by Laura
One of the most common questions I get about my return to North Carolina is simple to answer: ”Did you eat at Cosmic yet?” Um, yes. Twice.
Cosmic got me through Duke with cheap-o quesadillas and burritos, most memorably enjoyed by me and my friend Jane after finishing hip-hop dance class across the hall.
This class was epic in its own right. It was taught by a Vanilla Ice impersonator who insisted she was NOT an exotic dancer just because she performed for money at a club. Others in the class included a 15 year old JT wannabe, and a 40-something mom who wanted to better understand her own 15 year old son. We learned a routine to a Backstreet Boys song, so you know that gave us some hard-core hip-hop cred right there. Also, we had to wear knee pads for the on-the-floor moves, which was, quite frankly, hilarious. Luckily my kind and loving friends did not make fun of me at all, by which I mean they constantly mocked me.
It was no wonder that we found ourselves craving some fresh $4 goodness after popping and locking our hearts out. And, the owner, a Duke alum, is actually named Cosmo. (Which probably stands for Thaddeous Henry Cosmokennedious III – a.k.a. I used my trust fund to start a burrito chain – but, still.)
Now that I’m over in Chapel Hill, I’ve tried the Franklin Street branch. This does not have quite the same feel as the “you might get mugged if you go over there alone past 11 p.m. and, yes, our floorboards are sinking” Durham locale. Yet, I have to admit that the food seems comparable, despite the lack of nostalgic attachment to the surroundings.
This is a relief, because a Cosmic operation opened in New York City while we were living there, which should have been hugely exciting. Unfortunately Cosmic is just not as special among two thousand other food choices in the East Village. The ingredients weren’t as fresh, and they even dared to go exclusively vegan/vegetarian in recent months. Normally I am a-ok with veggie spots, but this somehow seemed wrong. Numerous others attested to those these same feelings, even though we couldn’t quite put our finger on why. (Oh, yeah – it’s because the New York Cosmic sucks.)
So, it’s good to be back in the land of the O.C. (the Original Cosmic, of course). One of the many perks of back down here, coming in a close second to sweet tea!
The burrito of perfection in its natural environment
Laura
Harold
