On grueling school days, the build-up to lunch is immense. The anticipation of reconnecting with friends you don’t have classes with and that sickening feeling in a hungry stomach is something to look forward to daily. However, the limited choice of food in the Redwood cafeteria leads many students to venture off-campus in search of other options. Three of the most popular restaurants for students are Red Boy Pizza, Philly Cheesesteak and El Torogoz.
Red Boy – Pepperoni Pizza
The cheapest option for a filling lunch is Red Boy Pizza where each slice costs around five dollars. The slices available are pepperoni and cheese, costing only around 5 dollars. The enticing aroma wafts around you as you walk through the bustling crowd of students filtering into Red Boy Pizza. The original pepperoni pizza slices oftentimes have a pleasant tangy taste that leaves you wanting more with each bite. The sauce is flavorful and plentiful but not to the point where it’s overwhelming.
A flaw with Red Boy is the consistency of the quality. Sometimes, it’s incredible and has you thinking it’s some of the best pizza you have ever tasted. Other times, it’s plastic-like and topped with an abundance of grease. In addition, Red Boy is the only place on this list that inconveniently does not accept Apple Pay, limiting the amount of student customers that can eat there. The inconsistency with Red Boy definitely makes it the lowest on this list. However, when taking into consideration the affordable price tag and those moments where the pizza really hits the spot, Red Boy is definitely worth checking out.
Philly Cheesesteak – Classic Philly Cheesesteak
A few doors down from Red Boy Pizza is Philly Cheesesteak, a more expensive but delicious option for lunch. The most popular item on the menu is, as the name suggests, the Classic Philly Cheesesteak, costing around $14. To complement these meals, student customers who order a large cheesesteak get a free drink on the side. The cheesesteaks served at this establishment are comparable to Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks, with the option to add sweet peppers or hot peppers to go along with creamy cheese that melts in your mouth.
To try out Philly Cheesesteak, I decided to go with the safest option, the famed Classic Philly Cheesesteak. This cheesesteak had a fantastic ratio of cheese, meat, onions, and both sweet and hot peppers. Based on how good it tasted, I would rank this in the middle of the pack, but keep the higher price in mind.
El Torogoz – Pollo Asado Burrito
Lastly, El Torogoz is a Salvadorian and Mexican restaurant. The menu has a variety of traditional Salvadorian and Mexican choices including tacos, quesadillas and most notably, burritos. For this review, I tried the Pollo Asado Burrito. It included black beans, guacamole and warm chicken. Each part of the burrito complements the other parts in a tasty way with every bite being a warm and flavorful explosion. This incredible combination makes this burrito very memorable among the different meals that were eaten.
I recommend the Pollo Asado Burrito for many reasons. For one, it costs only $11.50, though more charges will be added when adding different ingredients. However, this burrito is so tasty and well put together that it takes the number one spot on the list.
A flood of Redwood students leave campus for lunch every day, and most of them journey to one of these three widely admired restaurants. All three options have positive and negative aspects to weigh when deciding where to eat for lunch. No matter where each of these ranks, it all depends on personal interest and mood depending on the day. All of these restaurants are excellent options for off-campus lunch. Support your local businesses!
Red Boy: 3/5
Philly Cheesesteak: 4/5
El Torogoz: 5/5
