UCLA has been ranked the #1 college dining hall for the 5th consecutive year, and having lived on the Hill (our residential area of campus) and eaten in our dining halls for two years, I’m not surprised. There are a wealth of options for dining, as we have sit-down buffet-style dining halls, takeout dining halls, food trucks, and on-campus options that accept meal swipes. In honor of Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AANHPIHM) and as an Asian American, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite Asian dishes that I’ve eaten here in my two years. There are too many to fit into one article, but here are some highlights.
Many of these meals come from Feast, short for Spice Kitchen at Feast, which is one of the only dining halls on campus that specializes in Pan-Asian cuisine. They are only open for dinner, and occasionally offer “themed dinners”, which may highlight a specific cuisine or following another theme, such as a pop culture one.
Pinoy Night from Feast
This was one of Feast’s themed dinners and the line was insane. My friends and I waited nearly 45 minutes at 9:30 pm for this, but in my opinion, it was worth it. The spicy beef kaldareta wasn’t very spicy, but the beef was tender and yummy. It tasted like it had been simmered for hours and when eaten with the rice, was cozy and comforting. The pork was a bit fatty for me personally, but the peanut sauce added a nutty flavor that was an interesting combo I had never had before. The fresh mango salsa helped ease the fattiness and heaviness of the meats. The lumpia was my personal favorite. It was fresh, so crispy, and filled with that savory filling; I felt like I could eat 20. They were also so tiny and cute! We were also there until they closed so they gave us extra lumpia, which was so nice. The halo halo had an interesting assortment of beans and jellies that provided various textures and the creamy ube ice cream was delicious. The fried banana roll was massive; sweet, soft banana and crunchy wrapper, though the layer of sugar on top was a bit thick and hard to eat.
Korean Corn Dogs from Smile Hot Dog
Personally, I love Korean corn dogs more than American corn dogs. There’s something about the hot dog and cheese combo fried in a batter and the crunchy coating; it’s an amazing bite. The savory sausage and melty cheese go together so well. My go-to order here is the half-and-half sausage and cheese covered in potatoes; the soft yet crunchy coating adds a great textural aspect. Even if it hurts the roof of my mouth, it’s worth it. The corn dogs are also rolled in sugar, which helps cut through the saltiness of it all, balancing it all out. Smile also has a variety of sauces, and I always use the sweet onion sauce–its tanginess adds the 3rd element to complete the salty, sweet, and slightly tangy trio of flavors. Each corn dog also comes with a small cup of tteokbokki, which is always cooked perfectly and coated in that spicy sauce. The line for this food truck is always so long, especially at night, but for good reason.
Pho from Feast
This pho was delicious. There was a good amount of beef and the noodles were perfectly cooked to still be chewy. The toppings bar had as many bean sprouts and onions as we wanted to add, and the freshness and crunchiness from the veggies helped round the dish out. The broth was a bit too salty for me personally. I loved the spring rolls though. They must have been fresh out of the fryer when I got them because they were still steaming hot and crispy. The savory pork filling was delicious, and they were so cute. Wrapped in lettuce and eaten with the pickled radish and carrots, it was an explosion of flavors and textures.
Pad See Ew from 8E8 Thai Street Food Truck
This food truck is another UCLA favorite. The line is always so long, but the workers are so efficient that the wait isn’t that long. My go-to's are the Pad See Ew and Drunken Noodles; I like the broad rice noodles a lot. They’re soft and chewy, and provide a nice base to soak up the sauce. There are always big chunks of chicken scattered throughout these two and the Chinese broccoli in the Pad See Ew adds a nice crunch. The drunken noodles are a good spice level; a bit of a kick but not enough to make someone cry. The portion size is also always solid; I usually have leftovers which I appreciate. I remember when they had mango sticky rice last year and that was delicious, especially when warmed up, but they no longer serve it, unfortunately.
Dumplings from Dina’s Dumplings
I grew up eating a lot of dumplings at home so I was overjoyed to find out that there was a dumpling food truck here at UCLA. One meal swipe gets you 5 dumplings, which is a bit small of a portion, but they are relatively big dumplings. They offer pork, chicken, beef, and veggie dumplings, which is a great variety. I’ve had all of the meat-filled dumplings. The pork is my favorite; it’s the classic dumpling filling. It’s so savory and bursts with juice when you bite into it. The chicken dumpling has carrot in it, which I had never seen before, but it goes together really well. The beef dumpling tastes more similar to a beef ball, like the kind you get at hotpot. I always drench my dumplings in black vinegar and chili oil, adding that tangy and spicy kick, which contrasts the meatiness of it all. They also have these veggie noodles that are packed with numbing pepper oil.
Poke from Northern Lights Cafe
Northern Lights is one of our on-campus dining options that accepts meal swipes. I usually choose the build-your-own poke bowl option, which is $14.75, or about 2 swipes with a little extra to spare, so it is pricey. But when you have extra swipes at the end of the quarter, it’s the place to be. I always get the salmon and it’s fresh. I get the white rice and load up on toppings to get my worth. Also, it's good for balance -- crunchy carrots and cucumbers, pungent onions, refreshing seaweed salad, and green onions. The ponzu is good too; I like the tanginess and saltiness.
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken from Feast
This is one of my personal favorite Feast items. The chicken is always tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. I think they also have the spice mix nailed because the flavor is very close to the real thing. They serve the rice with this ground pork sauce that reminds me of a dish from home, so I enjoy that. It’s saucy, savory, and soft, perfect for the crispy chicken. The crispy fried egg is a great addition. Eating this with pickled daikon and carrots and extra green onions helps add freshness and cut through the saltiness, making for a balanced meal.
Overall, there are abundant dining options on the Hill, and I am so thankful to attend a school where I can eat like this. As a sophomore moving off-campus next year, I will definitely miss these meals, and hoping there are many more great dishes in these last few weeks on the Hill.
Overall, there are abundant dining options on the Hill, and I am so thankful to attend a school where I can eat like this. As a sophomore moving off-campus next year, I will definitely miss these meals, and hoping there are many more great dishes in these last few weeks on the Hill.