LET'S EAT ON A BUDGET: MUST TRY PLACES AT ALOHA TOWER MARKETPLACE

Eating good as an undergraduate student on a budget does not mean you have to eat poorly! All over campus there are many spots to stop at when you are feeling burnt out from the dining hall cuisine. Quick bites or multi-course meals to get you through the day are extremely important to keep up with your nutrition during the long class days and late nights.

HPU’s Aloha Tower Marketplace (ATM) is the home to many important spots on campus – both dining and extracurricular activities. Students living on campus and taking classes on campus at ATM have access to makerspace rooms, Esports gaming, hangout spots, study rooms, and many delicious places to eat. Aside from the Pier Nine dining hall, ATM offers several restaurants to choose from, three of which I have tried and am ready to give you my honest review on.

 

Cafe 'Alalā

Morning Order: About $7

Biscoff Latte: 7.5 out of 10

Cafe 'Alalā is known for its flavorful drinks and friendly baristas. With store hours being M-F, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and weekends 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Cafe 'Alalā is a great site to hit up no matter the time of day! On the Friday morning when I visited Cafe 'Alalā, there were around five people ahead of me in line (further proof of how great an establishment it is). I opted to order on the easy and user-friendly electronic kiosk to get one of their most popular lattes: the Biscoff Latte, which is an iced latte topped with Biscoff cookie crumble.

After ordering the $7 drink, it took almost no time for the kindhearted barista to call out my number, despite the multiple orders ahead of me. The first sip of the drink was close to heaven. The sweetness of the syrup mixed with the savory coffee flavor mixed very nicely, and for this being my first time trying this specific drink, I was very impressed with the baristas work!

Although the cookie crumble pieces on top tasted good, the consistency of the crumble when drank through a straw was a little weird to me. While the semi-sweet drink was not lacking in flavor, I would have preferred the crumble to not be different in thickness during each drink. The crumble regularity being only downside to this specific drink (not all their drinks as a whole), was only a minor setback in the overall taste.

 

Aloha Tortilla Factory and Cafe

Afternoon: About $20

Chicken Quesadilla: 5.5 out of 10

This was my very first time at Aloha Tortilla, and just like Cafe Alala, the workers inside the booth were very helping and nice. They helped me navigate the menu and gave me a few recommendations before I landed on a chicken quesadilla with a side of chips and queso. On their menu, the Chicken Quesadilla comes with two sides, however, my meal when it was brought out to me only included one side, the chips and queso, which was packed full of flavor in every bite. My second side was not offered, which was a bit disappointing when eating my meal.

After ordering my meal, I waited in their courtyard seating just outside of the booth, which was shaded and made for a perfect stay as I eagerly awaited my meal. Even with an order ahead of me, it only took 10 minutes for them to bring me my meal. As mentioned before, the chips and queso were the star of the meal. The main course, 4 large pieces of a chicken quesadilla, was cooked to perfection and was still super warm. The only downside to the quesadilla was that it may have been a little too flavorful and very salty. Each bite had to have a splash of a drink to go with it and definitely made me meet my salt intake for the day! Overall, the encounter, the food, and the portions would encourage me to try Aloha Tortilla again and grab a different bite!

 

The Old Spaghetti Factory

Evening: Between $15 - $30

Toasted Cheese Ravioli:  6 out of 10

Garlic Shrimp Fettuccine: 8.5 out of 10

The Old Spaghetti Factory is a staple for many students living on and around campus. With the new addition of Flex Dollars being accepted here, this restaurant has become more affordable for students on a budget. Which is an amazing win because their food is always to die for. With quick service, friendly faces, and comfortable seating, their food isn’t the only thing that keeps them above the rest.

I ordered their toasted cheese ravioli, which was brought out only minutes later toasted to a perfect golden brown. The cheese inside was gooey and warm but lacked flavor. While I assume the cheese inside was mozzarella based on the coloring, the flavor gave me no clues or insights into what it might be. This feeling of dislike pivoted very fast when I received my main dish; the garlic shrimp fettuccine. Like the appetizer, the meal came out very quickly and was jampacked with taste. The garlic sauce was light in coating, yet bold with flavor paired with the tender shrimp. The tremendous meal ended with a scoop of ice cream and a very complete stomach. Throughout the whole experience, my waitress was always helping and very attentive. She made the encounter a very positive one that I hope to go to again soon.

 

Overall, ATM’s restaurants allot for not only good eats, but for a very positive and affordable experience. With friendly staff and short wait times, it pairs perfectly with the go-to-go life that a majority of HPU students have. I wholeheartedly recommend testing them out, and I hope to see you there one day soon!