Organics, Anyone?: Where to find the best organic bang for your buck in Bowling Green

This week on The Starving Student, I visited the Kroger on Campbell Lane to do some investigating. My mission was to find organic items, selected using "The Daily Green"'s list of top items to buy organic, locally, see how much they cost, and report back. I created a sort of E-paper that shows my findings.

Thanks to photographer Allie Clarke, who returned to help me once again on this piece. Here's the link to her photo blog: http://allieclarkephoto.blogspot.com. Until next week, happy eating!

Disastrous Dining: Great Wall Chinese

Hello, there! At the beginning of this blog, I promised to be your go-to-girl for on campus dining, your information source about the best places to eat in Bowling Green. I want to save you the hassle of finding a good spot to dine by putting my meal time on the line, trying new things, and reporting back. For the sake of positivity, I've been staying away from writing bad reviews. I'd rather point out awesome places, instead of preaching against bad ones. Students, in addition to tight budgets, are also pressed for time. Why waste valuable resources by complaining? Sometimes, however, the public deserves to know the worst out there. Welcome to my first negative review on the Starving Student.

Last weekend, I ate dinner with friends Anna and Sarah. Looking for some late night, cheap Chinese, we settled on the Great Wall on Campbell Lane. Although we knew this place to be a bit of a dive, we hoped we would luck into copious amounts of excellent, fattening food, typical to hole-in-the-wall Chinese places. I'm sorry to say that we were dead wrong.

Upon first walking into the Great Wall, we were blinded by harsh, florescent light bulbs, almost blank walls, and the smell of stale frying grease. We stuck it out, hoping to be happily surprised when our food arrived. I ordered a small portion of chicken fried rice and some crab rangoon, figuring that these commonly found "Chinese" staples would be safe. This was not the case. The fried rice lacked veggies and the chicken had the texture imaginably comparable to human brains, it was even grey. The crab was practically bathing on the plate, in the grease in which it was cooked.

The whole meal was under $6.00, although made considerably more expensive by the 75 cent individual beverages (aka 12 ounce soda cans). Even though this is considered a good price for the amount of food served, I urge you to use the following mantra: "quality, not quantity." Please, please take my advice. When it comes to Great Wall Chinese, save your money and stay home.

Good Coffee and Company: Lunch at Spencer's Coffee House

This week, I journeyed into the heart of downtown Bowling Green, with friends Allie and Justin, in search of a good afternoon meal and a good cup of coffee. All I have to say is, "Seek and ye shall find." Spencer's, just off Bowling Green's central square, offers both, along with a great atmosphere.

Once my friends and I made it through the impressively immense

threshold (the door is outrageously heavy, consider yourself warned), we were greeted by Spencer's pleasant staff in a chill, laid-back space perfect for studying or intimate conversations. I ordered a half of the "Californian" sandwich and an iced café Americano, Allie got a grilled cheese and a blackberry Italian cream soda, and Justin settled on a Cookies'n'Cream milkshake. After putting in our orders, we made our way to one of the two outdoor tables to people watch and soak up the afternoon sun.

My sandwich, a turkey on sourdough with alfa alfa sprouts, lettuce, avocado and dijon dressing, was awesome. Unlike on-campus cafés, every ingredient was fresh and assembled on the spot. My coffee was also delicious. Allie was all smiles with her meal as well. The only set back from a perfect dining experience was Justin's too well-blended (the cookies were pulvarized!) milkshake. Aside from this minor dark spot, we had a beautiful, wonderful time at Spencer's Coffee House.

The best part? The price. It's completely and totally possible to have a sandwich and a coffee for under $6.00, which is definitely comparable to what you'd pay at any of the WKU coffee shops, or the local coffee chains. It's also just over the hill from campus, which is a nice stroll, bike trip, car or bus ride away. So, I dare you to go on your own journey to Spencer's. You owe it to yourself to escape from school with fabulous food, great coffee, and inviting ambiance. Enjoy!

Old Friends, New Friends, and Great Food: My Night at Verdi Restaurant and Bar

Hello, there! Spring is in the air, so go outside and enjoy the warm weather. While you're out, you might want to check out Verdi Restaurant and Bar. This is a great little place, located on East Main Street, just off Bowling Green's scenic downtown square. I was lucky enough to venture there with my amazing photographer friend, Allie Clarke, and was able to set up an interview with Verdi's owner, Mirza, for the next night at dinner-time sharp.

This place has all a picky eater could ask for: great ambiance, great food at varying prices, and great service. Needless to say, I was very impressed. Take a look at the video below, I know you'll be sold.

If you loved these fabulous photos, be sure to check out Allie's blog at http://allieclarkephoto.blogspot.com. Make sure to stop by and see Mirza and the rest of the staff at Verdi Restaurant and Bar. They'll be happy to see you! Enjoy.