Noice's alternative to soggy PB&Js at FlyBy.

Let’s face it–that line at Flyby down in freezing-cold Loker is never going to get shorter before 1pm, so it’s time to find new digs to refuel after Mankiw’s lecture on… whatever. (Not like anyone was listening.) Next time, venture into Café Gato Rojo, almost hidden between Grays and Matthews and nestled in a nook underneath Dudley House, for a quick cappuccino and for a nice respite from the lunchtime fury.

With a conscientious menu of fair-trade coffees, Gato Rojo also offers muffins, scones, and other baked goods made fresh daily. For those not inclined toward caffeine (to which we say “WTF”), a generous selection of bottled juices, loose teas, and other beverages are also available. Not only do they take Crimson Cash, but a small coffee only costs around a buck. Read more about the hipster invasion at Dudley’s premiere lunch spot after the jump.

(Read more…)

The Mojito

Banana Daiquiris, Brandy Alexanders, and Caramel Apple-Tinis, each of which I savored at 5 p.m. on a Monday evening. No, I did not spend my night in a drunken stupor, but in a sweet sugar high from the cocktail cupcake happy hour at Kickass Cupcakes in Davis Square.

As unfortunate as this may sound, I consider myself to be quite the cupcake snob. Being from LA, I am a wholehearted follower of the cupcake craze that swept the country and now the world. Cupcake shops have sprung up in Rome, Istanbul, Berlin, Seoul, and Sydney, and I’ve made a point to find the best. I’ve waited forty-five minutes for a Sprinkles cupcake in Beverly Hills, tried more artisanal varieties from local bakeries across the country, flocked to Sweet upon its grand opening and, of course, flew to New York for the mecca of cupcakes: Magnolia Bakery.

See the verdict on Kickass Cupcakes after the jump!

(Read more…)

Hot breakfast delicacy: Pizza with egg on top.

Recently (and by “recently” we mean this morning), Noice emerged from its cozy riverside home to traverse the Yard and into those forgotten depths of Annenberg, that hallowed hall of yesteryear, in search of hot breakfast, the forgotten delicacy which upperclassmen can now only dream of.

Indeed, the hot breakfast was found, but to our great dismay, it was not as delightful as our anticipatory minds made it out to be. In fact, it was actually kind of bad. The difference between those inferior, cold plates of upperclassman breakfasts and these silver platters of toasty meals can be broken down into a simple list:

That Which Annenberg Hath Which Upperclassmen Hath Not

• Sausages
• Pizzas with eggs on top
• Tasteless potatoes
• Tasteless eggs

That’s all.

Perhaps this is simply an anomaly — perhaps Noice arrived on a bad morning? Nevertheless, Noice gives Ye Olde Annenberg Breakfast 2 out of 5 stars.

Delicious, and you made it yourself!

Today the dining halls were serving chicken wings (more like chicken skin) and our ever-recurring golden nuggets. Not being in the mood for these dining hall delicacies (out of fear for immediate heart attack), I opted for one of my favorite salad bar creations.

Barbeque chicken salad is just a good thing. It breaks up the monotony of simple green salad, is heartier and less frilly than other varieties, and most importantly, is incredibly easy to prepare when you’re in a dining hall rush. Read the quick and easy recipe, after the jump!

(Read more…)