A stylish menu in Herning

Cafeteria review: A thorough review requires comprehensive research. So the two intrepid Omnibus reviewers put their stomachs on the line and ate their way through most of the wide range of dishes on offer at the AU Herning cafeteria.

[Translate to English:] Martin Attermann i rød t-shirt og Søren Hoppe foran deres rov i kantinen hos AU Herning. Som de seriøse anmeldere, de er, valgte de at smage på samtlige af kantinens tre varme retter og salatbaren for at kunne give Omnibus’ læsere en dækkende beskrivelse af kantinen. Foto: Anders Trærup
[Translate to English:] Foto: Anders Trærup
[Translate to English:] Foto: Anders Trærup
[Translate to English:] Foto: Anders Trærup
[Translate to English:] Foto: Anders Trærup

Reviewed by Martin Attermann, student at iNANO, and engineering student Søren Hoppe.
As told to Marie Groth Andersen

Food: Neither of us had previously visited AU Herning though it is a beautiful campus and taking into account that we were there during the exams, there was a surprising amount of life. The cafeteria has a good selection with sandwiches in a range of sizes, a salad buffet and no less than three hot meals: curried chicken, hamburger with Béarnaise sauce and fries and frikadeller (Danish meatballs, ed.) with potato salad. Suitably-sized portions served by a chef in a proper white uniform. Classy.

In the name of in-depth research we tried all three hot meals. The curried chicken won. Lots of chicken, spicy and with carrots, peppers and onion. It could have had more power, but you could also add some chilli sauce to pep it up. Classy – again.

The Danish meatballs were also really good and tasty and not at all greasy. BUT the potato salad was disappointing. Instead of the traditional sour cream dressing the potatoes were covered in an aggressive vinegar dressing that drowned out the other flavours. A shame.

The hamburger was well done without being dry, but unfortunately the cafeteria had been a bit too liberal with the salt. The Béarnaise sauce was excellent with a good balance between creaminess and acidity. Though we were a little unsure whether it had been made from scratch as it certainly tasted like a well-known Danish brand of ready-made Béarnaise sauce.  The fries were salty and limp.

The salad bar was a hit with its fresh, seasonal ingredients. There weren’t any limp, browning ingredients and there were no less than eight vinegars and oils to choose from. Another saucy detail. The selection of drinks was also good, with soft drinks, juice and smoothies, as well as cold water for free.

Even though the hot meals did a good job of filling us up, we still felt obliged – in the name of in-depth research – to take a critical look at the desserts. It was here that the otherwise well-stocked cafeteria missed a trick, with only two cakes to choose from: cinnamon rolls and classic chocolate cake with icing. That’s not enough. Cake is where we probably spend the most money in the cafeteria. The cakes tasted OK. Just OK, no more no less. The coffee was from a machine and was strong enough with a rounded flavour and good milk froth on top. Though without latte art – an AU logo in the milk froth would have been the icing on the cake!

Atmosphere: It appears to be a cafeteria where you can meet both socially and to work. There are high ceilings, plenty of light and it’s white and stylish – but it’s not cosy in the same way as the Mathematics cafeteria that one of us prefers. You can also sit outside and look at artwork, greenery and a dried-out lake.

Price: Reasonable prices across the board. DKK 33 for a hot dish is very fair. DKK 16 for coffee and cake is also fair enough.

Conclusion: We could easily have gone for four stars as the cafeteria has a really good range of food. Offering no less than three hot meals to choose from is certainly praiseworthy and the prices are reasonable. But the strong vinegar in the potato salad, the salty hamburger and the boring fries are negatives. And there are penalty points for the limited cake selection. On the other hand, the atmosphere gets a top mark. The lively atmosphere on the campus despite the exam period combined with the luxurious surroundings and the chef’s white hat all make the cafeteria a place you want to hang out in.

Marks

 

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!