A typical selection from the new menu includes sweet chilli chicken wings, southern fried chicken in barbecue sauce, sweet and sour pork and vegetables, fried rice with egg and peas, plain pilau rice, and a range of vegetables. The buffet currently costs 80c per 100g.

Café Brava manager Des Moran said that “we did a bit of research around the campus to find out what people would really like to see on offer, and the Chinese option proved the most popular.” The café will continue to offer their traditional fast food menu items also.

Moran believes the new selection will be a crucial factor in attracting new customers in 2010. He told The University Observer that “we are always open to suggestions. If somebody approaches us and says, ‘Why don’t you try a traditional Irish stew?’, then chances are there will be a traditional Irish stew on the menu the following week. If it goes well, then it stays, until it begins to lose popularity. It just turns out that currently, people are very keen on these particular dishes. With the system we are running here, we can always switch things up from one week to another, to accommodate for what people want.”

Like the majority of catering establishments around the country, Cafe Brava experienced a fall in revenue for 2009, which Moran has blamed on the economic downturn. When asked whether further changes are planned in Café Brava, Moran said that “for now, we’ll keep going with things the way we are,” and that the new menu “seems to be working.”

1. Paul Masson Rosé
There’s no doubt about it, folks: Paul is a man that deserves to be treated with respect. Be prepared for 1.5 litres of Californian rocket fuel that will be your best friend for a night, but your worst enemy for an indefinite number of subsequent hours. For sessioning purposes, the Rosé is your best bet, though some may opt for the white if one’s palate favours that extra bite of acidity. Grab a pint glass and some ice and neck it, like a true wine connoisseur. When Bush went to Iraq looking for weapons of ‘Mass’ destruction, someone should have told him they were right on his doorstep! The bottle also makes a great vase, perfect for all the botanists and romantics out there.

2. Buckfast
Southwest England’s finest export since Ambrosia Devon Custard, this magical concoction, originally a ‘tonic wine’, has cemented its place atop the upper echelons of legendary status amongst Irish college students and junkies alike. Something of a Marmite to the wine world (you either swear by it, or swear whenever it is mentioned), its sugary bouquet and nectar-like flavours have drawn criticism from the British government on numerous occasions, who claim that ‘Buckie’ encourages underage drinking and anti-social behaviour. Bottoms up!

3. Chilano
Not to be confused with ‘Chileno’. Both the red and the white are highly palatable and can be picked up in Tesco’s for €7.99; knock a euro off this price when shopping at independent off licences around the country. This is a real find, and would convert even the strictest beer drinker into a patron of the grape! Refreshingly different and easy to drink.

4. JP Chenet
Because a wine review isn’t wouldn’t be a wine review without something French in it. Dunnes are currently offering 3 bottles for €15, along with ‘Inycon Fiano’ and ‘Torrelongares’. All these labels are suspiciously cheap and are mass-produced, but at a fiver a bottle, UCD students deserve to be aware!

5. Wally’s Hut
A mouthwatering Australian white, this one is a favourite with the ladies. Slightly cheaper than Blossom Hill in most outlets, and far superior in composition, body and finish, the tongue is instantly captured by a burst of fruit: kiwi, pineapple, and a hint of gooseberry all come to mind… okay, that’s all waffle, but with a €6.99 price tag, Wally’s serves its purpose, as evidenced by outstanding sales at the Merville Centra.