Mensa ... Should you try it? (Part 2)

Nah di Mensa Uni. Siegen ini kalo mau makan siang pertama-tama kita harus beli tiket/kupon dulu setelah kita liat-liat contoh menu yang dipajang untuk setiap paketnya. Hidangan yang dipajang disertai dengan gambar kecil dan penjelasan singkat tentang makanan tersebut. Gambar kecil yang disertakan adalah gambar protein/hewan yang digunakan, misal gambar ikan, ayam, sapi dan lainnya.

Each Mensa has it’s own rule and system. In Siegen University Mensa, you need to buy the tickets/coupons first before ordering or taking the food you want. You can choose the meals based on the menu displayed in the front section. The dish on display completed by a small picture and a brief description of the food. The pictures of the animal/protein displayed on the menu such as fish, chickens, cows and other animals.

(src: google image)

Setelah kuponnya dibeli kita lalu masuk ke Mensa dan langsung menuju area hidangan dengan masing masing seksi sesuai jenis kupon/paketnya. Untuk hidangan utama di setiap paket akan dilayani oleh pekerjanya. Tapi untuk salad dan hidangan pencuci mulutnya bisa ambil sendiri di masing masing rak dengan syarat harus yakin dulu pengen ambil apa. Kalo tadinya udah pegang gelas berisi yogurt stroberi eh baru nyadar ternyata ada manisan buah peach yang lebih menggoda, ya udah derita loe deh. Mangkok, gelas atau apapun wadahnya yang udah dipegang gak boleh dibalikin jadi harus tetap diambil. Kalo tetap pengen ya harus bayar ekstra atau bisa tuker sama jatah salad. Semuanya merupakan hal yang baru buat saya.

After the coupon is purchased you then go to Mensa and directly to the dish department with each section according to the type of coupon/package you have. For the main course in each package will be served by the workers. You can take salads and desserts by yourself on each shelf with the condition. You must be sure first about what you want to take. Lets say for instance if you already hold a glass of strawberries yogurt and then suddenly you just realised there was a candied peach fruit that more tempting to you, well, bad for you because it can not be exchanged. Any cup, glass or container that has been touched can not be reversed so it must be taken with you. If you still want it so bad then you have to pay extra money for that or it can be exchanged with your salad ration. All these things were new experiences to me.

Kalo paketnya udah lengkap plus dengan jatah air mineral lalu kita keluar dari area hidangan ini sambil menyerahkan kupon ke petugas. Dia akan ngeliat makanan apa aja yang kita ambil dan mencocokkan dengan kupon yang kita serahkan. Kalo kelebihan ambil kita harus bayar extra dan kalo kurang kita bisa ambil jatah kupon es krim mini buat besok. Setelah keluar dari dari area ini kita bisa pilih meja di mana aja yang kosong. Tempat favorit orang orang selama musim panas adalah di bagian luar Mensa karena langsung menghadap lembah dengan pemandangan yang menarik.

When you already completed the package plus mineral water ration then you should exit this dish area while handing coupons to the officer. The officer will see what foods you’ve taken and matched them with the coupons you submitted. You have to pay extra for the excess meals you’ve taken and if it less then your ration then you can grab a mini ice cream coupon for tomorrow. After exiting from this area you can select any empty table wherever you like. People's favorite spot during the summer is on the outside of Mensa as it directly overlooks the valley with an interesting view.

(src: google image)

Penting banget, begitu selesai makan siang kita gak bisa langsung dadah dadah cantik bak Syahrini trus pergi gitu aja. Kita harus bawa nampan kotor itu ke rak yang udah disediakan. Boleh juga kalo ditaruh di meja khusus yang ada rel bergeraknya (gak tau apa istilahnya) dengan memilah terlebih dahulu. Sisa makanan dan kertas atau tissue harus dibuang ke tempat yang berbeda. Waktu nampan ditaruh di rel juga harus diatur dulu. Piring, mangkok dan gelas harus masing masing sendiri dan gak boleh ditumpuk. Pisau, sendok dan garpu harus langsung diatas nampan. So, nampan ini langsung bergerak ke arah mesin cuci… repot dah, harus self service banget ya haha.

It’s very important to realize that, after lunch you can not just go away and left the dirty dishes behind as if someone will clean them for you (different system then what I have back home). You must bring the dirty tray to the provided shelf. It could also be placed on a special table that there is a moving rail (I do not know what the term is) by sorting it first. Waste food and paper or tissue should be removed to each different place. You also have to place the tray and all dirty dishes on the rail in a correct arrangement. Plates, bowls and cups should be placed individually and can not be stacked. Knives, spoons and forks should be directly on the tray. The tray is directly moving towards the washing machine ... So complicated at the beginning, you must serve yourself completely… hate that hahaha.

Selama studi disini saya udah pernah makan siang di beberapa Mensa di campus yang berbeda tapi masih di wilayah NRW. Pengen sebenarnya nyoba mensa universitas di luar NRW tapi masalahnya kalo keluar dari bundesland/provinsi ini semester tiket (tiket mahasiswa) saya gak berlaku dan harus bayar uang transportasi. Jadinya saya wisata kuliner di NRW aja deh. Saya pernah ke Mensa Univ. Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Köln, Wuppertal (lumayan sering karena tahun terakhir saya tinggal disini) plus satu mensa di luar NRW yaitu Uni. Göttingen. Secara umum sama aja sih sistemnya tapi kalo makanan sih agak beda ya. Entah karena yang paling sering saya kunjungi atau gimana tapi yang jelas Mensa Uni. Siegen makanannya yang paling enak yang pernah saya coba. Mensa ini juga punya tropi sebagai salah satu Mensa terbaik di tahun sebelumnya. So, makanannya emang enak dan bukan cuma perasaan saya aja tentunya.

During my study here I've had lunch at several Mensa in different Universities but still in the NRW area. I actually would like to try other universities outside NRW state but the problem is if I travel outside the bundesland then my semester/student ticket is not valid and I must pay transportation fee. For that reason I decided to stay and did my culinary tour only in NRW state. I've been to Mensa in Univ. of Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Köln, Wuppertal (quite often because I lived here for my last year of study) plus one outside the NRW state called Univ. of Göttingen. In general the the system are similar but the food is a little bit different. I am not really sure why, either because of this is the most frequent Mensa I visited or other reasons but the foods in Univ. of Siegen’s Mensa is the most delicious I have ever tried. It also has a trophy as one of the best Mensa in the previous year. So clearly the food is good and not just my personal opinion.

(src: google image)

Well, menikmati makan siang yang enak plus dengan pemandangan yang menarik itu rasanya sesuatu banget dah.
Well, enjoying a nice lunch plus an interesting view is really really something good.