M--anageable walk, I-nexpensive, T-asty

Manageable walk doesn't really fit for this title, but the point is that the food options around the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are excellent. Granted, most all of Cambridge has great food, but as an employee of the Sports Information Office in MIT's Athletics Department, I can say that after six plus months on the job, I have been more than satisfied with my lunch hour.

The Athletics Department is located in the Zesiger Sports & Fitness Center on West Campus. Right next to the ZSFC is the Stratton Student Center, which contains many things including a hair salon (where I get my hair cut), a souvenir shop, a Bank of America, but most importantly several eateries. First and foremost, there is Laverde's Market.

Laverde's Market has been my lunch shop of choice for six months on at least 90 percent of days. Why? The market has pretty much everything a regular convenient store, and a sub shop, and a diner might have. For breakfast: cereal, pastry, muffins, 20 different kinds of coffee, any bagel sandwich assortment, lox and bagels even.

For lunch, there are fresh, pre-wrapped subs. There are small hot dinners in plastic containers ranging from pasta to chicken wings or chicken over rice. The subs are the biggest commodity but are as good as or better than your typical quickie sub shop. The chicken subs, barbecue, parmigiana, honey-mustard, etc. are all excellent. The chicken comes in breaded strips that are much juicier and tastier than the usual half moon cutlets you would get. And if you buy more than one in a day, the eleventh free sub will come sooner than you think. Coffee works the same way. If you buy 10 coffees, the 11th is free.

For dinner, there is everything offered for lunch.

For lighter eaters or spenders, there are also roll-ups. The Mediterranean, the oriental, the Aegean, the Brazilian are four of these well-priced $3 offerings. While not as filling as a sub, these roll-ups are priced to buy and could likely convince a normal brown-bagger to bring some cash into work instead.

On an off day, Anna's Taqueria is a fabulous substitute for Laverde's (or vice versa). This taqueria is one of the best around, and the turnouts every day are evidence of that. During peak lunch hours, the line is long, but the service remains fast, almost too fast at times. The employees whip together your burrito, quesadilla or taco faster than you can tell them what ingredients you want. Still, everything always seems to come out right.

While they taste great, the burritos, quesadillas and tacos are also cheap. The tacos range from $2.05 to $2.15, while the burritos and quesadillas go for $3.05. Of course, the super burritos with extra chicken, streak, vegetables or whatever it may be go for an extra $0.80.

There is also the option of a Mexican Plate. The plates, "a bed of rice topped with choice of filling plus beans, corn tortillas, salsa and hot sauce," available include chicken (regular or grilled), steak, carnitas or chili verde, al pastor and grilled vegetables.

With a drink, a meal at Anna's usually will come to around $5.50, but at $3.05, the regular burritos and quesadillas are still a steal.

In six months, I have ventured only once to find food elsewhere. I went to the second floor of the student center to Lobdell Food Court, where there is plenty of seating and three more choices for food: Japanese sushi and stir fry at Sinkansen Japan, Middle Eastern chow at Sepal of Watertown and an Italian shop with different pastas and salads. I stopped in at the Italian shop and got a dinner sized ziti and meatball plate with a dinner sized salad for around $5. Not bad, but Lobdell Food Court is open only from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Another popular choice for MIT students and others is Alpine Bagel Café and Cambridge Grill. Unfortunately, I can’t attest to the food because I’ve never given it a chance. But it’s always packed.

That’s it for what is a “manageable walk” or in other words, in site from my office. But there is more for those closer to central or east campus. At central is the Bio House, Bosworth’s, Building 4 Café and Steam Café. On the eastside are Pritchett Dining, Refresher Course, Forbes Family Café and The Faculty Lunch. There is also the R and D Pub, located in building 32 at 32 Vassar Street.

Laverde’s and Anna’s have taken quite a tole on my wallet in six months, so I may have to cut back and start bringing lunch in on occasion, but don’t let that stop you. The prices at these places are excellent, until you multiply them by five days a week, four weeks a month and then by six months. In the end, the food situation at MIT is great and should be considered when looking for a job at or around the home of the Engineers. But people may want to steer clear of the Sports Information Department.