Update, Feb. 28: The furniture replacement at the Outdoor Learning Space originally scheduled for March 2 to 4 has been postponed. A new timeline for the work will be provided at a later date.
University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu student May Allado-Pion was contemplating lunch options on a recent weekday at the newly reopened Dining Hall on campus when the menu’s vegetarian special of the day caught the senior’s attention — panko encrusted tofu topped with a buttery Japanese-style curry gravy.
Allado-Pion opted for a $6.75 mini plate of the special, tofu katsu curry. While waiting for the order to be prepared, the Creative Media major rejoiced in the ease of being able to purchase a hearty meal on campus and not having to bring a home-packed lunch or drive off to somewhere nearby to buy something to eat.
“This is great,” Allado-Pion said with a smile. “It’s very convenient.”
Allado-Pion joins others in the UH West Oʻahu community who happily welcome the reopening of the Dining Hall, which on Jan. 31 began takeout service only. The Dining Hall is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and is on the first floor of Campus Center.
After closing in spring 2020 because of the pandemic, the Dining Hall reopened with a refreshed look, including new flooring, tables, and chairs, as well as a full-height security grille to close off the kitchen area so events could happen in the seating area when the kitchen is unoccupied.
While the indoor seating area remains closed, customers can enjoy their food and drinks in the new Outdoor Learning Space. The Dining Hall is tentatively scheduled to open for full service in the fall.
About a month since reopening, the Dining Hall has seen a steady stream of hungry — and grateful — faculty, staff, and students, including ʻIʻiwileo Pacarro, who is double majoring in Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and Healing, and Sustainable Community Food Systems.
Pacarro works on campus three to four times a week and has frequently bought takeout lunch from the Dining Hall since its reopening. Like Allado-Pion, Pacarro is thankful for the convenience, as well as the tasty offerings.
“It’s all really good and I like their vegetarian options,” Pacarro said after picking up an order of tofu katsu curry.
The Dining Hall continues to be operated by Da Spot Health Foods & Juices, which offers local favorites and specials (items may vary daily or weekly) in mini and regular sizes at $6.75 and $8.75, respectively, and $12-plus for more elaborate dishes, such as garlic shrimp and furikake salmon.
Customer favorites include chicken katsu, mochiko chicken, fish and chips, hamburger steak with gravy, and a cheeseburger combo, which comes with fries and a canned drink.
There is also a menu of side orders, which includes acai bowls ($7), fries ($4), bottled drinks ($2) and canned drinks ($1.25).
Student Jeric Cera’s “regular” is the teriyaki baked chicken, which the senior ordered during a recent stop at the Dining Hall.
“Sometimes I switch it up with the honey barbecue chicken or the chicken katsu,” Cera said while waiting for the order to be prepared.
“I like the food and there’s a lot of variety,” continued Cera, a Hospitality and Tourism major. “The prices are really good, too.”
Click here for more information about the Dining Hall.
