Students find newest eatery diverse, reflective of BU population

With a menu and service designed with students in mind, Takin’ it to the Street, the newest eatery at the George Sherman Union Food Court, has received positive feedback from students at Boston University.

Takin’ it to the Street opened Oct. 6 where the Amalfi Oven pizza restaurant used to be located. The menu features quick food options from a number of cultures that rotates on a weekly basis, said Scott Rosario, marketing director for BU Dining Services.

“The creation of the Street concept, the rotating themes, the style of service were all based on student survey results in regards to what type of cuisine they would most like to see in the Union Court,” he said in an email. “To increase the speed of service, we decided that menu also needed to be small, simple but flavorful and executed well.”

Declining sales at Amalfi Oven also contributed to the creation of Takin’ it to the Street, Rosario said.

Rebecca Alssid, director of food and wine experiential programs in the gastronomy program at the Metropolitan College, said food is a gateway to culture that can be shared and experienced firsthand.

“It’s great that students and adults get to taste these foods,” she said. “It’s become very much a part of our culture… Many people are showing off their foods and cultures, and it’s a good way to bring people together. The benefits are global… It means that Americans are having open minds about food and different cultures.”

Eating diverse foods can be a good way to unite students on campus as both a social and cultural activity, Alssid said.

“It’s great for universities to be doing this,” she said. “BU is filled with kids from all over the world. [Food] brings people closer. You find out there aren’t that many differences… Lots of kids don’t have these foods available at home because their parents didn’t prepare them or they didn’t go to restaurants where they were.”

Carlos Olaechea, secretary of the Gastronomy Student Alliance, said food shares important ties to culture and serves as a gateway for people to interact and participate.

“To be able to go to a campus and have food from your culture is very important because it still makes you feel connected to who you are,” Olaechea, a second year graduate student in MET, said. “It also makes you proud and respected because the campus you’re paying tuition for considers you important enough to feel comfortable.”

While the availability of the food itself is noteworthy, Olaechea said it is important that the meals are prepared and presented in the best way that reflects the culture they came from.

“It’s important to make sure dining services consults experts about the cuisine and about certain cultural taboos,” he said. “It’s also about making sure proper seasoning and presentation is correct. Sometimes, intentions can be good… [but] if [the food] is done poorly… it might actually be more offensive and make students feel more alienated.”

Several students said they appreciate the variety introduced at the GSU and look forward to what Takin’ it to the Street has in store.

Evan Bailey, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said the eatery represents the student population and caters to its diversity well.

“For some people, Takin’ it to the Street can give them a taste of home, and others can try something they wouldn’t get a chance to try,” he said. “There are a lot of staples you can find around campus, so it’s nice to see something different.”

Allie Orlando, a senior in CAS, said the eatery reflects how dining services is able to provide for the student body.

“A lot of people complain about them [dining], but they do a good job,” she said. “We’re privileged in our options in the dining hall and eateries. It’s not as good at other schools.”

Alyssa Bacon, a second year graduate student in the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, said food can be a way to encourage cooperation and understanding between different cultures.

“More culturally diverse food means bridging gaps and offering more information and experience,” she said. “A place like Takin’ it to the Street can help people embrace more international and cultural aspects in a more approachable way and easily to make them a part of their everyday lives.”