Review: Study Abroad Alert
Avoiding Starvation in London
by Lorene Fong, Staff Food Critic

London is an exciting city that pulses with the beats of numerous personalities, characteristics, and cultures, as many NYU in London students find out. Brimming with culinary adventures, the study abroad students have a unique opportunity to sample the fare that this city has to offer. From traditional Indian home style cooking to standard Chinese take-out, London possesses the same gastronomic beat as New York. In addition to pub fare such as "bangers and mash" (mashed potatoes and sausages), there exist a vast variety of restaurants in London. As intriguing as this city may be, cheap it isn't, and eating out may be a luxury for those on a shoestring budget. However, finding food worthy of a 4-star restaurant isn't difficult. Just head over to the local supermarket.

NYU in London students primarily shop at Tessco and Sainsbury's, two of the United Kingdom's leading supermarket chains. Both offer a range of ready-made ethnic foods, including Asian inspired dishes. Sainsbury's presents the greatest variety and probably the best choices as well.

Tessco has fewer options and their selections were limited to heat and serve Indian and Chinese foods. I decided to try their Curry Chicken with Rice. For £0.99 ($1.50), the single serving was a bargain but a bad choice. It came with too much sauce that drowned the small portion of rice and chicken. I also paid £1.49 ($2.25) for Tessco's Chicken and Noodles with Black Bean Sauce. It was a little less disappointing but far from satisfactory. Packaged in a box shaped like a Chinese take-out container, the confused heap of noodles and vegetables were too heavily favored with sodium. The sauce was too thick, and water had to be added to keep the noodles from drying up while it was heated.

Sainsbury's medley of Eastern inspired dishes comes in a greater range then Tessco's. Many are under £3.00, which translates to less then five bucks. I sampled the Mango Chicken with Rice and Green Herbs under the store's East Meets West line. This proved to be an excellent choice as the sauce's sweetness was complemented by the right amount of spices. The chicken was marinated well and went hand in hand with the mango's tanginess. For the same price, I purchased the Malay Prawn Laksa. The noodle dish came with shrimp in a creamy laksa sauce made with coconut milk. The sauce bordered between sweet and savory and was a little on the heavy side. However, it was enhanced by the flavor from the prawns and was a good accompaniment to the noodles.

Available at both stores are Indian products from Noon. The Chicken Korma was £1.99 ($3.00) and came with basmati rice in a thick sauce flavored with the usual Indian spices.

I don't recommend buying heat and serve meals all the time since the costs still add up. But it's a good option if you want a good meal without the London price tag.