This column will explore how food can make or break your day as a college student dealing with God-knows-what and some insight on where to dine to decrease your chances of breaking it.

Growing up, all of the food I consumed was beige. The California Pizza Kitchen mac and cheese with edamame was the furthest I’d go if I was in the mood to take risks. If my palate was as dull as it was 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t even be at UCLA. It was only after going to culinary school did I realize I didn’t want to miss out on a college experience. Food brought me here. Figuring out food — how important it was — took a lot of time and different experiences. One of the first times I really started to see it in a different way was only a few short miles away from our campus.

Walking into Élephante, off the Santa Monica pier, was an experience I wasn’t quite used to. Sure, I’d been to a fancy restaurant before, but that was the thing about it, it wasn’t that. It was just a cute upscale casual spot that had dishes I had never heard of before. It’s weird how vividly I remember that night, from the anniversary I was celebrating with that (secret … and temporary) boyfriend to the little outside table we sat at watching the sunset. But I don’t remember it well because of the boy or the good lighting, it was that mother loving eggplant dip!

If you’re a “choosy” eater, I know that sounds . . . gross, but please don’t let fear control you time and time again! As the cloud of pita bread, drizzled with olive oil and flaky Maldon salt, floated onto the table, following close behind was the dip to end all dips. Okay maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it is definitely in my top five. Buttery, creamy and light – come on, doesn’t it feel like I’m steering you in the right direction? And I don’t even know how the eggplant found its way in there but it’s honestly right where it belongs. 

I went over five years ago, so if I can explain it in that sort of detail from memory, imagine how much I’m leaving out. The restaurant itself is a great spot for blind(ish) dates or friends! They have a squash agnolotti I’m absolutely dying to try, along with a delicious dry-aged ribeye and wood-fired pizzas. Basically you can’t go wrong. 

If you go out to eat, fancy or not and you decide to at least try one new dish or topping you wouldn’t normally go for, that’s a win! You’re not going to love it every time, but the moments you do make it worth it. And that does not have to be something everyone thinks is out there; it should just be something you personally wouldn’t be inclined to order. Avoid taking people’s criticisms of your less-than-typical palette, because you are doing this for yourself!

I think the idea of using food as a predictable and steady crutch will eventually become too boring to bear. Of course it’s nice to always have something you like but that’s like spending your life rolled up in bubble-wrap. That night at Élephante didn’t completely switch the way I felt about food, but it definitely loosened something up. Think about it like this, if you’re willing to get on Hinge and try out all of the ridiculously bad options on there over and over, why are you scared to eat an onion . . . (im saying it in a slightly condescending tone you know what I mean?)