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The Dartmouth
October 31, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Dartmouth's International Diet

Hanover may not be a cosmopolitan culinary center in the way that nearby cities such as Boston and New York are, but it still features plenty of means for students, faculty and community members to satisfy their cravings for a range of international foods.

Within Dartmouth Dining Services, serving various kinds of international food is a priority, according to Jack Cahill, assistant director of Dartmouth Dining Services. Cahill acknowledged that the difficulties in sourcing ingredients to make international dishes mean not every recipe served in the Class of 1953 Commons is authentic, but that DDS still aims to please and broaden students' culinary horizons.

"I think it's a part of our responsibility to expose people to a diverse background of foods and culinary cultures," he said. To that end, '53 Commons offers a number of ways for students to satisfy their international food fix, such as the World Views station, which serves a different cuisine every week, and the Ma Thayer's and Herbivore stations, both of which feature various international recipes on a daily basis.

Cahill said he tries to diversify menu offerings and serve dishes from many different countries, including Thailand, Korea and India. One example of '53 Commons' commitment to international food was its celebration of the Lunar New Year on Jan. 23. DDS made an effort to serve a variety of dishes not just from China, but also other East Asian countries that celebrate the Lunar New Year in order to make the meal as authentic as possible, Cahill said.

"I'm still trying to get red envelopes," he said regarding a common Lunar New Year tradition in Asia. "You have to put even numbers in them I've learned that odd numbers are very bad luck. I've been doing my research."

During his interview, Cahill identified a stack of about eight Wei-Chuan cookbooks, which he called "the equivalent of the Culinary Institute of America in Taiwan," and invited me to look through them to see where DDS finds inspiration for many of its Asian offerings.

Collis Cafe manager Mike Ricker said sourcing ingredients to make dishes authentic can be difficult, but "at least using the flavor profiles reminds people of home."

DDS also collaborates with outside food providers such as Sunja's Sushi, based in White River Junction. Sunja helped DDS adapt the Korean dish bibimbap, which DDS served during the week of Jan. 15, for the World View Station,

"They helped us source some ingredients," Cahill said. "Finding Korean hot bean paste commercially for the bimibap was hard. You have to go to a specialty place."

Cahill said DDS is looking to collaborate with other local businesses. He met recently with a representative from Mama Tina's, a Central American restaurant in Hartland, Vt.

Richter said Collis also collaborates with Sunja's Sushi and tries to incorporate other local businesse,s as well.

"We've had a few people approach us," he said. "Sometimes the health requirements will eliminate them. We can't work with home-based businesses. We need to deal with state-inspected, insured vendors."

Courtyard Cafe has also worked with Taste of Africa in West Lebanon in the past, Richter said. Cahill added, however, that he hopes to see more African food at the dining halls, as he believes it is underrepresented in DDS' offerings.

Cahill and Richter both said student input and collaboration often drive the presence of international food in the dining halls. The pho and crepes offered at Late Night Collis were derived from student-submitted recipes. Recently, a graduate student who works at Late Night Collis suggested that the cafe introduce Mandazi, an East African desert, to its Late Night repertoire, which is a new addition to the menu. Cahill and Richter both said they encourage students to submit recipes and are willing to try anything students suggest.

"I can tell you every manager is dedicated to giving students what they want," Richter said. "I'm always willing to entertain any idea that we can feasibly pull off."

Beyond the confines of Dartmouth's campus lies an additional, though modest, selection of ethnic restaurants that are popular with students and community members. Students tend to be more adventurous eaters, according to Yama's head waiter James Kim.

Originally from Korea, Kim said it can be difficult to encourage customers to have an authentic experience at the restaurant.

"I try to eat the Korean food properly and serve it properly, but Americans can get offended," he said. "I try to show them how to stir up bibimbap and they say, No, I don't like it.'"

Jewel of India, which has been in Hanover since 1992, appeals to students and others affiliated with the College because the typical Dartmouth student demographic is often familiar with Indian food, according to Balbir Singh, Jewel of India's manager.

Although Kim said students are more adventurous than locals at Yama, Singh said all customers are generally willing to be adventurous. Although chicken tikka masala is the most popular, customers experiment with tandoori items in addition to "creamy mild dishes" that people do not generally associate with Indian cuisine.

Whether on Main Street or on campus, if you crave international cuisine, there are ways to find it at Dartmouth. This might be a small town, but we at least try to eat as if it were an exciting city. And according to Singh, Hanover has become a destination food spot for those including Bostonians and New Yorkers in search of authentic eats.

"Once they have tried our food, they keep coming back," he said.