An Uncommon Delight

02. Jun, 2010 - Mindful Moments

Pop quiz: Where in Davis can you get two freshly prepared dinners that include burgers on whole grain buns, customized salads, curried fish pasta, drinks and dessert of your choosing for $12 a person?

You scored an “A” if you said the Segundo Dining Commons on the UC Davis campus, and that is the very grade I’d give them too.

While dining there recently (btw: I had the quinoa vegan burger, baked fries, salad and hot chocolate), I caught up with manager Mike Baldocchi to ask about the emphasis on health and sustainability at the DC.  Simple strategies like switching to baked fries, reducing the oil usage, offering a huge salad bar with lean protein and local veggies, eliminating trays at each station (to avoid overloading the tray with food), and offering a Farmer’s Market meal every 2 weeks are just a few of the ways that the DC helps its patrons enjoy a healthy, mindful eating experience.

another satisfied customer!

I especially enjoyed loading up on fresh spinach, garbanzos, beets, chopped egg and turkey meat during my trip to the salad bar, and was delighted to see 8 oz coffee cups (as opposed to 12 oz or bigger!) when I treated myself to hot chocolate at the end of my meal. This place just screams balanced eating! To be sure, there are your typical DC treats – pizza, regular burgers, cakes and cookies, but it’s nicely mixed with other options. Even better, the DC get’s as much of their food as possible from local growers (even on campus) and they encourage patrons to be mindful of wasting food and napkins to support sustainability.

Most impressive were the Vegan food sections, Gluten free breads, creative dishes, such as Chicken Afritata and Tabouleh, and the colorful presentation. This is not your typical dorm food. Portions were perfectly sized (about 8 oz/plate) and you have to walk all the way to the back of the DC to grab a soda (time to question, do I really need that?).

small portions and nice presentation

Oh, and the most important thing is that the food is actually really good. Seriously. Go try it for yourself.

The Dining Commons (Several on campus, check with website) are open to the public 7 days/week! Their menu rotates weekly and is always available online along with special events. Each day features vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, as well as the typical omnivore fare! Special packages available for UC Davis Staff.

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Mindful Moments

Comments

  1. avatar
    Cary Arnold 02. Jun, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    Rebecca — I was equally surprised when I dined on campus with my son and his friend last year as they were going through orientation. The food is delicious, there are tons of choices, many of them healthy. Thanks for the story. It reminded me to back for another visit.

  2. avatar
    Joe Clemens 02. Jun, 2010 at 4:38 pm

    Where on Campus would I find the Segundo Dinning Commons?

  3. avatar
    rebecca 02. Jun, 2010 at 4:46 pm

    Segundo DC is located on the NORTHWEST side of campus, on La Rue Ave. It is just across from the ARC, near the Segundo Dorms. You can park in the ARC parking lot, or better yet, bike there!
    Good question :)

  4. avatar
    Ann Murray Paige 02. Jun, 2010 at 9:35 pm

    Great post Rebecca, I never go to UCD so I would have no idea that was there. But I do now–and I’m going to try it out!