Before arriving in Evanston, Liam McCall of Reno, Nevada, wasn’t sure about the town’s restaurant scene, saying he was skeptical about Northwestern University’s suburban location. Several downtown restaurants later, McCall said he had a change of heart.
“I feel that sometimes college towns are a bit more bland, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised,” he said. “Once you get a taste of the other things that are in Evanston, Illinois, you can’t go back.”
Over four weeks, cherubs explored Evanston’s culinary landscape. From Einstein Bros. Bagels to Hokkaido Ramen & Sushi Bar, local restaurants of all kinds became staples for the journalism students between lectures and deadlines.
For Alice Xiao of Beijing, visiting new restaurants was as much an exploration of American cuisine as it was of Evanston. While Xiao said she eats a diversity of food at home, living in the United States forced her to branch out.
“It was a really novel experience for me,” she said of eating the local cuisine. “I think I’m definitely gonna miss that after I go home. I’ve discovered a lot of American food that I really love, like Chipotle.”
Still, Xiao said there was no shortage of Chinese options, which acted as a bridge between Evanston and Beijing.
“I really need a lot of time to adjust to American cuisines, and having that option to try Chinese food really helped me get more used to the food here and combat my homesickness,” she added.
Pepper Chai of Alameda, California, has a running document of 43 local restaurants to try. The list began as a collaborative project between Chai and another cherub, Ariel Liu of San Ramon, California, after they dined at La Cocinita, a Venezuelan-inspired street food eatery, in the second week.
“We tried it, and we were like, ‘That’s so good. We have to write about it somewhere,’” Chai said.
In the now seven-page document, the group ranks places they dine at, as well as notes recommendations from instructors, online research and community and academic associates. Despite having access to a dining hall, Chai said that contributing to the list has given her a better sense of Evanston’s many eateries.
“I’m really gonna miss La Cocinita. I’m gonna be thinking about it when I’m home back in Oakland,” Chai said. “It’ll be waiting for me, though, and anytime I come to Chicago, I know I’ll make an effort to go find La Cocinita again and be reunited with my one true love.”
For Chai, Xiao and McCall, going out to eat was more than an opportunity to try new cuisine or catch a quick bite. It was an opportunity to bond with new friends, some of whom live thousands of miles away.
McCall particularly recalled celebrating Xiao’s birthday over dinner at Hokkaido before the evening lecture.
“We had a good time together as fellow cherubs,” McCall said. “Without the restaurants in Evanston, that moment would have been a bit more lacking.”
