There are twelve dining locations, two food trucks and more than thirty different food choices available at Stony Brook University. Now, as if these options were still not enough to meet the needs of students, school officials recently added S3 Fusion, an Asian-styled food vendor, to the Roth Food Court.
“I love the food here,” Marylin Lu, a journalism graduate student, said. “I came here because I heard the food was delicious and wanted to try something new.”
S3 Fusion gets its name from the three food categories—salad, sushi and stir-fry—that one can choose from. Its colorful menu is jam-packed with pre-made salads, sushi rolls, specialty rolls, dim sum and entrees that change twice a day every day.
The new restaurant is located in the upstairs dining portion of the food court between Wendy’s and the Roth Market, where California Pizza Kitchen used to be. Fusion replaced CPK this year after CPK’s contract ended.
“I’m a little upset with Fusion,” Salvatore Caldarello, a junior marine vertebrate biology major, said. “It’s not really anything different when every quad has Asian food. At least California Pizza Kitchen was a change.”
Although S3 Fusion does offer a lot of options, more people still prefer Asian food from Jasmine, which is in the Wang Center. This is not just because the running water and trees add a nice ambiance to one’s dining experience, but also because students say they get more for their money.
“I wouldn’t suggest Fusion,” Sarah Aboura, a freshman chemical engineering major, said. “It is regular food for high prices. I would rather get something cheaper and better tasting at Jasmine.”
The prices, in fact, are a common complaint amongst the students. According to a typical SBU meal plan, an average meal is supposed to cost around $7. It is hard to stay within that range at S3 Fusion, especially if one is looking for a full meal.
One of the combo meals offered is $8.95, most sushi rolls range from $7.78-$10.00, specialty rolls are $9.45 and the sushi combo meal is a whopping $14.96, which is a little more than double the cost of what one meal is supposed to be. One must also keep in mind that this option does not include drinks or any additional sides.
“I wish it could be better,” Jenifer Pritchard, a senior theater arts major, said. “It is expensive for so-so food.”
Alysha Bullock, an undeclared freshman, said S3 Fusion is not so bad.
“I really like Fusion because they have more of a variety,” she said. “It is decent Chinese food and close to my dorm.”
