As a freshman living on campus, I find myself eating nearly all my meals at either DLG or Ortega, as opposed to making the trip out to Isla Vista and choosing among one of the many restaurants that reside there. On the occasion that I do eat out in Isla Vista, I notice that I almost always eat at the same three restaurants: Hana Kitchen, IV Deli and of course Freebirds. The mini chicken bowl at Hana Kitchen is a delicious, nourishing and affordable meal for any student. Freebirds nachos are a great choice after a night of debauchery. Basically everything on IV Deli’s menu is out of this world as well. But there are so many more restaurants in IV just waiting to be explored that most freshmen have never tried before. So as a first-year, I challenged myself to see what other great food Isla Vista has to offer so that I could make a couple of recommendations for my fellow newbies.

Recommendation #1: Silvergreens

silver

Nathan Keroles / Daily Nexus

Silvergreens is both a healthy and delicious choice for any meal of the day. I ordered a stack of three buttermilk pancakes for $5.95. For an extra $3.00 I received a side of bacon and eggs. I also ordered a tall cup of coffee to go with my meal. The pancakes were sweet, light and delicious. The side of bacon and eggs was also delicious and gave me the protein my body needed to take on the rest of the day. Silvergreens also offers a variety of sandwiches, salads, soups and fruit smoothies that I will certainly try in the near future. All in all, I left feeling full and satisfied. Go see for yourself!

Recommendation #2: Naan Stop

naan

Nathan Keroles/Daily Nexus

 

Naan Stop offers a variety of rice bowls, naan bread and authentic Indian side orders. They also offer a number of different boba drinks. As someone who was new to Indian cuisine, I wasn’t sure what to order. The cashier recommended the chicken tikka masala rice bowl. I also ordered a side of garlic naan bread. The rice bowl with chicken cost me $5.95. The portions were sizable and my order was certainly fairly priced. The food was incredibly flavorful and nourishing. The cashier also recommended that if I was feeling a little more adventurous that I should try the spicy chicken coconut curry. I will certainly be back soon to give it a taste. I left feeling full and happy. I would recommend Naan Stop to anyone, especially if you’ve never had Indian food before.

Print