After a day full of dancing, singing, waiting in line and trying to touch Jordin Sparks’ hand at Spring Fling, the student body at Tufts was quite tired out — myself included. But what’s a better way to refuel after a long day than with a nice homemade meal? So, for my very last kitchen review this semester, I headed down to Bush Hall to make some quinoa-stuffed zucchini boats.
There have been very few times this semester when I’ve walked in and had an immediate reaction to a kitchen — good or bad. When I walked into the Bush kitchen, I was so pleased with the space that I just had to give it instant commendation. I was excited to get chefing and see all that it had to offer. As one of my guests put it, “I love this! It feels like an IKEA kitchen.”
I will start with functionality. The space was large with ample cabinet space and — get ready for this one — an oven! Paper towels were at my disposal right next to the sink (a sink that had a hose for washing dishes, I might add). There was an island that provided extra food preparation space, as well as seating for my guests.
The stove top had five (!) burners and was easy to operate. My pot of water has never boiled so fast! Or maybe I’ve just finally learned how to operate an electric stove and actually turn the burners on. Either way, I was pleased with what Bush was providing in the functionality department.
I was also happy with the supplies that Bush had to offer. The countertop had various dishes that — for the most part — were clean. I took advantage of a large mixing bowl that was on the counter for combining all of the ingredients for my quinoa mixture. The cabinets were stocked with a number of ingredients and while I did not utilize any of them, it provided a sense of security as I made the meal.
However, Bush’s kitchen did have one weakness: cleanliness. The supplies, while abundant, were messily strewn about on the counter and the fridge was far from organized. The sink had a small pile of dirty dishes on one side. There was a plethora of mysterious substances dried onto the stove top.
The fridge was an interesting combination of being organized yet simultaneously containing various moldy and expired foods. There was definitely a smell upon opening it. I’ve seen worse, but I’ve also seen better. I rate Bush as just okay in terms of cleanliness.
Despite this shortcoming, Bush came through in the vibes department. The space is large, accommodating me and all of my diners with ease. It’s also blocked off from other parts of the common room, allowing me to focus on my craft. The meal received praise all around.
Overall ratings:
Functionality: 9/10
Supplies: 9/10
Cleanliness: 6/10
Vibes: 10/10
Recommendations: If you need an oven for any reason, Bush is the place to come! Bring friends and raise your expectations for this one.
