Staff Writer Sophie Askanase and Arts Editor Grace Novarr met for their usual Wednesday lunch and decided to try Diana’s new ramen offerings. Spontaneously, they offer their opinions.

After enthusiastically waiting in line for 30 minutes, Sophie was finally able to order a coveted Diana Ramen. The proportions of the serving were slightly off: not enough broth in comparison to the other ingredients, and far more veggies than necessary.

The order:

Chicken Broth; Noodles; Chicken; Broccoli; Bok Choy; Scallions; Thai Chili Sauce

First impressions:

Sophie: The broth gains its only flavor from the soggy broccoli melting within it and the thai chili sauce, arguably the only good aspect of this dish. My first sip was tinged with disappointment and left an odd slightly sweet artificial flavor coating the back of my throat.

Grace: The broth is mid.

Notes on noodles:

Sophie: The noodles taste like the veggie whole wheat ones you begged your dad not to make for dinner when he was dieting. There’s no flavor, but a weird gummy texture, that open chewing resembles a soggy wheat thin. I don’t know how they call these noodles in good faith.

Grace: Disappointing, but they do taste like they probably have health benefits. Is it worth it? I’m not sure.

Notes on Veggies:

Sophie: The broccoli, as usual in Columbia Dining Halls, is under-spiced, yet surprisingly does not taste as if it comes from a massive bag of frozen food. Soggy, but edible, and extra points for being fresh. The bok choy is one of the highlights of the dish, but the bar is very low. Cooked well, could use more seasoning.

Grace: The broccoli was a positive note for me. I felt that the floret I consumed was more flavorful than the noodles, at least. I don’t really like bok choy, but it was inoffensive.

Notes on Protein:

Sophie: The chicken was unremarkable (again, under spiced: PLEASE BUY SOME SRIRACHA FOR THE DINING HALLS), but ended up absorbing much of the perturbing soup flavor and was thus unenjoyable. Dissolved pretty quickly in my mouth in a way that I can’t describe as altogether unpleasant, but was certainly unexpected.

Grace: No comment.

Notes on Toppings:

Sophie: The scallions are, well, scallions, and decently cooked, but the Thai chili sauce is the hero of the dish. Get rid of everything else, and just give me a massive helping of tofu or chicken with that slathered on it. I’d lick it til I dropped.

Grace: I love scallions. They’re like fun sprinkles. I was glad this dish had them.

Final Notes:

Sophie is very glad to have the usual banana and chips: that is now their whole lunch. Grace ate a burrito bowl for lunch and was sated.

Ramen via Staff Writer Sophie Askanase