wow, monday was the perfect day of South University Avenue dining, if such a thing is possible. The street does not have much to offer, but the restaurants that are good are good in that just-eat-here-and-everything-is-gonna-be-alright kind of way. nothing fancy, nothing exciting, just good, wholesome dependable food. the good restaurants on south university are kind of like an old pair of sneakers, but, um, without the stink.

for lunch, i dragged nick to Red Hot Lovers where i got cheese fries and a reuben tofu dog (yum!). he got fries and a hot dog with ketchup...an interesting choice but he said it was heavenly. my mission this year is to introduce as many people as i can to the divine wonder that is red hot lovers. i've already hooked denny on the cheese fries, have gotten april, mellanye, kate and now nick going there. i mean, i feel that its my duty as a friend to share the love that is waffle cut cheese fries with real cheese. how can you keep that from anyone you care about? i can't!

after my tasty cheesy lunch, i went to Saigon Garden with rachel. my first year at school, i got to saigon garden at least once a week. when i returned this year, it was closed down! for shame!!!! the horror!!!! luckily, just a few weeks ago, it REOPENED. although the bibimbop at the university cafe on church is pretty tasty, nothing compares with a big bowl of noodles (in broth or served cold) with a crispy spring roll from Saigon Garden. and i received a fortune cookie which reads: "A smile is your personal welcome mat." i'm not sure exactly what that means, but i know its good.

so that's it: red hot lovers for lunch and saigon garden for dinner. perfection. in that south university kind of way.