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The Art of Eating Chapter 6: Cuban/Mexican Food (Café Habana)

Monday, October 17th, 2022

For as much as I loved to complain about the summer heat, the first wisps of fall are already in the air, and I can’t help but start to miss the warmer weather займ на карту мгновенно без отказа 10000. On this particular Wednesday afternoon it’s only the end of September, but the short walk from my apartment to Café Habana already leaves me feeling a bit chilly. I typically walk past Café Habana with some degree of frequency during my regular week. There’s always a lot of people surrounding it both inside and outside, so I’m excited to finally go and give it a try. Today is no exception to my past experience– even though it’s a bit later in the afternoon the store is still basically full. Once inside, I stop by the counter first where the friendly staff directs me to a table in the corner. Right off the bat, everyone there is super nice and helpful. From the workers behind the counter, to the lady taking my order, and the servers walking past who check in on me, the whole staff seems really welcoming. With such a great environment, and colorful walls decorated with lively paintings, I can already feel my excitement about the meal growing even more.

Interior eating area of Café Habana

After a few minutes inside it’s easy to let this exciting atmosphere (and the protection from the wind) start to warm you up. With one worry out of the way, it’s time to take a look at the menu. Café Habana has a wide range of items; from burritos, to tacos, to platos fuertes, Café Habana even has breakfast until 1 pm on weekdays and brunch on the weekends. But of course, I have to start with their famous corn which perfectly combines flavors like cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime. It’s easy to see why this item is so popular. Everything mixes together perfectly making it both unique and delicious! But grab your napkins because it’s the kind of food that gets on both your face and your hands when you’re eating. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed the actual process of eating food so much though. It reminds me of being young eating corn on the cob on a hot summer day with my family. Just like the rest of the restaurant, Caf´é Habana’s corn is fun and energizing from start to finish.

Café Habana’s famous seasoned corn

After eating the corn I almost feel warmed up like normal, but it’s time to move on to the main event. Their next famous item is the Cubano, a sandwich that flaunts Cuban classics like roast pork with chipotle mayonnaise and fries on the side. On days like this, it’s hard to beat such a classic sandwich. Much like their corn, the flavors are all familiar, but they make it special. Nothing is unbalanced and all the different parts work in harmony together. The Cubano is also another item to pick up with your hands- but hold on tight! The pork wrapped in ham is likely to fall out if you’re not careful about it. The pork is so soft that it just melts in your mouth and completely compliments the smooth ham around it. But not only is the meat inside steaming hot and delicious, the bread around it is toasted as well. Just holding it already alleviates any lingering cold feelings and eating transports you back to summer days. 

Cubano sandwich with meat inside and fries on the side

Overall, both the corn and the Cubano are instant classics. I really love their handheld vibe because it warms you up fast on a chilly fall afternoon– but don’t be afraid to get messy with them! Café Habana has a great and welcoming vibe that warms you up in more ways than one. It’s a perfect place to visit for the start of fall!

If you’re planning on making a trip to Café Habana soon make sure to use this coupon with your student ID to get 15% off your order of anything on their menu!

And to anyone looking to see more of the inside of Café Habana or clips of the food they serve there make sure to check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 5: Japanese Food (J’s Kitchen)

Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

It’s officially the start of September which means that it’s also officially the start of the fall semester! Recently I finally moved back into the SVA dorms after four months away, and I was shocked at how hard it was to transition back. It feels like I was just here, but yet it’s also completely different. For me, one of the biggest adjustments is losing access to a kitchen. Yes, my dorm has a kitchen for the whole (20 floor!) building, but it’s just not quite the same. SVA also has no dining halls, which means a lot of my meals this semester will involve my small dorm fridge and microwave. Even if you do have a college dining hall, it’s still easy to miss getting meals straight from the kitchen during the school year. That’s why I’m at J’s Kitchen New York this Wednesday to seek out some of that more homey cooking that’s so hard to get once school is back in session.

Right off the bat the interior of J’s Kitchen has the perfect, inviting vibe I’m looking for. Throughout the restaurant there are plants everywhere: hanging from the ceiling, decorating the tables, placed on the floor, etc. Beyond that, the rest of the store is very simple. The decorations are few and far between, but it doesn’t feel empty or anything, just neat and welcoming. Furthermore, another nice thing about J’s Kitchen is that you can actually see their kitchen in the back behind the counter. The cooking area there is also very clean and neat, but obviously much more lived in, with signs of the chef moving about to make the food. It’s definitely exciting to be able to see people actually cooking once you order your food bringing a certain personal quality to eating out that you don’t get everywhere.

Interior of J’s Kitchen with kitchen area in background

Once said kitchen finishes preparing your food, they bring it out to you, which was also very nice. We ordered at the counter, so I was expecting to have to go pick it up. Instead, the staff was super friendly about it and both brought out our food and took it back when we were finished. As expected, the food is steaming hot when it arrives at our table. It already smells more delicious than anything I could procure in my dorm room, so I’m excited to dive in. For my lunch I ordered the main star of J’s Kitchen, the Tokeru Wagyu Hamburger with Teriyaki Sauce. Just to start, the size of it is impressive. I feel inclined to ask for a fork and knife just to deal with all of it. Still, not only is the burger seriously tall, they provide you with a side of fries and (very cutely) two mini pickles. Lots of food. The teriyaki sauce was definitely a solid call because it is so good and adds a really great layer to the burger which is super soft and warm and delicious inside. It’s totally the kind of food that warms you up and makes you feel better if you’ve been missing home. Their curry is also another favorite. For me, it feels like the more classic comfort food that I would seek out. It’s similarly very flavorful and warm– and it comes with a lot of options for cutlet you can pair with it, like chicken, pork, and beef. If you’re still looking for vegetarian options, they have those too with the same great quality and taste. Everything comes direct from their kitchen, so you can be sure that it will satisfy any craving you have for homey cooking. 

Tokeru Wagyu Hamburger with Teriyaki Sauce

Overall, J’s Kitchen is perfect for any student looking for some high quality meals in the midst of leaving home and going back to living on their own at the start of the year. Their food is delicious and the atmosphere in the restaurant is really welcoming. I absolutely recommend people to go there for their classic Japanese food favorites, or look for something new if you’re up to it! You can’t go wrong!

Planning a visit to J’s Kitchen New York? Be sure to bring your student ID and show this coupon when you go to get 10% off your order:

If you want to see more about my trip to J’s Kitchen check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 4: Japanese Fried Chicken (TORI BIEN)

Thursday, September 1st, 2022

With September just around the corner I’m sure a lot of my fellow students are starting to feel the pressure of returning to school after these months away. For unfortunate students, like me, you might be cramming trying to brush up on some necessary skills again before the fall semester starts. Still, it’s important to take breaks and always good to spend time with friends before seeing them off to wherever they might be studying. Most of my friends leave me alone in New York once the school year starts and travel to different states for university, so the end of August always feels like a bit of a goodbye. As a (albeit temporary) goodbye to the city as well, it feels only right to have a day on the streets with good food and good company. On Tuesday I’m with my friend, Catherine, who won’t be far from New York this school year, but also won’t have the time to visit often for the next few months. I alone in my friend group enjoy walking tens of thousands of steps across the city, and since she’ll be gone, I make it an excuse to drag her around for the day. We stop into a lot of cute shops to cool off from the heat, but for lunch we make our way to 9th street and drop in to TORI BIEN for some food. The inside of the store itself is rather small– there’s no seating there, but conveniently they have benches placed outside, so you can choose to sit on those and eat if you want. It’s a cute restaurant with the perfect vibe for our afternoon out! 

TORI BIEN exterior with benches for customers

Despite not having indoor seating, the food at TORI BIEN comes already packaged once it’s cooked, so it’s not inconvenient to bring it somewhere else. My main meal, the Kara-age Onigiri Bento comes in, well, a cardboard bento box with all the components neatly separated. It’s cute and reminds me of the lunches other kids used to get when I was still in school. Catherine’s meal also comes partially in a box, but the fries she ordered are separate from it in a little paper bag that reminds me more of the lunches I used to get when I was younger, with my mother’s signature, disposable paper bag. Still, everything is easy to grab and take with you. The food itself also has more of a handheld vibe. My box of food comes with items like onigiri, a triangle shaped rice ball, and boneless fried chicken. The onigiri is super delicious. It’s perfect because the seaweed wrap gives it a nice crunch, but the rice inside is the perfect, soft consistency. It has fish flavoring too, so it’s not bland. The fried chicken is super crispy and I love that it’s boneless because that makes it easier to clean up when I’m done!

Handheld fish onigiri with seaweed wrapper

Catherine and I decide to rest on the bench for a few minutes and eat there before we continue our journey through the streets of New York, but there’s also a couple of nearby parks if you’re looking for more of a true picnic vibe. Catherine also orders fried chicken, TORI BIEN’s specialty, but it comes in a sandwich instead of loose, like my box. There’s a layer of sauce on the top of the bun, but the meal still isn’t messy. It’s similarly good to just grab and eat; and even if it wasn’t, they definitely provide you with sufficient napkins. The sandwich itself is wrapped up in a nice, thick sheet of paper that makes it convenient to hold as well.

Kara-age Sandwich with sauce, fried chicken, lettuce, and pickles

Overall, no matter where you chose to eat your meal from Kara-age, the flavors are delicious and it’s perfect to enjoy with friends. They offer an assortment of fun options and everything is perfect to take on the go!

Planning on taking your friends out on an end-of-summer picnic or just looking for some great Japanese fried chicken? Use this coupon code when you visit TORI BIEN to get 15% off your order with your student ID:

If you want to see more about my trip to TORI BIEN check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!

By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 3: Egyptian Food (Zooba)

Thursday, August 18th, 2022

Somehow, even the city that never sleeps manages to feel lethargic as heat continues to roll in throughout the early weeks of August. Still, sitting across from Zooba on Kenmare street I can feel the afternoon taking on a hint of excitement looking at the brightly colored murals and illuminated interior of the restaurant. The shade of the park across the street gives me a bit of relief from the brightness of the sun, and it’s a perfect waiting spot for me while my sister comes to meet me. Once she makes it, it’s time to get back up and finally go into the actual restaurant that’s been catching my eye for the last ten minutes. Right off the bat the interior is like a breath of fresh air from the summer heat. There’s a lot of space in there and it’s definitely adequately air conditioned. But more importantly there’s an energy in the restaurant that the streets outside were lacking before. Every wall is plastered with brightly colored images and the station in the middle is lit up with LED lights that blink and flash wildly. Zooba absolutely has some of the most fun restaurant decor out of the many NYC restaurants I’ve been to since I moved here– and that’s quite a lot. I’m already feeling excited about the atmosphere, but the food is what I’m looking forward to most!

Interior of Zooba with seating and decorated wall

As a native New Yorker and an adventurous eater, my sister has also tried food from (basically) every continent before, but Egyptian food is new to both of us. As per employee recommendation, we decide to order some customer favorites to try out the cuisine. To start out both my sister and I immediately gravitate towards the same brightly colored beverage. The hibiscus limeade at Zooba is a striking fuchsia color with an equally striking taste. Still that isn’t the only thing on the menu that comes in flashy color. My sister practically lived off hummus when she was younger, so ordering the fava bean hummus is a no brainer. When it comes it’s a nice, bright green which actually goes quite well with the color of our beverages. Green and pink. Always a classic color combo. To accompany our wonderfully colored hummus they provided us with a couple pieces of round, flat bread. Honestly, I’ve put a lot of things in hummus before, but this one is one of the best. It has enough texture to get a good grip on the hummus, but it’s not totally bland like some store bought pita chips you usually get. 

After wrapping up with the hummus it’s time to unwrap our main meals. The sandwiches at Zooba come covered up by paper that is just as creatively decorated as the store itself. My main item also came recommended to us by store employees and is something I’m particularly excited about. I decided to order a hawawshi burger, which is a typical Egyptian street food dish. It usually comes with meat and an assortment of toppings inside a piece of pita bread, but mine also has a truly incredible amount of cheese on it. Likewise, my sister’s order comes stuffed into a round pita. However, instead of the thin meat that comes with the hawawshi, hers has three round pieces of Egyptian falafel inside. According to her it’s very similar to falafel she’s had before, but there are definitely different flavors in there: like roasted harissa cauliflower. The toppings are also a bit different, which gives Zooba’s falafel a unique quality over some of the other more common falafel sandwiches in the city! 

Cheese hawawshi wrapped in paper and fava bean hummus

Overall, Zooba is a great restaurant to check out if you’re looking for something you can’t get anywhere else in NYC. All the food was super great and the atmosphere was perfect too. I definitely recommend visiting and ordering something you’ve never had before!!

To those who are looking to try some new food, or just want a great deal, use this coupon and discount code when you visit the store or order online:

If you want to see more snippets of the food and interior of Zooba you can also check out my TikTok on the Campus Clipper page!

By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Rapid Revival Restaurant Review Returns Reinvigorated: Marinara Pizza

Tuesday, August 9th, 2022
MARINARA PIZZA, New York City - 1376 Lexington Ave, Carnegie Hill - Restaurant Reviews - Order Online Food Delivery - Tripadvisor

Okay, this one’s a bit of a cheat. I had actually eaten at Marinara before I did this review. In a city full of pizza places, this is a place that has a pizza. And it’s a pretty good pizza!

But before we talk about that, we need to talk about the garlic thingies. I love these things, even though I only ever have like two of them and I’m always served five and I don’t even know what they’re really called. Regardless, the ones at Marinara are okay. They’re crunchy on the outside and doughy on the inside, which is good for biscuits but less good for these guys. At least they taste like garlic,

But the real start of the show is the pizza, which is everything you want out of New York pizza. It’s hot, it’s greasy, and it’s damn tasty. I ordered a pepperoni pizza which they didn’t have so they added pepperoni on top of a regular pizza and it tasted like it was supposed to be there. I don’t even have naything clever to say. Eat this pizza.

Verdict: 9.25/10 Unknown Foodstuff Names

By: Alexander Rose

Alexander Rose studies satire at NYU Gallatin and wishes he was actually just Oscar Wilde. He is interested in writing, roleplaying games, and procrastination. Describing himself in the third person like this makes him feel weird.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Rapid Revival Resteraunt Review Returns Reinvigorated: Bobwhite Counter

Tuesday, July 26th, 2022

I did in fact vanish into the luminiferous aether, but only for two months.

I love fried chicken almost as much as I love not dying of heart disease. In fact, based on my consumption of it I may actually like it a little more. Bobwhite Counter is a place designed to deliver as much fried chicken to your stomach as quickly as possible. The inside of the shop is rather spartan, but that’s because accommodation would get in the way of chicken. The outside seats are nice though.

(My images won’t load so pretend there’s a picture of chicken here)

The chicken itself is great. The breading is less crispy than expected but sticks onto the meat very well, while the actual chicken is quite good: a little spicy, but not enough to offend my vulnerable white tastebuds. It’s served with a biscuit which somehow manages to be both crunchy and doughy at the same time, which should be considered the highest biscuit-related praise.

(Same as above but with macaroni)

They also had Mac and Cheese, both of which are things I definitely RP ever over not having heart disease. It’s definitely Mac and there’s definitely cheese, in a bit of a hot and sloppy configuration that’s very tasty though also spicy enough to burn my throat while going down.

(Imagine whatever you want here, maybe some sort of pachyderm)

I was obligated to try the brownie after the Bean swindled me. I am happy to report that it is in fact an actual brownie, with all the implications that carries. It has a little too much flour, but that’s a small price to pay for authenticity.

Verdict: 9/10 Failed Image Uploads

By: Alexander Rose

Alexander Rose studies satire at NYU Gallatin and wishes he was actually just Oscar Wilde. He is interested in writing, roleplaying games, and procrastination. Describing himself in the third person like this makes him feel weird.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Are You Still Watching?

Sunday, July 24th, 2022

Surely we have all come across this question once or twice before in our lives—the one Netflix asks you when you have been watching TV all day and they want to do a cute little check in to make sure you’re still there. At which point you pause, think to yourself, “wow, have I really been watching all day?” and then you proceed to hit “continue watching.” What fun!

If there was a time that we needed entertainment the most, it was during the pandemic. We were cut off from our friends, our family members, our neighbors, and basically everyone who we didn’t already live with, and aside from worrying about our safety, it was a time of mass boredom. We seemed to have so much time on our hands, so what were we to do with it?

At the beginning, for me at least, keeping busy took the form of watching TV. It was easy to do before, in between, or after Zoom classes, and it doesn’t take a lot of energy to keep you engaged. I had just gotten Disney+ the previous winter, and during a time of increased isolation, you could say I was feeling a bit nostalgic. I started watching some of my favorite childhood TV shows like Wizards of Waverly Place. Then, I obviously had to undertake the very strenuous task of watching all of the Marvel movies in timeline order. I later started watching the more predictable teenage fan favorites, like The Vampire Diaries and Outer Banks, and after finally succumbing to all of the traction it was gaining on TikTok and Twitter, I regrettably watched the first season of Tiger King (key word, first). As many I’m sure can agree, it was a time that was favorable to consuming all kinds of content in whatever way we could get it.

But the allure of the television could only last for so long, and soon I was looking for other things to do once my time freed up after classes were done for the semester. First, it was making friendship bracelets (which turned out terrible), then it was painting any and everything in my room (not as bad as the friendship bracelets but still not my best work), and finally it was doing 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles (subtle flex, I know).

My family was also trying to find new ways to spend time together, since we were all getting caught up in the monotony. We started getting takeout every Wednesday so we could have a treat to look forward to, even though we usually just rotated between our usual favorite restaurants. When the weather started to get nice and it was safe to spend time with people outdoors, we took our dog on a family walk every Sunday at nearby parks and trails. Although I did not love getting up early on weekends, it was a nice way to get some exercise, leave the house, and spend time with my family.

Hunter, the 15-year old dog in question.

At school, trying to find ways to be social and have fun while keeping myself and others safe was also a challenge. We couldn’t go back to doing all the things we enjoyed doing at college, but we just had to find new things and expand our horizons. For instance, during the fall of 2020, my roommates and I went to a pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins and get ice cream. It was a great way to do something fun while also abiding by COVID-19 guidelines.

Self-explanatory.

Out of all the activities I did to keep myself occupied during the pandemic, the thing that I did the most was read. Throughout my life, I have always loved reading—getting lost in fictitious worlds, being inspired by my favorite characters. When I was little, I would go through books incredibly fast, especially if they came from the Magic Tree House series. Of course, children’s books are shorter, but I also just had more time and energy to immerse myself in a good read. In middle and high school, I still loved to read, but I didn’t make it as much of a priority as other things—like homework, sports, and extracurriculars. It wasn’t until quarantine that I truly began to rekindle my love for reading. I would take my books, lay outside in the sun, and read for hours. I also started to read a little bit each night before I went to bed, which had one of two effects: either it would help me fall asleep, or it would keep me up half the night turning the pages. Regardless, I made a promise to myself that I would read a little bit each day, even while I was at school; reading was not only something that I loved to do, but it was also a great form of escapism during a time when many of us needed it most.

Our lives are so busy that we rarely take the time to pause and do things for ourselves. We always come up with excuses or push things off, but it’s important to make time for things that matter to us. Of course, work will always be important, but finding small moments every day to do something for you—even if it’s just a chapter a night—can be just as important, whether you are at school or at home. Honestly, if the pandemic had not come along to slow things down, I might not have realized just how caught up I was in the motions of everyday life. I think that sometimes we feel like entertainment is synonymous with wasting time, but it’s always important to take a breather, blow off some steam, and immerse yourself in something that makes you happy. It won’t always come easy, since as I’m sure we can all attest, these last few years have introduced us to a feeling of fatigue like no other, one that makes social activities or hobbies feel just as draining as work. Finding what gives you joy comes in bits and pieces and changes all the time, so just remember to be patient with yourself. 

And, if you’re looking to start your own version of take-out Wednesdays, use this coupon to get 10% off Indian cuisine from Punjab Palace!

By: Katie Reed

Katie Reed is a senior at Villanova University studying English and Communication. She is in utter disbelief that she just admitted to being a senior. She loves to read, but has made barely a dent in the increasingly large pile of books on her bookshelf that she told herself she would read this summer. She hopes to enter a career in the editing and publishing industry.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 2: Middle Eastern Food (Naya)

Friday, July 22nd, 2022

July is finally making itself known in New York City this week as the heat rolls in through the streets and the air takes on more and more oppressive humidity. Standing out in the sun feeling the sweat roll down my back, it’s easy to imagine getting away and finding somewhere to finally cool off. My imagination transports me to a faraway place where the food compliments the weather and can help me relax in this overbearing heat. Seeking this out, I decide to duck into a restaurant and reset. Naya has several locations across Manhattan, but the one I manage to stumble across on this sweltering afternoon is located on University Place– just a step or two away from some of NYU’s main buildings. Right away entering the restaurant is a sigh of relief; it feels so good to finally be enjoying the air conditioning and protection from the sun inside a nice building.

Interior of Naya with seating (left) and bar for ordering (right)

My first impression is that the whole store is really spacious with a lot of seating options. There’s a large area next to the bar to order food that’s full of tables and chairs, but customers can also sit at the window and face out at the street if they’d prefer. Sitting here gives customers a full view of Naya’s outdoor seating, though there’s a notable lack of people enjoying the tables out there today. Whether or not the weather makes it unbearable to take the food outside, the air conditioning inside keeps food and people alike nice and cool! At Naya, ordering said food is also quite simple. There are three main bases to choose from for your meal: roll, bowl, and salad. From there you slide down the counter, pick out a protein for your meal, and then finally choose from a wide range of toppings.

As a die hard pita fan I, of course, have to go with the roll for my main base; it’s truly the perfect way to enclose any combination of food. Easy to eat and easy to enjoy. Still, the pita is just the base and there are countless possibilities for what to put in it. The employee helping me gives me a hint by suggesting that the chicken shawarma is a customer favorite, and who am I to break the norm? That, along with the tahini sauce and an assortment of vegetables like cucumbers, and cabbage, makes up the refreshing roll of my aforementioned, overheated dreams. If the roll isn’t refreshing enough though, then the salad bowl is sure to resolve any remaining issues. My friend, Alex, is feeling the heat as much as me apparently, as she orders that with a large assortment of cool vegetables. 

Wrap with chicken shawarma and tahini sauce

Once our main meals are all put together all that’s left is to grab a drink and take our seats. Most of the options are pretty familiar brands, but there is an organic peach ginger black tea that catches my eye. The flavors are perfectly refreshing and the natural fruity quality also goes well with the sweet flavor of fresh tomatoes in my roll. It also has a lovely little haiku written on the side of the bottle to remind you that life is beautiful sometimes and not always gross, and sweaty, and hot. I guess. Still, in the middle of a long day looking out the window at New York and enjoying a fresh meal, the heat doesn’t seem so bad. Thanks to the good food and the relaxing vibe, once I’m done with eating I feel rejuvenated and ready to brave the suffocating heat again.

Overall, Naya is not only a great casual spot to take shelter from the weather, it’s also nice to just simply sit and enjoy the food there. They offer a lot of customizable options for everyone with fresh produce and great flavors!

To those looking to cool off, or just anyone excited to give Middle Eastern food a try, be sure to use this coupon along with your student ID:

If you want to see more snippets of the food and interior of Naya you can also check out my TikTok on the Campus Clipper page!

By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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More Than A Meal

Tuesday, June 28th, 2022

My boyfriend and I have started a tradition of cooking over Facetime once a week together. We’re currently long distance so this is a nice way to spend time together and it helps him get more comfortable in the kitchen. We’ll spend the previous night picking out a recipe, go and get the ingredients, and then hop on Facetime to cook the meal together. However, my boyfriend is not super comfortable in the kitchen yet. This has led to several hilarious mishaps. One of the first meals we cooked together was orange chicken. My boyfriend was struggling to get his sauce to thicken so, as the recipe suggested, he kept adding more cornstarch. Suddenly, I saw him freeze and a look of mild horror started to blossom on his face. “Babe,” he whispered, “I think I’ve been using corn syrup instead of cornstarch.” I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and he soon followed suit.

Food can be such an important part of life, far beyond our dependence on it to keep living. It has become a centerpiece for social events. I can’t tell you the amount of times the words “free food” have gotten me and my friends to go to an event that we otherwise would not have considered. Food is used as an excuse to see people and catch up – “going out for lunch” or “getting coffee” are often used to suggest a reason to hang out with someone. It can help build memories and strengthen relationships, like my boyfriend adding copious amounts of sugar instead of a tablespoon of dry starch. In America, we have whole holidays that center around the food being eaten at them. Thanksgiving is pretty much just an excuse to eat way too much with your family, and I don’t think anyone is in any rush to change that. On top of its importance to our physical health, food has a huge social aspect to it. 

While food’s impact on our social and physical wellbeing are, for the most part, common knowledge, few people consider food’s impact on our mental health as well. According to Dr. Eve Selhub in her article “Nutritional Psychiatry: Your Brain on Food”, what people eat and how much of it can greatly impact their brain functions and mood. This is not only because our brain uses the energy from food to run smoothly but also because good food helps the bacteria and neurons in our gut to stay healthy and help neurons send and receive neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.  Essentially, the food you eat can affect your mood and energy levels. If someone eats too much, they might feel bloated or tired. If someone eats too little, they won’t have the energy to do what they need to do in the day. This is especially important for people with depression who struggle with energy levels and mood already. The kind of food you eat can also affect your mood with processed foods causing inflammation and blocking neurons in your stomach from sending and receiving neurotransmitters. Overall, the food you eat has a huge impact on your mental health and vice versa.

Mood boosting foods come in all shapes and sizes

I found this out the hard way. I had a pretty good relationship with food until about the end of eighth grade when I started getting incredibly stressed out. This caused me to feel like I was going to be sick every time I ate. I never threw up but I started eating less and less to try to avoid feeling sick. I remember thinking that I would rather be hungry because it meant I didn’t feel sick and I started to enjoy feeling hungry. While this went away halfway through that following summer, the mindset of rather being hungry than sick is still something that I’m trying to get over. In the summer before junior year, I started exercising to try to help my declining mental health. I started doing at home workouts and really getting into fitness. This did help my mental health a little bit but it opened a whole new avenue for hurting my mental health: I started to track my calories. It was pretty harmless at first. I was just curious about how much I was eating and how I needed to change it to fit my fitness goals. However, it quickly became an obsession, with me consistently eating less and less just to see the number on the calorie tracker (and, subsequently, the scale) go down. If I felt like I ate too much that day, I would work extra hard to burn off those calories. I rarely could, and I felt like a failure every time this happened. This is similar to an eating disorder called Orthorexia nervosa. According to NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) in their article on the disorder, Orthorexia is an obsession with healthy or “clean” eating to the point of damaging someone’s health and wellbeing. This is a very real and serious eating disorder and, while I don’t consider myself as someone who suffered from this disorder, I know I was very close. Luckily, I had friends who knew what was going on and were able to help pull me out of that mindset before it got too dangerous. I was able to forget calorie tracking and, while I still sometimes have the urge to obsessively work out and track my food, I have been able to let it go and start to rebuild my relationship with food.

My Easter meal of steak, potatoes, salad and dinner rolls!

The biggest thing that has helped me overcome this struggle is learning how to cook my own meals. About two years ago, I moved into my first apartment and finally had access to my very own kitchen. It took a little bit to learn what I was doing but I quickly found a joy and passion for cooking. I also found that having more control over my food and knowing exactly what went in it helped me tremendously. I’ve been able to reframe my mindset around food from being solely used to further my physical health to being a fun social activity that helps my whole body function properly. While I’m still growing out of unhealthy mindsets, I have been able to find excitement in searching for new recipes, learning to cook them, and doing it for and with the people I love…even when they add too much corn syrup to an orange chicken recipe! 

Takeaway: Food can and should be much more than calories in and out.

All good meals require grocery shopping. Get started with this coupon!

By: Callie Hedtke

Callie is going to be a senior at DePaul University in Chicago where she is studying Graphic Design. If she’s not at her computer designing (or playing video games), you can find her in the kitchen trying out new recipes. She also likes to be outside exploring and enjoys hiking with her friends and family.

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 1: Korean Food (Bonchon on 23rd)

Tuesday, June 28th, 2022

Welcome! I’m excited to get the opportunity to share my love of different cultural cuisines on here and hopefully introduce some people to new foods (along with getting introduced myself!). As much as I am eager to dive in and begin trying food I’m unfamiliar with, I am grateful to be reviewing Korean food today because it is a long time favorite of mine. Bonchon on 23rd Street is just a step away from the SVA studios (where I spend far too much of my time) as well as a short walk from Manhattan’s Koreatown. Still, it competes with any of the restaurants there just as well and surpasses my expectations for most of the Korean food I’ve had before.

It’s Monday afternoon when I manage to drag my friend, Dilan, into the city with me for our meal. He’s not so familiar with Korean food, so I’m enthusiastic about bringing him with me and giving him the full experience. Already when we step into the restaurant it gives a strong first impression with a welcoming waitstaff and an open space full of tables for customers. 

Illustration of the interior of Bonchon

For a beginner, a meal of Korean food wouldn’t be quite complete without some of the main staples. One of the first dishes brought out to us is kimchi, a traditional cabbage dish that ferments in a mix of Korean seasoning for a couple days before it’s ready to be served to customers like us. Kimchi is one of the most well known banchan (or Korean side dishes) and for a good reason; it’s got a satisfying crunch, a refreshing flavor, and a slight heat all in one bite. In addition to that, the manager, Susanto, also recommended we try japchae, which happens to be a personal favorite of mine. Japchae is unique because the noodles are made from sweet potato starch instead of egg and flour like Italian noodles or rice like noodles typically used in asian stir fry. Sometimes this starch can give the noodles a sticky quality or an overwhelming sweet taste, but the ones at Bonchon suffered from neither such conditions. It’s a perfect glass noodle to accompany an assortment of vegetables like peppers and onions.

Japchae (left) and kimchi (right)

However, in addition to serving more traditional Korean dishes, Bonchon also has its own distinct specials that set it apart from other Korean restaurants and give it a more modern edge. Their main item is fried chicken which comes in a variety of shapes and is served with two different special sauces (both imported here from Korea itself). The first of the sauces is the spicy sauce. I’m glad Susanto recommended this one to us because Dilan loved it, but after a piece or two I can feel my whole face heat up to the point both Dilan and Susanto laugh at me a bit when he comes over to check in on us. Despite this the flavors are still great and sweat or no sweat I wouldn’t hesitate to try it again. However, the second sauce, soy garlic, is much milder and doesn’t leave me with a bright red face. The slightly sweeter flavor contrasts with the spice of the other sauce and goes well with the crunchy texture of the battered wing.

Fried chicken in spicy and soy garlic sauce

Overall, Bonchon is a super convenient place to satisfy Korean food cravings, as it’s within just an arm’s reach of most of my classes, as well as a gateway to Korean food for those who are eager to try the cuisine. They offer a range of dishes from traditional to their own unique Bonchon flavor, but either way there’s something for everyone. 

To both students who are looking for a handy place to satisfy their cravings for a cuisine they love, or those who are looking to experience something new, make sure to use the student discount below when you visit!

For more about my experience you can also check out my TikTok video on the Campus Clipper TikTok!

By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!

For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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