Discovering Elements

By Allison Hoffman
Collegian Editor
August 28, 2008

It’s a new school year and what could be worse than going from four months of your mom’s home cooking back to the world of pizza and fried “delicacies?" Well, you may be pleasantly surprised with the opening of the new La Salle cafeteria, Elements Café.

Located in the basement of the old Germantown Hospital, now St. Benilde Tower, the cafeteria hosted its grand opening this summer, sporting an atypical menu that might throw some students for a loop.

Grilled Salmon? Rosemary Chicken? Fresh Fruit? Tofu? It may seem weird, but it’s perfectly true. And the added bonus—the grilled selections are made to order.

“We do not have health food but healthy food,” George Ambos said, chef manager of Elements Café.

And what other healthier options are there? Say goodbye to your soda machines and carbonated beverages: they have been replaced with green and iced teas, and you can also find juices and other healthier liquids if teas are not your style.

OK, so now you are intrigued but, as always, there is some bad news.

First, a regular visit to Elements is going to put a bigger dent in the wallet than that traditional piece of Union pizza. This is not to say, however, that Elements is overpriced. The cheapest item on the menu clocks in at $2.75 with prices going as high as almost $5.00 for an entrée and averaging about $4.00 (not including a beverage). Now, compared to the $1.50 per slice for pizza at the Union, plus a soda, paying any more than $3.00 or $4.00 for lunch or dinner may seem like overkill, especially on the typical college student’s budget, but Ambos asks that you keep in mind the type of product you are receiving. Ambos claims that Elements tries to be competitive with other La Salle eateries as well as local places, but asks that students keep in mind that fresh meats, fish, and vegetarian options don’t come cheap. This coupled with the “go green” options Elements offers, including plates designed to melt in landfills, might make you think twice about that piece of pizza and Styrofoam container.

The second negative issue that comes into play will be a defining factor for many students. If you got past paying the higher prices in hopes that the meal plan mom and dad so graciously paid for you could cover it, think again: no food account accepted. So be prepared to spend your Gold Card money (if you have any) or else bring your wallet and hope your parents slipped some dead presidents inside.

So the next time hunger strikes in St. Benilde, maybe try some healthier options from Elements Cafe. Or if you really want to eat that pizza and chicken fingers all day then … you know … don’t.

hoffmana1@lasalle.edu