Fresh CSUN food spots

Ozzy Anguiano
The Sambazon Acai Bowls storefront prior to opening on Sept. 20, 2022, in Northridge, Calif.

Ozzy Anguiano, Reporter
October 1, 2022

Dining options on campus have changed this year. Returning Matadors may have noticed that a couple of the long-standing establishments in the Campus Store Complex have been replaced.

Sambazon Acai Bowls opened up where Juice It Up once was. The frozen acai vendor turned restaurant chain specializes in serving acai bowls with toppings such as berries, granola, peanut butter and coconut. Like its predecessor, Sambazon offers smoothies, and the acai bowls previously sold by Juice it Up already used Sambazon acai.

A large Sambazon berry acai bowl sits on a bench on Sept. 20, 2022, in Northridge, Calif. Acai bowls are the chain’s specialty. (Ozzy Anguiano)

The other new addition to the complex is Fry Shack, which replaced Burger King. Fry Shack sells two main items: fries and shakes. Matadors can order either plain fries, or fries with special toppings like buffalo chicken fries and popcorn shrimp fries. Shakes come in strawberry, chocolate and vanilla varieties.

Student reception of Fry Shack has been mixed. Some Matadors expressed their lament over the loss of Burger King, and their disappointment in Fry Shack’s selection, on a Reddit thread titled “R.I.P. Burger King.”

The most common complaint of customers is a feeling of not getting their money’s worth. One person on the thread said that the fries were topped with “the saddest bits of chicken.”

CSUN junior Darren Lee described his experience with Fry Shack as a “let down.”

The sun shines onto the Fry Shack logo on Sept. 20, 2022, in Northridge, Calif. The restaurant occupies the space at the far end of the Campus Store Complex. (Ozzy Anguiano)

“[My] order was rather tiny when I received it the first time … They gave a huge box only to barely cover the bottom of the box,” Lee said. “I’d treat that place as a quick bite, but not a full meal.”

The Sierra Marketplace reopened on Sept. 26 after being closed throughout the pandemic. Ace Sushi is the new debut at the Sierra Marketplace, with sushi, poke and boba tea as the menu staples. Prepackaged sushi is also available for those who want a quick bite.

Wrapping up the list of new food spots this semester is the return of the Associated Students Farmers Market. The market is held every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Matador Square. Vendors sell a variety of foods, with past student favorites including items such as “pita chips, pupusas, and sushi,” per the Associated Students website.