Grilled salmon, seasoned tri-tip, homemade flautas, and cake baked from scratch hardly seem like the menu items of a community college cafeteria.

Here at Moorpark College, however, the wall of edible monotony has started to crumble as the cafeteria introduces new and exciting choices for our eating pleasure.

“I’ve been talking about it for a few months. We’re just trying to give some variety to the kids,” said food court manager, Darren Wise.

Wise decided this on behalf of the 1400 plus students that buy food in one day, sometimes the same individuals two to three times.

Every Monday through Thursday, the cafeteria will feature a new special in the deli as seen on signs walking into the food court. After Wise cycles through all his new ideas, the top twelve to fifteen dishes will appear regularly as specials.

According to food service staff Dan Ryan, students are taking the new items well.

“They are picking up each day. We are finding out what they like, what they don’t like, what they want to have and we’re working with it,” he said.

While the orange chicken seemed to be the most popular choice to Ryan, he preferred the tri-tip with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

In addition to new specials, head chef Erin Blair-Villareal has been treating Moorpark students to her fresh-baked cakes, cheesecakes, and tarts with fresh fruit. Students have also seen an increase in variety of snack foods, with the addition of a Pepperidge Farm snack cart, including Goldfish and Milano cookies.

This is only the beginning, Wise says, as he plans to introduce even more new options and possibly a salad bar.