A Big Fan

 The Urban Outfitter campus cafeteria in the Navy Yard is a stunning place to eat lunch. Amidst the most well dressed in Philadelphia, attempt to choose between eight stations offering build-your-own everything. Urban Shop 453 is an experience; a devastating variety of lunch options arranged by staff with an impeccable eye for design. It will overload your senses.

Island sat at a table alone eating a ham, cheese and spinach croissant sandwich and a side seaweed salad. A few mixed greens and a smidgen of red quinoa dressed the corners of his takeout box. “What I like about sandwiches is it’s more healthy, comes with a salad,” he told me, pushing his flippy black hair to the side. He also likes the spicy chicken sandwich on the grill line. “I’m a big fan of spicy food,” he said, and laughed. “I’m trying not to eat too much pizza because I’m a college student.”

Island is a junior co-op student at Drexel. An aspiring mechanical engineer, he works at Rhoads in the Navy Yard, “looking at designs and structures and how to improve them.” They provide mechanical contracting for ship building and repair services, metal fabrication (manufacturing custom “heavy metal components”) and emergency maintenance. Need shearing, bending, rolling, plasma cutting, welding, or blasting? Rhoads has you covered. “Last week we had a contract with Dr. Pepper…” Island told me, though he wasn’t sure exactly what the project entailed.

Island was born in Hong Kong, lived in Vietnam for two years, and came to South Philly when he was four. He likes to eat out around Center City and in Chinatown. One of his favorites is Sampan, on the pricey side unless you take advantage of the happy hour.  “I usually order their ribs [short rib] that comes with kim chee fried rice,” he said. The dish is three dollars during happy hour – everyday from 4:00-7:00.

Though he is a busy college student, Island does find time to cook. He makes a lot of curry. “Curry Panang, red curry, usually with chicken, peppers and rice,” he said. If he’s packing a lunch he’ll go with something simple like a sandwich.

The intense umami from the seaweed permeated the air around us as he pulled at it with his chopsticks. “I’m a big fan of seaweed salad,” he said. “I’m a big fan of Japanese food in general.” He packed up half of his croissant sandwich for later. “I’m keeping track of my health now that I’m a college student.”

I sense a connection.

A mechanical engineer’s perspective on health: a way to improve the body’s structure and the functioning of its design.