You are getting the usual chhole bhature, rajma rice and samosas here so don’t come expecting something different. Delhi University’s new cafeteria, inaugurated by vice chancellor Dinesh Singh last week, opened to a mixed response from the students. While some were happy to find a new eatery on campus, others said they missed the old Spic Macay canteen.
Ankita Sharma, a final-year BCom (hons) student at Shri Ram College of Commerce, said she could have done with a more elaborate menu. “Being a vegetarian, I had to stick to the usual rajma rice. There were very few vegetarian dishes available at that time.”
Price was another issue. Rohit Chahal, a master’s student and state secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, said, “The food should have been reasonably priced.
It’s not value for money. We have to now pay up to three times more as compared to the old Spic Macay canteen.” Mona Siwach, a student of BSc student at Kirori Mal College, agrees. “I found the dishes to be a bit expensive and out of my budget. If compared with canteens in universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and even DU South Campus, this lags behind.”
When it comes to hygiene, things seem fine. “The presentation of dishes is quite good. I didn’t have any issues with the hygiene. The sitting place was also quite clean. The food is fresh and warm,” says Neha Verma, another student.
{{/usCountry}}When it comes to hygiene, things seem fine. “The presentation of dishes is quite good. I didn’t have any issues with the hygiene. The sitting place was also quite clean. The food is fresh and warm,” says Neha Verma, another student.
{{/usCountry}}Open near the Central Library, Arts Faculty, North Campus, the cafeteria has one cash counter and one self-service counter. You have to hunt for it as “there are no visible arrow marks to indicate the location,” says Sharma.
The 120-seater cafeteria’s food partner is the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation and offers dishes such as a regular thali for Rs. 50; chicken biryani for Rs. 100; pav bhajii for Rs. 40; and masala dosa for Rs. 45.
There is no dearth of suggestions: “There could have been more options such as a dedicated chaat and snack corner or more variety of south Indian dishes,” says Aakanksha Kohli, another North Campus student.