You can never escape the dining hall comparisons.

On a rainy Friday night, Bwog Staff Writers Sophia, Mila, and Zelia ventured to the Bryant Park Winter Village for some delicious food for a chaotic venture into the wonders of holiday goodies. Undeterred by the pouring rain, grumpy village-goers, and chaotic atmosphere, there are most definitely some delicious hidden treasures that the world needs to know. On the subway ride back to campus, they talked about how they wished for these delicacies in the dining halls. This begged the question, which dining halls would the food above be served at?

The first thing we tried was the fried pickles on a stick from Pickle Me Pete. They were piping hot, combining a juicy pickle with a crispy fried shell. They were definitely worth the wait in the pouring rain. Obviously, the pickles would be at JJ’s because you know, they’re fried. Enough said there. 

Cunningly, Bank of America was giving out free hot chocolate. Unfortunately, they were the size of a pup cup. The good thing is, it was dark, and like the good New Yorkers we are we had black puffer coats on, making us indistinguishable. The result: we each had upwards of five hot chocolates. Without hesitation, we concluded that the hot cocoa would be from Liz’s, not only because their staff is so kind, but because the beverages are top-notch. 

So being the TikTok connoisseurs that we are, after watching the mesmerizing melted cheese videos over and over, we decided that we had to try the holy grail of cheesy delights—the Baked Cheese Haus stand. TikTok had done it again—led me to a gastronomic wonderland. Was it worth the 20-minute wait in the pouring rain? Absolutely. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat. If the Baked Cheese Haus stand were in a Barnumbia dining hall? It would undoubtedly be a Ferris Action Station menu item. We can most definitely imagine toasted baguettes and melted wheels of raclette cheese being just the type of special Ferris would offer on a cold winter day.  

The arepa, a culinary gem that served as the perfect finale to the entree round, was a delightful concoction of flavors and textures. This cheesy delight, brimming with the sweetness of corn, added a touch of indulgence to the dining experience. Its golden, flaky crust encapsulated a savory filling. Imagining the arepa in a late-night setting, it would undoubtedly find its home in a place like Diana, exuding a comforting and warm vibe. The thought of indulging in this delectable snack during the late hours perfectly complemented the notion of cozy, satisfying culinary escape. 

To finish the night off, we enjoyed a simple Nutella crepe. Seems pretty to-the-point, ONE MIGHT THINK. Yet, despite the fact that there was one customer in front of us, we ended up waiting the longest for this item. I mean, how long can it take when there were things like Oreo-Nutella-Strawberry crepes on the menu? To make matters worse, it wasn’t even worth it, like the raclette. Her ambiguity, her allure, her mystery is why we give her to Teachers College. Supposedly fancy, but not really any clue what happens behind closed doors.

Image via Bwog Staff