2Stay2Go: A Collegetown Restaurant Run by Students, for Students
The restaurant scene in Collegetown is ever-changing. Some have come and gone, some have switched locations, and new ones have popped up. This constant restaurant turnover is something that Samantha Krevolin elaborates on in more depth in another Slope Media article. Here, I will focus on 2Stay2Go, a dope takeout place that popped up this semester on Dryden Ave.
This restaurant is run by nine students from the hotel school, which is one of the things that makes it special. They know their clientele really well, and they’ve studied restaurant management, so no wonder business has been booming so far. I personally don’t know much about restaurant management, but I do know that running a restaurant is no easy task. Cheers to the 2Stay2Go team for providing this great addition to the Collegetown food scene.
The way 2Stay2Go works is that the restaurant publishes a new menu every week, and whichever two entrees and two sides make the most sales are the ones that stay on the menu for next week. The other two sides and entrees will be replaced by new items. The chefs propose ideas for the menu, but it is curated by the customers, for the customers. The restaurant is open for dinner on Thursdays-Saturdays from 5-8:30 pm. Their Sunday brunch is from 10 am-2 pm. This is great news, especially for people who were used to brunching on North Campus last year. RPCC Sunday brunch specials are not happening this semester due to new dining hall regulations that came with COVID. However, we now have 2Stay2Go to satisfy our brunch needs.
Another thing that is great about 2Stay2Go is that they partnered with local farms and food companies. They use locally grown produce, bread from the Ithaca Bakery, Cornell dairy products, and other local foods to enhance their dishes. On the @2stay2go Instagram stories you can catch the team members picking up the produce that will be used for that weekend’s recipes, and I think that’s a great look for them. It sends a message to customers that the team takes pride and care in their creative process.
This past Sunday, my friends and I tried (from right to left in the photo) their Fat Boy French Toast, Avocado Toast, and SHA Scramble. All three were really good. My favorite was the Fat Boy French Toast. The brioche was fried to perfection, and it seemed to me like it was marinated in maple syrup before frying. The peaches gave it a crisp, sweet finish. The Avocado toast was made of good quality sourdough bread with a fresh avocado spread. It was topped with a poached egg, sun-dried tomatoes as well watermelon radishes, a food I have seen in pictures but had not tried until that moment. The watermelon radishes reminded me of red onions, except sweeter. They gave a kick to the toast.
The SHA Scramble had good quality bacon and a great amount of it. Bacon is a key aspect of breakfast plates that some restaurants tend to slack on (I’m looking at you, McDonald’s!). I appreciate 2Stay2Go’s effort that was put in the bacon that came with the dish. They served thick-cut bacon that was crisp, but not overly crispy. At least that’s how I like my bacon.
The scrambled eggs had a soft texture, and they went well with the cheese that was used. I think this article is starting to sound like one of those over-the-top reviews in food shows/magazines that I usually laugh at. But hey, the food at 2Stay2Go has me writing more than I thought I would.
It’s great food created by our fellow students, so it’s important to support them. To the 2Stay2Go Team, great work!
