Christie Ramsey
Google
We recently visited Strang Hall and ordered from two of the vendors—Norcini and Fenix. Unfortunately, the overall experience left a lot to be desired, both in terms of food quality and customer service.
At Norcini, we ordered a meatball sub. The girl who took our order was clearly uninterested in helping. She barely spoke in full sentences, mumbled responses, and when we had questions, she simply pointed at the menu without making any real effort to assist us. The acoustics in the space aren't great, so clear communication would definitely help, but we received none.
When the sandwich arrived, it was incredibly dry with barely any sauce—see attached photos. We had to go back and ask for extra sauce on the side. At over $22 for just a meatball sandwich and a drink, I expected much more. The meatballs seemed like they had been sitting around all day—dry and lacking any real flavor. Surprisingly, the salad was the highlight from Norcini: fresh, bright, and paired with a great dressing.
Next, I went to Fenix and ordered a breakfast burrito. Since I don’t eat beef or pork, I asked about swapping the meat for extra egg or a bit of guacamole. I wasn’t asking for anything major—just a simple substitution. I was told there would be an upcharge, which made no sense given I was opting out of the protein. I declined and got the burrito with no meat.
That said, the burrito itself was really tasty and satisfying, and at $14, it was a better value than the meatball sub. However, the service was once again disappointing. The staff came across as unhappy and disengaged, making the experience feel unwelcoming.
This was our first visit, and unfortunately, it will also be our last. Another reviewer mentioned that Strang Hall feels like a glorified food court, and I have to agree—it doesn’t offer anything particularly special. Also, I dislike being required to give out my phone number just to pick up my order. A simple table number or a pager system would suffice.
Final thoughts:
The food was hit or miss (the burrito was great, the sub was not), but the consistently poor service across vendors really tainted the experience. The only reason I’m giving two stars instead of one is because of the burrito. Otherwise, this visit was disappointing from start to finish.