Two Chicks Eatin’: Creations at the Cup & Gown

By Sarah Cordell and Morgan Jennings
Staff Writers

Have you ever wanted to try a restaurant or new food item but needed a recommendation first? We’ve got you covered! 

We didn’t have to travel far for this week’s review. Right inside the doors of duPont Library is the Cup & Gown. The location is convenient, the food is remarkable, and the staff are your favorite peers. This bistro-style cafe offers made-to-order sandwiches, any beverage you could imagine, decadent desserts, and a variety of grab-and-go options from chips to parfaits. The best part is that the service is fast and they accept payment in the form of domain dollars.

Teri Phillips, the manager, allowed us to sample four of the most popular sandwiches. We have ranked them accordingly. In fourth place is the chicken TBM (roasted chicken, mozzarella, basil, tomato, and “TBM spread.” Sarah was not a fan of the chicken TBM due to her aversion to tomatoes, ranking this sandwich in fourth place. 

The turkey chipotle club (turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, topped with chipotle mayo with some subtle heat to it, on an everything bagel) and the four-cheese grilled cheese (a delightful blend of cheddar, swiss, provolone, and mozzarella) are essentially tied because we simply could not decide between the two which was consistently better. We conceded that it would depend on our moods and the level of solace we are seeking from the food.  Sarah took three Lactaid® before the four cheese grilled cheese— it was not enough. That’s how cheesy this thing is. Seriously, proceed with caution. 

We tried, more like devoured, the philly cheesesteak— the newest addition to the Cup & Gown’s menu. This is a classic philly, including peppers and onions; however, the vegetables are nice and small for individuals who like the flavor, but hate biting into a large bell pepper chunk. The bread is served hot and fresh, perfectly toasted with melted swiss cheese on top. When you bite into the sandwich, make sure you have plenty of napkins handy, because the juices are abundant. We reached a consensus to move this sandwich up on our personal ranks and nominate it as a new favorite. 

Other popular offerings at the Cup & Gown are the lox & bagel and the cold cut sandwich, which can also be found pre-made in the cooler for on-the-go convenience. In a recent email to the student body, Cup & Gown staff said, “We are proud to announce our new chicken salad flavor, fresh basil chicken salad!  You can get it on a wrap with lettuce, or with any of our other breads. We also have some delicious croissants to make chicken salad croissants sandwiches.” Head to the Cup & Gown and let us know your ranking. We are curious to hear where you think the new chicken salad croissant stands! 

As frequent flyers in the Cup & Gown, we both have our standard order. Sarah’s favorites are a mocha frappe or nitro cold brew with oat milk for her beverage to go with the philly. Morgan loves to get the tomato-basil soup, now that we’re entering cooler months, to go with the four-cheese grilled cheese and a sweet peach tea.

It is also worth mentioning that the Cup & Gown now offers catering for groups meeting or events being held in the library, or available for pickup! Just email Teri at taphilli@sewanee.edu to place an order! 

This week’s Clurg hack comes to us from Catherine Culicchia (C’22) who offers her recipe for homemade pad thai. Using a combination of hot water, or broth from the SUM line, soy sauce, sweet n’ sour sauce, and peanut butter, she makes a great sauce to top rice noodles from the SUM line and says to add whatever toppings the eater desires! 

We are really looking forward to the annual Halloween festivities in McClurg on Thursday, October 31! A favorite event for students and community members alike, we know we are in for a ghoulish, spooky treat. See you there! To suggest Clurg hacks or future reviews, send suggestions to cordesc0@sewanee.edu and jennimh0@sewanee.edu or follow us on Instagram @twochickseatin. And remember, “Eatin’ speaks louder than words!”