Nine One One, UCD

When I was a UCD student, stuck in the library, my sleepy eyes trying to make sense of the books on the table but my mind only focused on ways to quench my coffee thirst, I always got a bit annoyed. Why ohh why was I not a Trinity student?!? Their life is perfect. They are surrounded by excellent coffee-​shops and eateries every way they turn. They could grab a cup at a new place every day and still have plenty to choose from by the end of the semester. UCD students are not blessed with such luxury. The campus desperately lacks drinkable coffee, with one exception: 911.
They make a decent espresso and for a OK price too, just what you need to stay awake in class. Their sandwich-​bar and muffins are yummy too. I still have a craving for the Philadelphia chicken sandwich: large baguette with a soggy chicken breast stuffed with bacon and Philadelphia cheese and heated in the microwave. With a good dash of mayo the sandwich is so wonderfully un-​appetizing but oohhhh sooooo gooood!!! Would though probably never eat it unless freakin’ out about exams and in desperate need for some quick energy.

If I could I would make this into two separate reviews. The doughnut and coffee part should be getting at least 4 stars. 911 have a great Doughnut Special for 1.99 squids. You get a tea/​coffee and a doughnut for less than 2 Euro and you can’t argue with that. I love the apple-​cinnamon doughnut with the coconut topping but you have to get here early because they’re usually the first ones to sell out. The coffee isn’t bad either, it’s just basic filter coffee with milk on request.
And then there is the sandwich part. Compared to the rest of the sandwich places on campus, these aren’t that bad but still, if you are allergic to sweetcorn you don’t want to find any of that in your sandwich by accident, do you? However, you can chose your sandwich fillings and they’re freshly made as opposed to pre-​packed. 2 stars for the Sandwich bar, makes 3 in total.

We used to call this place ming one one cause it was minging! a term later coined (and ruined) by Jade Goody!
In fairness to it it wasnt that bad, i didnt like how sandwich ingredients kinda got mixed up together when they were making your roll, you’d end up with a bit of a rasher stuck inside your vegetarian sandwich, bleugh! I think the most popular sandwich in here was their hot chicken sandwich, people devoured these things daily. The other half of this campus eatery is the donought section, mmmmmm boston cream, its all i have to say about that! hot drinks are not so bad either!

Nine-​one-​one is the place most likely to be open on campus outside the Mon-​Fri 9 – 5 time slots. While it’s mostly take-​away business there is a seating area just beside it. Nine-​one-​one has a lot of choice, as there are three main counters. The first is a juice and smoothie bar, the second is a made-​to-​order sandwich bar where you can get cold or hot sandwiches, paninis, wraps and other sandwichey type things. The pay area also houses tea, coffee and other beverages and their doughnut selection.
Queues can be really long at peak lunch times during term and the best doughnuts (the Boston cream) sells out early, so if you have a hankering for one it’s best to have it early in the day.
Despite the addition of the hot chicken sandwich, the selection of possible fillings is a bit limited and somewhat lacklustre (they often leave the green bits in the tomatoes which is my personal pet hate!!) but the food is consistent and generally good.
Out of terms hours are usually shorter

A really cool café, with many great choices for lunch. This place has everything from wraps to smoothies to desserts, and it is always packed out at lunchtime. The food is fresh, delicious, and not too pricey. Try the more original options for something a little different, like the prawn salad or the cream pies. The only downside is the lack of seating, but the food at nine one one is a hit everytime.