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By Lucas Thomae and Thomas Gessner
If one is to believe that college campuses are analogous to organisms, bodies made up of cells and organs that work together to create a living creature, then Yum-Yums would not be the heart of UNCG, but it would be the mitochondria, or as every internet age kid calls is, the powerhouse of the cell. Yum-Yums is this “powerhouse” because it provides sustenance that motivates and drives the people of Greensboro, but unlike ATP in the human body, Yum-Yums shares its wealth with all those who come, and the restaurant’s impact extends far beyond the boundaries of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Yum Yum Better Ice Cream began in 1906 through a street cart operated by Wisdom Aydelette before morphing into a brick-and-mortar store on Spring Garden street, except when the shop first opened, the name on the sign read “West End Ice Cream”, which would change to Yum Yum Better Ice Cream, or “Yum-Yums”, after the ice cream flavor by the same name took off. Decades and one location change later, Yum-Yums still provides ice cream for the masses.
Ice cream might be the spark that started the fire that is Yum-Yums, but if someone was to ask a Greensboro resident what the restaurant sold, the response would be near-unanimous: “Hot Dogs”. If that Greensboro resident liked adjectives, they would tell you: “Red Hot Dogs”, and red these dogs are. The bright red hot dogs, sometimes covered with chili, onions, coleslaw, and mustard, or served with a selection of those toppings or none at all, which might not be as tasty, but is far and away the most aesthetically engaging a hot dog can get, and if that is not enough, they taste great for a dollar eighty, tax included. The bun is familiar and unassuming, the chili, onions, and coleslaw offer a nice flavor and texture balance, giving a crunch and spice to the food, and the hotdog itself is a perfect mixture of chemicals and processed meat, a mixture that is the perfect size, not overwhelming the eater or leaving them with an empty stomach. Of course, the whole experience is assisted by a chill, old school glass bottle Cheerwine that elevates the flavor of the dog and provides a sense of comfort to a North Carolinian.
Once done with the main course, it is time to indulge in the store made ice cream, with eighteen flavors that can fit with the desires of any given day. Feeling the need for some richness and deep flavor? Chocolate almond fills that role perfectly. Need something light and reflective of the summertime? Peach will more than suffice. Not only is the ice cream delicious and creamy, the servings are huge, with the scoops of ice cream doubling the size of the cone itself. In addition to ice cream, Yum-Yums offers Little Debbie snack cakes which really are not comparable to the ice cream, but there is a sense of security and homeliness in seeing a Little Debbie chocolate cupcake next to a small bag of bugles at a cash only restaurant off of Spring Garden Street.
To call Yum-Yums a college food joint would be a disservice to what the establishment has accomplished in bringing different people together. Above all, Yum-Yums is a place for family; it is difficult to even go without seeing an extended family occupy one of the long, wooden picnic tables where multiple generations can enjoy a red hot dog with an odd gray interior. Most college places cannot accomplish the level of diversity that Yum-Yums has, and that is because college spots are for college kids to congregate and enjoy food at inhumane hours in varied states of being. Yum-Yums occupies a college space but the environment that the store is in brings about a level of respect and tradition that people of all ages can appreciate. Just remember, cash only. ●
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By Owen Sizemore
CHAPEL HILL – Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Chapel Hill and ordering takeout from Cosmic Cantina, a staple of Franklin Street college eats well-known for its inexpensive yet plentiful portions of Mexican classics. Nestled in a cozy space inside the Franklin Centre section of shops, the restaurant offers a wide variety of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, chimichangas, and more late into the night, closing at 2 a.m. on weekends.
I should preface this review by stating that I am not a first-time customer of Cosmic. When living in Durham I was a frequent patron of their hole-in-the-wall location on Perry Street, enjoying many burritos after high school soccer games and on the weekends. My expectations for the Franklin Street location were quite high, but needless to say the experience did not disappoint my taste buds – nor my wallet. One reason that I have been such a longtime fan of Cosmic Cantina is due to their excellent variety of vegetarian and vegan options. I’ve been vegan for several years now and understand that finding Hispanic fare that is both authentic and accessible to my eating preferences is often an impossible task; such tacos and burritos are seldom made without meat, cheese, or beans and rice that isn’t cooked in animal fat. However, Cosmic does an incredible job of stepping up to the plate and knocking this challenge out of the park, boasting a wide variety of options for those with strict dietary needs. Cosmic offers several vegetarian burritos and tacos served with a selection of beans, veggies, rice, salsa, cheese, sour cream and guac that can be ordered as-is for vegetarians or without dairy for vegans. I ordered two vegetarian tacos without cheese and loved the taste of the made-in-house flour tortillas and savory salsa. They came cheap, too, at a price of less than $2.50 a taco.
If you’re looking for something a little more filling, the tofu burrito is an excellent option. Served with rice, beans, salsa, and soft tofu wrapped in a crispy flour tortilla, the burrito alone might be enough to constitute a meal but nonetheless is served with a modestly generous side of yellow corn tortilla chips and salsa.
For those still not satisfied, Cosmic also boasts “deluxe” burritos with sour cream and guacamole inside. Surpassing those are the “giant” burritos which are closer in size to a newborn baby than a meal for one. Each of these options are very affordable, with the tofu burrito sitting at just over $4, deluxe burritos at $8-10 depending on your protein, and giant burritos at about $11. The best deals, in my opinion, are the deluxe and giant vegetarian burritos, sitting at about $6 and $8 respectively.
I also took the opportunity to try a menu item I wasn’t as familiar with. Cosmic’s vegan platter is served with black and pinto beans, rice, and generous portions of guacamole and salsa for around $4.50. The platter definitely doesn’t have as much of an excitement factor compared to an item like the “giant burrito”, but the generous portion for such a low price is quite a convincing deal for a college student on a budget.
I tried the platter with my girlfriend, who was not the biggest fan of Cosmic’s guac, so it might be a good idea to try a side of it for about two bucks before adding it to your burritos or other items. The final item in my Cosmic spread was the simple yet powerful addition of tortilla chips and salsa. If you’re worried that a burrito or pair of tacos might not be enough to hold you over until tomorrow’s breakfast, it might be a good idea to throw this in for two bucks. I will say that the salsa is best served in another item like a burrito or taco as opposed to eaten plainly with chips, but regardless I found it very tasty.
I almost forgot one last item that was included in my order: my girlfriend, who is not vegan, ordered a glass of horchata, a traditional, creamy drink made of milk, rice, vanilla and cinnamon. She described it as one of her favorite horchatas, second only to that made by her own family. If you are looking to try something new or simply in need of some authentic horchata, Cosmic provides an excellent option.
All in all, my experience at Cosmic Cantina on Franklin Street was an overwhelmingly positive one. For around $20 I was able to make three meals out of my tacos, burrito, platter and chips, and I would certainly order each of them again. If you find yourself on Franklin Street – or on Perry Street in Durham, for that matter – and looking for a delicious budget meal, Cosmic Cantina is a student favorite for a reason. ● The Recommended Content Widget will appear here on the published site.
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8/11/2021
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