The Deli No. 1, located near the Art Building, and is a small eatery that gets crowded quickly.
There is no inside seating at the deli, but there are plenty of benches and tables outside to eat on however take extra napkins, sometimes those tables can be pretty dirty.
There is no d?cor to speak of and all I can remember is beige walls and that crazy fan that pushes air down as you walk in.
The ambience is purely functional. Come in, order your food and get out, yet the people who work there still manage to be friendly and take the time to smile at you.
The best thing to do seems to be to shuffle your way to the glass counter, remember to ask the people in front of you if they’ve ordered yet and then place your order with one of the workers behind the glass.
The menu is full of typical fast food and comfort foods. Eating healthy on campus is going to be a serious challenge unless you bring your own lunch.
I went to the deli to grab something to eat. I decided to go there because it was close by and they have an “A” rating from the County Department of Health.
The fare is average fast food: burgers are around $2; pizza is $1.75 for cheese and $2 for pepperoni.
They serve chicken sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, tuna sandwiches and more, with a few choices of breads, but no French rolls; sandwiches are $3.25 and come with potato salad.
The Deli also serves fries, chili fries, chicken strips, burritos, nachos and more.
The breakfast burritos are good; try one with French fries instead of hash browns for a nice change; get there early because they stop making them around 10 a.m.
They make their own salsa and it’s great. It may be a little too hot for the people who like really mild salsa, but this salsa is not so spicy that the flavor is lost because your tongue is on fire.
The Deli also sells cold Starbucks coffee for $2, Sobe teas, bottled water and fountain sodas, as well as hot coffee and tea.
They get doughnuts in the morning and also have packaged muffins if you want a quick sugar rush before or after class.
Sometimes they offer specials, but not “daily.”
There were no salads on the menu, but when I asked the cashier if they had any salads, she said that they have lettuce and tomatoes and other things to make salads.
But I was in a hurry and hungry, so I ordered the pepperoni pizza that had just come out of the oven.
It was still warm and cheesy since my order was filled so quickly.
They have crushed hot peppers to compliment the pizza, but you have to look for them. They are located next to the refrigerator with the cold beverages in it.
I prefer the crust a little crunchier than what it was, but at least it wasn’t too doughy.
It wasn’t half as good as my Italian boyfriend’s pizza, but nothing ever is. I got a bottle of water to drink and the total was under $4, so I’d say it’s affordable, too.
Once you order, the food seems to get out pretty quick, usually about 5 minutes or less.
The women who take your order and cook your food are nice and friendly, but they can be a little hard to understand. If you can speak Spanish it is very helpful here.
I spoke to a few other students in the deli and they all said they have had good experiences with the food here; they liked that it was fast, close, inexpensive and the food was good
Nobody raved about the food, but no one said it was gross either, I think it’s just average fast food.
The Deli is quick, easy, and no frills dining. I wouldn’t recommend taking a date there, but if you need to get something to eat between classes it’s probably your best bet on campus.
While some of the items on the menu seem similar to the off-campus vendors which now surround the college, at least the Deli No. 1 can offer the speedy service students need.
In addition, now that the main food service area on campus has been closed that means that hungry students will have to abandon their quest for healthy food for a meal or two.
The Deli may offer students high-calorie food, but it’s hot food served quickly, so we’ll take it.
Review
Restaurant: The Deli No. 1
Rated: Average-“A” rating from Health Department
Details: The Deli is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Price range: average fast food prices
Bottom Line: The Deli is probably your best bet if you need to get something to eat between classes.
