OceanView opens doors after 2 years of remodeling

After two years of construction, OceanView, formerly Oceanview Terrace, held a grand opening event in Thurgood Marshall College on Wednesday to showcase its newly renovated dining hall features. Students and faculty members enjoyed free samples of pizza, desserts, and special entrees.

Three main stations stand in OceanView: 3rd Kitchen, Spice Station, and Counter Culture. Two of these stations will be available to serve students late into the night. 3rd Kitchen, a build-your-own pizza bar, closes at 1 a.m. and Counter Culture, a coffee and dessert station, is open 24 hours daily.

“I really appreciate how HDH followed through with their proposed plan that they promised,” second year Marshall student Tim Lee said. “It’s exceeded expectations of many Marshall students.”

The dining hall is the first in the University of California system to include halal options and a kosher station. In an effort that began in the school year of 2012-2013, members of the Muslim Student Association at UCSD and Union of Jewish Students collaborated on expanding the menu. Both faiths have dietary restrictions, which the school did not formerly accommodate in dining halls. Rabbi Yehuda Hadjadj will oversee and direct the preparation of kosher food.

“For me, beyond the idea of food, I really like the idea that food unites people. If you and I sit down and have something to eat, we will get closer to each other. I believe this is what it’s all about,” Hadjadj said.

“We live in a world where there’s so many separations and differences and this is nice that we have something that brings people together; it is beautiful to see a line of all these different students from all different backgrounds.”

Sylvia O is a staff writer for The Triton.