Lining Up for Pho University of Colorado | Boulder, Colo.

Responding to the modern demands of college dining, where enlightened students seek out global flavors and healthful cuisine, the University of Colorado Boulder has built a reputation for flavorful, globally diverse, from-scratch, campus dining offerings. Ever since it introduced the weekly “Pho Friday” to one of its dining stations, students have clamored for the sweet, savory, sour noodle dish. A selection of buffet-style, customizable toppings for the noodles and broth include: chicken, tofu, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, bean sprouts, carrots and cabbage. Sriracha and lime add an essential punch to the build. “We receive calls during the week asking if the station will be open, and within 10 minutes of opening, there is a line on average of 15-people deep for three hours,” says Paul Houle, Associate Director of Campus Dining Services. “We’ve now started to bring pho in other dining halls and we’re also introducing ramen as well, keeping the integrity of its original appeal and intrigue.” He notes that foods that used to be considered exotic or seen as a fad are now a part of our mainstream culture, especially among college students. “That is the wonderful thing—that we acknowledge, accept and then adapt these recipes to become the very fabric of our existence,” Houle says.