With the new school year, dining in The Commons has seen some changes. Fresh Fusions, which exclusively offered meatless meals, has been replaced by Masala, an Indian restaurant. The restaurant already has a steady flow of patrons buying curries, samosas and chutney. The enticing aromas of cumin and coconut are present near Masala.
Overall, the restaurant seems to be getting positive reactions. Collin Rasmussen, a sophomore studying chemical engineering, likes the change.
“It’s really nice to have another cultural place here,” he said, eating chicken and rice.
Rasmussen did not visit Fresh Fusions when it was on campus, but noted that it seemed barren. This semester, he has already seen students line up for Masala during busy meal times.
“It takes the pressure off of the other places, like Salsaritas,” he added.
It isn’t perfect for Rasmussen. He felt the portions given were small. He also wished there were spicier options available.
“It would be nice to have some kind of spicy hot sauce nearby, but the flavor is fantastic,” he said.
David Sutton, a sophomore studying physical education, wasn’t as enthusiastic about the flavor as Rasmussen.
“It’s middle of the road,” he said, eating chicken and rice with coconut curry. “I like Salsaritas and Mondo’s more.”
Sutton’s dined with his friend, Christopher Friauf, a sophomore majoring in general studies at Montgomery College. Friauf agreed.
“It’s good, but not as good as what I’d make at home,” Friauf said, “but it’s respectable. I would come back.”
Both men were disappointed in the portion size. Friauf pointed out that his large meal looked more like a medium, while Sutton’s medium seemed small.
Sutton also felt like Masala does not offer enough variety.
“There’s not a lot of room for customization,” he said.
Sydne Arnold, a junior studying psychology felt that Masala offers an impressive variety of food, especially with their sauces and meats. The shrimp especially stood out to her.
“There’s not a lot of places you can go to for shrimp on campus,” Arnold said, noting True Grits served shrimp, but not regularly. She also liked the curry spices and basmati rice.
Arnold had eaten at Fresh Fusions when it was on campus, and preferred the change.
“I did try some things [at Fresh Fusions] but it didn’t satisfy,” she said, “I like variety.”
Masala was also a welcome change for Arnold because she’s eaten a lot of Indian food before. She declared, “this was a welcome home!”
