By Marc Butcavage, Video Editor
At one point or another in any given semester, Hofstra students are likely to find that the food options Lackmann provides have gone from enticing to lackluster. The usual fare becomes mundane and tasteless, and as meal plans begin to dwindle down into the hundreds, finding good yet affordable food on campus seems next to impossible. However, if you know where to look, you may just find a dish that delivers in flavor, yet doesn't break the bank.
Such a meal exists right at Dutch Treats, a late-night favorite amongst students already known for an excellent sandwich selection. If you're feeling like something new, Dutch carries a Jamaican treat that may just be the height of sandwich enjoyment on the Hofstra campus. Known as the Bronx Special, the Queens Special or just simply the beef patty sandwich, this relatively simple sandwich will shake you from that food slump you're likely to feel after only a few weeks into the semester.
The ingredients are simple, just coco bread and a beef patty, but for optimum enjoyment it is also recommended that you add Swiss cheese and hot sauce. A favorite in bodegas and street stands in New York City, Dutch Treats does an impressive job at emulating this street-side favorite. Coco bread, though containing no cocoa or coconut, is a sweet bread that counters the spicy beef and hot sauce in melted harmony. The Swiss cheese, though not traditional, completes the sandwich, giving it yet another layer in this already flavor-packed meal.
As well as being one of the tastiest items on campus, it also comes in at a whopping $4.40, a good two dollars less that some of the most meager meals available to students. With a sandwich like this, you can even skip the chips- it is a meal within itself. Like most good things, it is probably not the healthiest choice, so sides are purely optional. With a combination of sweet, doughy bread, plus an additional pastry pocket, one can hardly fathom the amount of carbs it packs. So if you're going the Weight Watchers route, this is probably not the best choice.
If you're ready to branch out from the typical heartburn-inducing sushi, or the severely overcooked burger, step up your game and order this Jamaican delight. A true wonder, especially on those nights when you're not exactly sure how you got into Dutch Treats in the first place. A delicious treat that won't drain your cash, even if that cash is really just glorified Monopoly money.
Marc Butcavage chomps into what he calls “the best food you can buy on campus.” (Sean M. Gates)