Finals are upon us, and summer awaits us — provided that we survive the next couple weeks. Last semester I wrote up a guide to healthy snacks for the one of the most stressful weeks of the academic year, which are important when you are averaging four hours of sleep per night. However, not even I want to take the trouble to assemble anything at 1 a.m. when my brain has melted from studying. And as much as I enjoyed subsisting on Sun Chips and popcorn during my first finals week here at Biola, I decided to prepare myself for the next gauntlet by searching for restaurants open late in the area.
It is almost optimistic to call the results of my quest for late night grub bleak. It is odd how few places stay open past 10 p.m., considering their proximity to a university. Though I was aware that most of suburbia shuts down early, I naively thought that there would be at least a handful of places, other than fast food chains, that would keep their doors open for the college kids. I was almost correct, but you do have to venture outside La Mirada to find the few, scattered places that provide quick fuel to night owls.
MOLCASALSA
Ashleigh Fox/THE CHIMES
Mexican is my first choice for food that is fast but not necessarily “fast food.” Luckily, we are in Southern California, where burritos and tacos are available twenty-four hours a day. Molcasalsa, located on Telegraph Road in Whittier, is close enough to campus to relieve your burnt-out brain with carne asada or rolled tacos. Plus it’s inexpensive, so you won’t go broke feeding yourself as you cram for that last exam.
TOMMY’S BURGERS
If Mexican food isn’t your thing or you need a break from it, never fear, Tommy’s Burgers is here. Though it is only open until 11 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, Tommy’s stays open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Of course, In-N-Out can solve any normal burger craving, but Tommy’s’ pride and joy is their chili burger. While this hearty burger can give you a protein-packed energy boost, it could also put you in a meat-induced food coma, so eat with caution.
DOUGHNUTS
Ashleigh Fox/THE CHIMES
If you seek something sweeter, doughnuts may be the answer. Krispy Kreme is open 24-hours a day, but it is a 20 minute drive to get to the City of Industry. While this could be a blessing if you need to get far away from your books, it may be difficult to take an hour-long doughnut break when things are coming down to the line. It would be silly to say that Krispy Kreme’s doughnuts are not delicious enough to merit the drive, but there is a closer option. Moodoo Donuts resides in a former Dunkin’ Donuts on Beach Boulevard in Buena Park — only seven minutes from campus. Since they make their doughnuts continuously throughout the day and night, you do not have to worry about getting a stale doughnut if you wander in between sunset and sunrise. Last, but certainly not least, Rainbow Donuts in Norwalk, just off Imperial Highway, offers a third delicious options for your late-night donut needs. Like the others, it is there for you 24 hours a day — whether you need a doughnut to go with your morning coffee, or to give you the will to keep studying at 2 a.m.
Ashleigh Fox/THE CHIMES
While these choices are basic and seem unexciting, these places will serve up food better than a chain’s drive-thru window when the rest of the city has decided to sleep, and for that we must thank them. I wish you all the best of luck with your finals — maybe I’ll see some of you at Molcasalsa next week. I’ll be the one with the extra-large cup of horchata.
