Simple Pleasure Mondays: Getting to Know the Staff

Hi all, best of luck to you in the slew of finals season. We have had quite literally the best school year of our lives (well...Scott had a pretty good time in high school), and we hope the rest of you look back--maybe after you're done with finals--with similar sentiments on what has truly been a tremendous year.

We leave you on this fine Monday with our final simple pleasure (and overall post) until next school year: getting to know the Leo's staff. A simple suggestion for good measure, we hope that our readers will take the time before summer starts to thank the staff for all their hard work. When next year comes around, and hopefully you've done it this year too, take the time to thank and perhaps engage in a short conversation with the staff at Leo's. They are all lively and warm people, and I have not met a single one who didn't enjoy at least my asking how their day was. It's an incredibly simple gesture that can make their work a lot more enjoyable (and can perhaps score you some extra of whatever you're craving). Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the dining hall doesn't have to do with the food.

Thank you all for what has been a fantastic season of O'Donovan's on the Waterfront. The blog clocked over 4,500 total views and hopefully made the dining experiences of many students more enjoyable. We wish you to savor your time away from one of the world's most exclusive dining clubs, and we hope to have some cool new ideas in time for the start of next year. Feel free to contact us at odonovansonthewaterfront@gmail.com if your summer dining experiences give you a sudden O'Donnovative inspiration. Congrats to the class of 2011!

-John and Scott

Simple Pleasure Mondays: MYOPasta

A good morrow to all O'Donovan's faithfuls and happy last day of classes. Scott and I have once again been swamped with work, and I am currently in a sling due to an unfortunate collision during a game of ultimate. Of course, that didn't stop me (and Scott, with his flip flops) from sprinting down to the White House last night and celebrating the good riddance of the world's most dangerous terrorist. USA! USA!

This week's simple pleasure is--well, quite simply--an exposé on an already rather popular Leo's station: Make Your Own Pasta. We have little to say about this station, but as finals creep up on us all Scott and I figured that everyone has less time than ever to be O'Donnovative (or perhaps more, depending on your procrastination habits). Nevertheless, some important things to keep in mind when concocting a carbo-loaded creation at MYOPasta:
- MYOPasta is a vegan/vegetarian station, so forget trying to ask chefs if they'll cook your pasta with meat you bring them. For more on how to turn your MYOPasta carnivorous, consult the Meat Add-ins post.
- Spring for the whole wheat pasta over the white. Its consistency is quite similar to the white pasta, but you get a whole lot more nutrient-wise. If the focus of your dish is pasta texture, you're not being creative enough.
- Add more veggies to your pasta than you would think; they tend to shrink down a lot once cooked (spinach especially). For interesting textural variety, try adding some uncooked veggies to your pasta after it's been cooked--I prefer adding carrots after cooking rather than before.
- K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Stupid! Too often I see wayward souls getting ingredient-happy by mashing up every possible veggie and sauce in a muddled MYOPasta dish. For those who have tried everything else and truly believe that nothing may be omitted, fine. For me (and I would venture to say most others), keeping ingredients down to four or fewer is the way to go. Sometimes less is more; one of my favorite creations is simply pasta with mushrooms and cream sauce.

I hope this post leads you to get more enjoyment out of the MYOPasta station, and let me know if you have any suggestions for combinations. Enjoy the study days (it was worth a try...) and stay tuned for the last Simple Pleasure Monday of the year next week!

Simple Pleasure Mondays: Best (and worst) of the Bistro

We hope that all you Hoyas had a revitalizing Passover (shoutout to all my Jewish friends in the yay area) and Easter break; Scott ventured back to the untamed woodlands of New Jersey whilst I played countless hours of frisbee golf and pokémon at Georgetown. We both enjoyed taking a break from Leo's food, and were two of only 10 brave souls on the Catholic Justice ultimate frisbee team to capture 2nd place in the Colonial Conference! #300-esque ratio of warriors to ass-kicking

Onto the good stuff, this week's simple pleasure gives insight into many students' go-to quick eating station: the Bistro. The hallowed grounds of unlimited pizza and other grilled/roasted entrées, the Bistro is a time-sensitive station that lets you and the entire Georgetown football team carboload in a matter of seconds. Here are our picks for the most delectable--and unsatisfactory--dishes that the Bistro offers.

Gourmet:
-Barbecue Chicken Pizza: this pizza is garnished with just the right amount of chicken pieces, combined with an exquisite tangy bbq sauce and an underwhelming yet robust amount of garnish. A must-have for those who have realized that a bbq chicken MYOP is not the way to go (give it up already!).
-White Pizza: a surprisingly quaint and delicious pizza, this pie is made simply with dough, cheese, and olive oil. It may come out a little greasy, which is why patting it down with a napkin before diving in might not be a bad idea. The white pizza lends itself to being topped with your preference of oregano, parmesan cheese, and/or crushed chili flakes.
-Grilled chicken: this protein-packed staple is rather succulent by itself, but the true magic of the grilled chicken lies in its versatility. It can be used on many MYOP dishes, or as per the previous post, a meat add-in for pasta.
-Grilled Vegetable Medley: This delightful combination of grilled carrots and onions is the perfect compliment to the Bistro's heavier dishes. Far preferred to the spinach (see below), these veggies are cooked just right and pack a surprising amount of flavor. Cmon, who doesn't like grilled onions? Admittedly, it's not great date food, but if you're having a date at Leo's then you have bigger problems to address...

Stay away:
-Meat lovers pizza: although we appreciate the concept of the meat lovers, the overwhelming combination of sausage and pepperoni simply doesn't cut it. The sausage is perhaps the least complimentary to the pizza, adding unnecessary girth to an already heavy pizza. If you thought dabbing the white pizza was a good idea, you'll need a role of Bounty triple-ply to get through this one.
-Spinach: We like to think that spinach has gained a bad rap as America's least favorite green along with brussel sprouts, but the Bistro's rendition definitely doesn't do the vegetable justice. Often overcooked and soggy in its own juices, we recommend going for a salad at the Deli station and holding out until the grilled vegetable medley makes an appearance.

Simple Pleasure Mondays: Custom Orders at The Diner

Beloved readers, thank you for your patience during our rather sparse past week of posting; Scott and I have been swamped with both ultimate and essays. Of course I struggled to embellish the wording of my sentences to have my paper reach the lower page limit (the COL way) while Scott struggled to cut 1000 words from his paper in order to reach the upper page limit (the SFS way). Nevertheless, Simple Pleasure Mondays are back and better than ever.
This week's hidden gem hails from the mezzanine level of Leo's: the Diner. The paragon of what you wished your middle school lunches had been, the Diner offers a virtually infinite supply of battered, fried, and grilled entrées. Although many O'Donovan's regulars are privy to this special inconspicuous aspect of the Diner, patrons are actually able to write in the margins of the Diner order sheets to request items/add-ons that (within reason) the kind Leo's staff will make especially for you. A few of our favorites include medium rare burgers, grilled cheese, a fried egg on top of a burger (now a special called the egg burger), and adding bacon.
Keep in mind that if you ask to customize your order during a time that is not incredibly busy, the Leo's staff is more likely to accommodate your request. Also we've found that writing "thank you" on your order is a great idea; it's courteous to let the staff know you appreciate their hard work, and it appears to make your order come faster.
Enjoy your newly discovered culinary freedom, and stay tuned for more ODOTW posts this week!

Simple Pleasure Mondays: Bottomings

After an epic weekend of Tardy Gras and a trip to the amazing state of Georgia, it feels great to be writing once again about the simple things in life. Although I will never again be able to think of Leo's "Southern" cuisine as culinary equivalents of the real deal, the enamel-melting sweet tea of the American South has inspired me to write about this Monday's dessert-y simple pleasure: bottomings.
Bottomings--as opposed to toppings--are today's simplest O'donnovation to ensure that your ice cream accoutrements are evenly distributed throughout your culinary creation. We all appreciate the effort that Leo's has put into making ice cream toppings more plentiful and accessible with their new dispensers. As many have noticed, however, the dispensers release the toppings in a clump that more often than not ends up entirely on one side of your bowl or cup (if not on the floor). The simply pleasureful solution? Dispense the toppings you desire into your bowl before you scoop the ice cream. This way, you not only are able to more evenly distribute the toppings, but also you get a pleasant second round of toppings toward the end of your dessert.
If you are quite concerned with the distributing of your toppings you may want to try Scott's suggestion of mix-ins, but bottomings are a simpler way of the lazier individuals like myself to have nicely distributed confectionary dishes. Next time you indulge in Leo's fine ice cream selection, take a moment to turn some of your toppings into bottomings for a more delightful dessert experience.

Special thanks to Tom Fagan for contributing!

Simple Pleasure Mondays: Delights of the Vegetarian Station

O'Donovan's On The Waterfront is proud to celebrate its 1 week anniversary! Thank you all for spreading the word; we currently have over 1400 views to date. We are excited to announce our new weekly posting entitled Simple Pleasure Mondays. Every Monday, we highlight a simple yet under-appreciated facet of Leo's. These simple pleasures are perhaps not as O'donnovative as our regular posts, yet they represent the spirit of what this blog is all about: easy ways to make your Leo's experience more enjoyable.

This Monday's simple pleasure hails from the upper floor of O'Donovan's on the Northern end of the facility: the Vegan/VegetarianStation. Many shy away from the Station, as they are neither vegan nor vegetarian. Others may show a preference for different vegan/vegetarian options, such as the salad bar or certain items at the Bistro. Even further, some may not view the items at the Station as tasty compared to alternative dishes.
While we certainly show a propensity toward dishes that include meat, we would like to shed light on a few particularly appetizing aspects of this station:
1. Brownies: Perhaps the best-made dessert option in Leo's, the vegan brownies are touted as better tasting than their non-vegan counterparts. Unfortunately the vegan brownies are only made about once a week, so it is worth keeping a sharp eye out for them; they are often gone as quickly as they are served. For non-vegans, the brownies go great with a tall glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They also go great just by themselves.
2. Banana Bread: Another inconspicuous treat served about once a week at the Station is the vegan banana bread. Even without the use of eggs, butter, or milk, the bread is incredibly flavorful and moist. As is the case with most anything, the inside slices are far better than the ends. The bread is fantastic as a snack or a more healthful dessert substitute.
3. Toasted Flatbread Triangles: Usually served at lunch next at the far left end of the Station, these skinny flatbread triangles are a perfect compliment to a main course--they go especially well with pasta dishes. They are reminiscent of pita chips, toasted and seasoned to perfection with what appears to be parmesan cheese and herb spices; a fantastic alternative to bread rolls.

Stay tuned for our regular O'Donovan's posts throughout the week, and take a look at the new pictures of some of our previously posted dishes!