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Minnesota State University Mankato
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Garbonzo brings fresh Mediterranean food to MNSU Grand re-opening of Mav Ave brings new food choices to campus community STEPHANIE VOGEL Staff Writer A new Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh restaurant celebrated its grand opening Wednesday, Sept. 6, in the Centennial Student Union. The restaurant opened its doors on Aug.21 on the main floor of the CSU. This is the first Garbanzo restaurant to open in Minnesota. “This is a franchise restaurant for us, so our franchisee Sodexo found this location. They had an opening at the university, and they decided to put it in their because they’ve done really well with Garbanzos on campus in the past,” Garbanzo Senior Director of Franchise Development Patti Rother said. In order to thrive on campus, a restaurant must have an appeal to college students. Rother said that Garbanzo has that appeal. “Students these days are very educated about what they’re eating,” Rother said.
Photo courtesy of Hara Goo “Our food is fresh, and everything is scratch made, and you can feel really good about what you’re eating. What’s also great is that it’s filling.” The cost of the food is similar to a fast food restaurant, except the food is more substantial and
nutritious. The food is made using traditional recipes with few ingredients and simple recipes. “Our pita has five ingredients, one of which is purified water,” Rother said. The Mediterranean food is advertised as “authentic.” “Our founder was from
Israel,” Rother said, “and a lot of our recipes are still the recipes that he used from his grandmother. We’re constantly looking at everything we offer and trying to make sure it’s the best version of what we can sell. We just recently upped our chicken and changed our
spice blend to be more of a middle eastern spice blend.” People who are from the Middle East have tried the food and agreed that it was pretty good. The flavors and ingredients in the food come mostly from the Middle East. The food finds its roots in the restaurant’s Israelite founder. “When people think Mediterranean, they immediately think Greek,” said Rother. “Our food has some Greek notes in it, you can get a traditional gyro the way that you would in Greece. We have a lot of Lebanese blends in our spices, and Israel is bringing a lot of influences into our recipes as well.” Garbanzo offers options for people who have special dietary needs. A vegetarian or vegan would be able to try Garbanzo. “Most of [the food] is just
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End of August marked one of two Muslim holidays, Eid Al-Adha
MARJAN HUSSEIN Staff Writer Labor Day weekend is an annual celebration in American history meant to commemorate the dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers created by the labor movement. Labor Day is meant to act as a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and
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well-being of America. Prophet Ismael. the last month is also of the Apart from the Labor The Eid celebrations utmost virtue as this is the Day celebrations over the observed annually by Muslims Day of Arafah, where Muslim weekend a worldwide worldwide have various pilgrims offer supplication, phenomenon taking placec teachings and undertakings repent and atone for their from the dusk of the end all connected in a certain past sins and seek mercy of the month on Thursday: manner. According to the from God. Muslims around the This is all done on globe were beginning a granite hill, which to memorialize Eid is known as Mount “Eid Al-Adha is an Islamic Al-Adha. Arafah, which is in festival to commemorate the Eid Al-Adha, Mecca, Saudi Arabia. also known as the willingness of Prophet Abraham The most common “Sacrifice Feast,” is greeting on this day to follow God’s command to one of two holidays of celebration is Eid marked by Muslims Mubarak, which is sacrifice his son.” each year. Eid Arabic for “blessed Al-Adha is an Islamic celebration.” Some festival to commemorate Islamic Lunar Calendar, Eid significant customs also the willingness of Prophet al-Adha falls on the 10th observed on this day include Abraham to follow God’s Day of the last month in the the slaughtering of an animal, command to sacrifice his son calendar. The 9th day of offering meat and food to the
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poor and needy and sharing during the festivities. The Muslim population at Minnesota State University, Mankato also joined in the observance of Eid, holding a prayer along with a sermon that usually comes after the prayer on the day of Eid. The prayer was held in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom with the turnout for the prayer being formidable. The ceremony was accompanied by light refreshments which were offered in the aftermath of
EID
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News Editor Alissa Thielges alissa.thielges@mnsu.edu