There are probably close to 100 restaurants in University City, and though Penn students may not appear to be starved for choice, in a way they are.
Those with cravings that don't fit into popular niches (Pizza, Chinese and Indian spring to mind) would seem short on luck.
But any diners with that gripe willing to put their money where their mouths are (or aren't) would do well to try Fatou and Fama.
Nestled at "the corner of 40th and Everything," as the Domus ad on the opposite side of the street boasts, Fatou doesn't fit a tried-and-true mold.
If you had to classify it, you might go with "Senegalese" - owner and head chef Fatou N'Diaye emigrated from the West African nation in the 1990s.
But the menu is equally heavy on Caribbean fare, and on the aptly-named "soul food."
The atmosphere is vivacious, and vibrant Senegalese and Caribbean art surrounds you; if you want earth tones, look elsewhere.
The wait can be frustrating; the Greek Lady 15-20 minute standard doesn't apply here, if you even get a table at peak hours.
The menu is neither expansive nor complex. Yassa chicken ($9.95), marinated in garlic, mustard and lemon and cooked in brown onion, is a lunch staple. Whiting and shrimp can be served in the same way.
Adventurous patrons might try Chebujen ($10.95), a marinated fish that serves as the Senegalese national dish. ("The color of the dish may vary daily, red or white," cautions the online menu: Stay away if you don't like the sound of an amorphous dish.)
There's lighter fare, as well - like fried plantains, a Caribbean staple ($2.50). Side dishes are a hidden gem at Fatou; less expensive, but just as satisfying (Yes, they do have french fries.) Failing that, there's a buffet.
Anyone accustomed to Caribbean or Senegalese will likely find Fatou a modestly-priced option. For newbies, it'll be more of a tossup.
On a campus where a new Starbucks pops up every year and pizza joints reign supreme, perhaps that is a good thing.
