If you’re a student at SUNY New Paltz, you know about The Roost. The Roost at Ridgeview is pretty much the equivalent of an on-campus Subway, a much better Subway.
And the best thing about the Roost is the quality and freshness of the ingredients. It’s the one place on campus where students forget they’re eating dining hall food. Not the mention the expansive variety of breads, meats, cheeses, vegetables and cheese to choose from.
My friends and I eat at the Roost all the time. Generally, we stick with the same sub each time we go. But we made a vow to change up our orders for a few weeks, which resulted in the best eight sandwiches we’ve ever had at the Roost. So we ranked them for all you hungry Hawks.
8. Buffalo Chicken
This simple buffalo chicken sub is accompanied with mozzarella cheese and pesto mayo on white bread. Although the buffalo chicken at the Roost isn’t ridiculously spicy, it does have a slight kick to it.
The mayo helps reduce the heat and the pesto adds a hint of Italian flavor. Mozzarella cheese is a great choice for the sub because its flavor isn’t too overwhelming.
7. Falafel
The Roost offers options for vegetarians, too. One of those choices is falafel. This creation consists of falafel, cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, spinach, Italian dressing and guacamole. Although the falafel was a little dry, my friend Kali says, “The guac was on point.” The veggies paired well with the Italian dressing and the falafel was a way to make the sandwich a little more unique.
6. Tofu
The first of two tofu subs on the list. This sandwich is composed of teriyaki sesame tofu, spinach, tomato, black olives, mayo, honey mustard and pepper-jack cheese. I was looking for something with a bit of flavor, which I found in the pepper-jack cheese. However, the other ingredients are fairly basic so any cheese could easily replace the one I chose.
The honey mustard worked in tandem with the pepper-jack to neutralize any spice that would otherwise have become too overbearing. Overall, the sandwich is pretty plain but nevertheless delicious.
5. Veggie
This sub holds lettuce, spinach, tomato, mushrooms and guacamole all over melted cheddar cheese; topped with Italian dressing. This was the first sub Kali tried, before she added the falafel.
Although sautéed mushrooms cost extra at the Roost, they’re worth the investment. They add a different flavor and texture to the sandwich that you can’t get with any of the other ingredients. You could easily swap out the Italian dressing for something different, if that’s not your cup of tea. And if you’re lucky, Roost staff will throw on a few extra cheese slices on if you don’t get meat.
4. Honey Ham
My friend Arianne, who swears by her buffalo chicken sub, changed up her sandwich for the first time since freshman year. She ordered honey ham and mozzarella on her sub, and had it toasted. She kept it simple, just lettuce and, of course, pesto mayo.
The ham had more flavor than the buffalo chicken, and the sweetness of the meat and pesto mayo complemented each other well. She also added lettuce to create a slightly crunchy texture to her meal.
3. Roast Beef
Another simple, yet delicious creation. Roast beef with provolone cheese, lettuce, and spicy mustard. Sauerkraut would have gone excellent with this sub, but unfortunately the Roost was all out. The plain cheese and lettuce work in contrast with the roast beef, a heavier meat, to keep the sandwich light. The spicy mustard adds a distinctive flavor that added just the right amount of kick to the sub.
2. Tofu (take two)
This is my all time favorite sub, but I may be biased because I ordered it. In between the bread lies toasted teriyaki sesame tofu and mozzarella cheese. On top of that there is spinach, tomato, black olives and pesto mayo. (I don’t know what I was thinking when I ordered this sub; I despise mozzarella and pesto mayo.)
I was feeling a little spunky and wanted to switch things up, and it all worked out well because I swear by this sub now. The salty teriyaki works harmoniously with the pesto mayo. The mozzarella cheese is present just enough that you don’t forget it’s there. And the veggies add a great combination of texture and flavor.
#SpoonTip: Turkey would also work really well.
1. Pepperoni and Salami
This was the first sandwich change that any of my friends made. They switched from a simple chicken sub, to this. My friend was clearly experiencing a spicy craving because she ordered pepperoni, salami, cheddar cheese, lettuce, Italian dressing and jalapeños.
The two meats are practically siblings. They’re different enough to add unique flavors to the sub, but similar in a way that makes them a great pair. The Italian dressing helped to minimize the kick of the jalapeños, which added just enough heat. After it was taste tested by all those willing, it was agreed to be the best sub.
The best part about asking my closest friends to help me on this Roost sub adventure was watching them try new things. We never thought we would change the subs that we’ve stuck to since freshman year. It’s now clear to each of us that there are more than a few unique Roost sandwich combinations that can result in something delicious. No one hated what they ordered and we all tried something new.
Next time you’re on campus in New Paltz, order one of these subs from the Roost and judge for yourself how great they are. Or maybe you’ll come up with your own combination that’s surprisingly delicious, and that’s even better.