and Big Ten, I think football. As the recent season comes to a close, Northwestern officially ranks #58 *ouch* according to the CBS Sport’s website.
With many of my friends attending University of Wisconsin-Madison, which stands at #6 in the nation, I get a lot of crap for attending a school with a subpar football team. Still love you ‘Cats.
Despite our lacking sports scene, Northwestern is ranked in something else: our food scene. Here’s why having a good food scene is better than having a good football team.
Wins? More like wings.
The Huffington Post rated Evanston #2 as a city “to visit if all you want to do is eat.” Why? Because we have some of the best chicken wings in the country. There are no losers at Northwestern after devo uring 20 chicken wings and a side of freshly-made waffle fries at Buffalo Joe’s.
We don’t need to play in a bowl when we already have Table to Stix Ramen bowls.
Although the ‘Cats get to play in the Pinstripe Bowl this year, Northwestern is a strong, independent university who don’t need no bowl. And personally, a spicy miso bowl with brazed pork belly and crispy Brussels sprouts is as appealing, if not more appealing than competing in a bowl.
Our version of a touchdown is when there’s no line at Cheesie’s.
Not to be cheesy, but Cheesie’s, you hold the key to my heart. Taking a bite into their famous Mac ‘n Cheese sandwich erases all sadness after a football loss. UW-Madison, you thought I would be devastated when The Cats lost to the Badgers? Think again.
Indiana Hoosiers, we feel your pain, but we have Hoosier Mama Pie Company to sweeten our losses.
Indiana: there’s another Hoosier in town, and it’s a cozy company called Hoosier Mama Pie Company. This makes our victory against IU all the sweeter. Nothing in Bloomington compares to their delicious, crazy pies. My personal favorite? A slice of their creamy s’mores pie. It’s as good as it sounds.
A Big Ten school with a Ten Mile House.
Just a few minutes away from Ryan Field, Ten Mile House is the perfect post-game meal. Just like Cheesie’s, this place serves a mean grilled cheese. If you’re a cheese-fanatic like myself, make sure to order their pepper jack-stuffed tater tots paired with a balsamic-infused ketchup. You’ll thank me later.
What we lack in wins, we make up in coffee shops.
Although we may not have the most impressive record, Northwestern is surrounded by several unique, tasty coffee shops. I could talk about Unicorn Cafe’s Instagram-worthy cappuccinos and Kafein’s homemade baklava all day. But, my true happiness lies within the flaky crevices of Coffee Lab’s honey bread.
The ultimate pre game: Le Peep’s stuffed French toast.
The Big Ten conference has something else in common: we all know how to go hard before a game. The difference comes in our tactics. Northwestern pre-games with a side of stuffed French toast from Le Peep. Who’s the real winner now?
Our idea of tailgating? Eating gourmet crepes.
The picture speaks for itself. These gourmet crepes are sold before football games during tailgates. The “Wildcat Special” featured in this photo has blueberry batter, goat cheese, arugula, fuji apples, honey and pecans. Double-fisting has a whole new meaning when you have a crepe in one hand and a drink in the other. Wildcats go into the game with a full belly and a happy heart. Losing doesn’t mean a thing.
Food aside, The Wildcats are still #1.
And when the Wildcats beat the Panthers in New York, we’ll be out in Evanston eating every yard of the game. Go ‘Cats!