This past Monday our beloved Bostwick Marketplace unveiled a brand new pasta station to replicate old Italian flavors and cater to the many noodle-loving Caf-goers. This change came as a direct response to student requests to University Dining Services.

“Being a pasta lover who only eats pasta, you can only have Alfredo and Bolognese for so many meals,” James Sanderson ’22 wrote. “I am asking you to create a pasta station which features a different type of pasta every day.”

Sanderson’s wishes were answered. On its premiere evening, the pasta station served buffalo chicken pasta. This meal was extremely well-received by the first-years in attendance.

“The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce was a perfect mix of creamy, cheesy, and spicy, and the chicken was a great added touch,” Jennifer Banniston ’22 said. “This might become my favorite station at the Caf if they keep up the momentum.”

On Tuesday, the station gravitated to Asian pasta dishes. They served Pad Thai for lunch and they presented a special variation of chicken lo mein for dinner. The following day, the Caf chefs promoted “Wacky Wednesday” and served taco mac-and-cheese for the entire day. Although students were confused at first, all of these meals received stellar reviews from University food critics.

“Each bite reminded me of my favorite movie, ‘Nacho Libre,’” Ryan Leynolds ’22 said.

Despite its strong start, the new pasta station proved to be unpredictable and disappointing as the week went on. By Thursday, it seemed as though the station had hit a rut. For lunch, the station unveiled their self-proclaimed PB&J pasta, a mix of macaroni noodles with peanut butter and grape jelly, garnished with bread crusts.

“This pasta was absolutely revolting and a total disgrace to noodles. Who would ever think of mixing pasta with peanut butter and jelly?” Wendy McDonald ’22 said. “Furthermore, why would they put the absolute worst part of a PB&J on top? If you eat the crust you are a total weirdo.”

It seems that after a strong start, the new pasta station has hit a creative food barrier. Only time will tell if the Caf can redeem itself and win back the hearts and stomachs of the first-year class.