DIY pulled pork burger and boring coffee

Two PhD partners from AU Research and External Relations discovered good bread and great acoustics at the Stakladen cafeteria – but unfortunately, also unbaked potato wedges and boring coffee.

Anne Have Lietzen (left) and Nanna Maria Elgaard Pedersen (right) both visited the salad bar in the Stakladen Cafeteria, where the menu also included sandwiches and pulled pork burgers. Photo: Maria Randima
Photo: Maria Randima
Photo: Maria Randima
Photo: Maria Randima

Reviewed by: Anne Have Lietzen and Nanna Maria Elgaard Pedersen, both PhD partners at AU Research and External Relations

Food: The first thing we notice when we step into the cafeteria at Stakladen is the large empty room. There aren’t many people sitting here – and we can’t spot a single student. But there are dispensers with disinfection gel and we immediately feel obliged to use them, so we can begin our meal with clean hands. Both of us are hungry and we’re looking forward to seeing what this unknown cafeteria has to offer.

After disinfecting Anne chooses a sandwich. There are two choices – one with chicken and many with ham and cheese. The chicken sandwich wins. The sandwich looks appetizing and the bread looks home-made and delicious. Nanna chooses the dish of the day – a DIY burger with pulled pork and two Greek potato wedges.

Nanna picks out a coconut macaroon for her dessert, while Anne is more tempted by a raspberry bar. We both choose a bottle of juice to wash down our meal.

Anne's sandwich fails to live up to expectations. The filling is messy and what’s described as chicken is actually more of a chicken salad. It’s difficult to eat the sandwich without spilling the filling all over the plate. So a sandwich, but not one you can take away, though you might have expected it to be. It’s also so big that it’s difficult to eat it all, which is a minus in our view, because it seems like a waste of food.

The DIY pulled pork burger tastes good, the burger bun is rustic and it’s great that you can decide on how much meat versus how much salad yourself. Nevertheless, the burger doesn’t quite live up Nanna’s expectations, mainly because it doesn’t match the location’s profile. She would rather have eaten something more traditional and less hip, which better matched the cafeteria’s style. The Greek-style potatoes aren’t a success as they’re not properly baked, but the salad is tasty and crisp.

The dessert is good. The raspberry bar tastes home-made and the coconut macaroon is good and mushy - a good way to end a lunch. The cafeteria's coffee is disappointing and boring, but on the plus side, at least it’s hot, even though Anne got the last drops in the coffee pot.

Price: We pay DKK 159 for Nanna’s dish of the day, Anne’s sandwich, grilled vegetables, tzatziki and hummus for both of us, plus a raspberry bar, coconut macaroon and two cups of coffee. We think that’s a little too expensive and it would be too expensive to eat here daily. However, all in all we think it’s fair because we got so much food.

Atmosphere: There aren’t very many people in the cafeteria, but that means it’s actually quiet enough for us to talk. The acoustics in the room are also very good and you can actually relax in your lunch break! The furniture is designed by Børge Mogensen, and according to Anne, the cafeteria's interior oozes history and that particular classical AU atmosphere.

Conclusion: The sandwich was too messy, the potatoes weren’t properly baked and we didn’t find the coffee to be freshly made or inviting. But the bread was home-made, the lettuce was crisp and the atmosphere in the canteen was good, calm and relaxed, which also means a lot when you eat lunch.

Translated by peter Lambourne

Are you peckish and are your taste buds discriminating?

Then you could be an Omnibus cafeteria reviewer. You must be a student or member of staff at Aarhus University and preferably a bit of a foodie. As a minimum, you need to be interested in finding a good, well-prepared meal at AU at a fair price. We review both the food and the atmosphere in the cafeteria.

Write to us at: omnibus@au.dk


Food: 1-5 Omnibus logos

1: Ugh!
2: Just barely edible
3: Not exactly a culinary experience but the food does at least fill you up
4: Happy taste buds!
5: Yummy! I want to come and eat here again....

Atmosphere: 1-3 Omnibus logos

1: Boring/cold/packed/empty
2: OK but not very interesting
3: Cosy - I could sit here all afternoon!