Not to be confused with the Galen basketball arena, a café of the same name is one of the most popular hangouts for USC student-athletes.Located next to Heritage Hall, the Galen Center is a state-of-the-art dining hall complete with computers at the booths and large projection televisions always broadcasting sports. The walls are plastered with large-scale photos of contemporary Trojan sports heroes. Most notably, Galen is exclusive to athletes and athletic staff during dinner hours. But never fear, loyal USC fans, the Galen café is open to the public from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., so this unique dining experience is open to everyone. Galen café plays host to the football team for multiple meals nearly every day.
Daily hot cuisine options are abundant, rotating daily. From steak to fish to chicken, complemented with an array of sides, the menu never disappoints. During lunch hours, food is served a-la-carte style. There are several hot entrees offered, as well as a fully stocked sandwich bar, and grill options such as barbeque chicken sandwiches and burgers. Lunchtime draws an assorted crowd of students, professors, businessmen, athletic staff and of course, athletes.
The dinnertime crowd is exclusive, consisting solely of members of the athletic community. Trainers, coaches, S.A.A.S. staff members, and of course, the athletes themselves, make up the nighttime assembly at Galen. The system of the café is different for dinner services. A flat rate is paid, and diners may select whatever they choose from the buffet-style arrangement. Among the food options is a fully stocked salad bar, including a fresh fruit salad. There is always a delicious soup de jour, located next to the salad bar.
The hot buffet typically features multiple selections of meat, vegetables, pastas, and starches such as the ever-popular baked potato and toppings bar. Additional options include pizza and a self-serve sandwich bar. The most dangerous aspect of Galen café is the freshly baked cookies. Athletes and staff have been known to wait up to 20 minutes after the conclusion of their meals in order to get their daily dose of deliciousness, fresh out of the oven. For members of the athletic community in a rush, Galen offers to-go boxes, which frequently make appearances alongside athletes during nighttime classes.
Galen café also features "theme nights" such as Mexican night, complete with tacos, tamales, nachos, and even non-alcoholic margaritas. Such nights are highly anticipated by athletes and staff alike, and all parties leave satisfied, except the occasional grumble regarding the excessive sweetness of the current batch of "margarita."
The café accommodates the needs of all the athletic teams at USC and is frequently utilized as the meeting spot for many team functions, such as team dinners, meetings or banquets. So when planning their next trip to Galen, members of the athletic community should always expect the possibility of dining alongside a team meeting, or one of the other USC athletic teams celebrating that day's victory. Serving as the stomping grounds for the Trojan football team, Galen café is a great venue to experience great food, great company and a great environment rich in Trojan pride and tradition, and should be on the to-do list of every loyal USC athletics fan.
- By Courtney Kalisz, USCRipsIt staff writer
