Like most students, I like to eat after school. I usually have plenty of time to sit down and eat somewhere, but it’s tough to find a restaurant where I can sit down and order a dish from a waiter that does not break the bank. The three restaurants I have included in this article are nearby and have items on the menu that will not burn a hole in a student’s pocket.
Cheeburger Cheeburger: I asked my waitress what the best items were and I ordered one of each. I started with the fried pickles. For those who have tried fried pickles before, there’s nothing special about these. The order comes with an unnecessarily massive portion and after no more than 10 pieces, one is left bored of the dish.
My “Novice” burger was considerably underwhelming. I won’t deny, Cheeburger Cheeburger makes an excellent option if one has cravings, but there is no uniqueness to the taste of the burger. The greasy, soggy patty held none of its contents together and I found myself barely able to finish half of it before eating it became too much of an ordeal.
My Oreo shake was fantastic, but the problem is that every Oreo shake is fantastic. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the drink, I did not leave the restaurant thinking that the shake shaped my entire experience there.
Kimo Sushi: I decided that the best way to sample the overall quality of the food was to, again, ask the waitress the top dishes. For an appetizer, I got the Potato Shrimp. The dish, though simplistic, was quite tasty. The shrimp is wrapped in fried potato strings and served with a side of “spice sauce” and I could not get enough of it. Though not too filling, the $8 appetizer offers a delicious snack.
I decided for my first roll I would chose the cliché and relatively basic California roll. I was not surprised that for a little more than $4, the roll was okay at best.
I turned my attention toward the more expensive specialty rolls, averaging around $14. This way I could determine if the significantly greater price was justified by a significantly greater quality of roll. My waitress suggested the Dancing Eel roll. Without a doubt in my mind, the Dancing Eel’s price difference is entirely justified. Is it the best roll I’ve ever had for that price? Absolutely not. But was it a great roll? Indubitably.
After earning my chair in the clean plate club, I was presently surprised with a complimentary dessert of banana tempura coated with a hot chocolate sauce. For me, the two-piece dessert was an excellent cap on an overall good meal.
Ledo Pizza: I must give a disclaimer that I currently work at this restaurant, but the purpose of this article is to judge the food and the food only. To limit any risk of bias, I only chose items on the menu that I had yet to try.
I started with the Buffalo Chicken Cheese Fries. The bleu cheese may have been a little overwhelming and I don’t think I could have finished a plateful, but the fries definitely make a great sharing appetizer.
I moved on to the Ledo Steak and Cheese sub and it was fantastic, which I expected because it is one of the most frequently ordered items on the menu. I was thrilled to take my first bite and enjoy every one that followed. I then ordered the exact same sub during my shift the night after.
Conclusion: Make no mistake-my bill at each location was far from cheap. However, I had to build an expensive tab in order to sample multiple items. In a normal situation, I would have gotten a maximum of two items at each location. There is always a way to make a meal expensive just as there is always a way to make the meal inexpensive. If you are looking for a sit down restaurant to satisfy a craving, any of these restaurants will do. Will it be a five star meal? Absolutely not. But you will enjoy your meal at each of these locations.

Josh Friedman

Opinion Editor