Ah, the eternal question…to Bruff or to Luff? Both part of the meal plan, many Tulane students take advantage of what Luff (Loyola’s Orleans Room) has to offer. Bruff, with its stark fluorescent lighting, is the perfect place to bump into your last Boot hook up while Luff’s low lighting and big picture windows makes a great place to people watch. Here’s the showdown.
BURGERS
Bruff:
Rating: 6/10
In the mood to wait 20 minutes? This is the burger for you. If you time it right, snag some fries while you wait. Be careful of the oily aftertaste though. Stick around to watch them clean the grill– I guarantee you’ll want to vomit.
Luff:
Rating: 8.5/10
Luff is doing something right with their burgers. In contrast to the greyish meat of Bruff burgers, Luff’s are both juicy and served up in a timely manner. Wait time is usually around 5 minutes. Luff fries are worth mentioning as well. Often times you can find both sweet potato and regular, and both are crunchy and delicious.
SANDWICHES
Bruff:
Rating: 7/10
Sandwiches are always a safe option at Bruff. There’s always a good selection of bread and meat options, and I am a big fan of the chipotle mayo. Make sure you toast it on the panini press. Always.
#SpoonTip: Ask for the french bread if they have it. Its crunchy taste is much better than the average whole wheat option.
Luff:
Rating: 7.5/10
Luff’s sandwich bar doesn’t differ that much from Bruff’s, but the fact that they cut them in half takes it to a whole new level. Maybe it’s the fact it’s one less thing I have to worry about, but I swear cutting it in half makes it taste better. Disclaimer, points were lost because Luff only has one panini press.
HEALTHY OPTIONS
Bruff:
Rating: 7/10
Last year, Bruff introduced the “Simple Servings” station that serves dishes designed to be suitable for students with food allergies. Most dishes are low in calories but also rank low in taste. Sometimes they’ll have a decent chicken breast or salmon, but most of the time you can expect a dry piece of fish and some lentils. Many times you can add some other stuff to these dishes and use some bruff hacks to solve this problem.
Luff:
Rating: 8/10
Luff also offers a station serving up healthy options. Here, you can find dishes like spaghetti squash and fresh stir fry. A few times I’ve been a witness of the station serving avocado as a topping. Wait times can be long, but it’s definitely worth it. The salad bar is usually solid as well, with a much wider selection of veggies and dressings than Bruff.
FRUITS/SNACKS
Bruff:
Rating: 8/10
If you get lucky, Bruff’s fruit selection will include raspberries and blueberries; but, to be honest, you’ll probably end up with the typical, watery bowl of cantaloupe. My go-to Bruff snack is a bowl of Frosted Flakes– always a consistent choice that won’t let you down.
#SpoonTip: A solid snack is taking some of the pita bread and putting in in the panini press for a minute, then dipping it in hummus. Yum.
Luff:
Rating: 6/10
Luff is lacking on fruit. Most of the time they only have out cantaloupe and honeydew. Other snacks worth noting are what’s at the hummus/nacho bar. The tortilla chips are yummy and so is the pico de gallo. Best kept secret of Luff? The cheesy bread next to the soups. Always a winner.
BREAKFAST
Bruff:
Rating: 8/10
Ask any Tulane student what the best Bruff meal is, and they’ll say breakfast. You can usually find the omelet line stretching around the room, but they’re worth it. Get shelled eggs, always. Other stations offer grits, scrambled eggs, biscuits, and potatoes. Bonus points if they have the hashbrown patties.
Luff:
Rating: 8/10
Luff ties for this one. Their breakfast also offers omelets and potatoes, though lines are still long. Luff also has flavored yogurt, as well as real granola– not just the kind from the box. If you time it right, you can grab a Starbucks before class.
DESSERTS
Bruff:
Rating: 7/10
Bruff cookies are delicious. Everything else? Not so much. Unless you enjoy the taste of fake sugar, make yourself an ice cream sandwich if you want a decent option.
Luff:
Rating: 10/10
Luff dessert is everything. There are countless options– all beautifully plated and always delicious. I’m a big fan of the chocolate mousse cups or the cheesecake. The brownies are also worth mentioning.
When it comes down to it, Luff wins in almost every category. Through their use of better ingredients, more creative dishes, and comfortable atmosphere, the whole experience is much more enjoyable than Bruff. So there you have it, I guess not all of us like it Bruff.