Great news for Monterey Peninsula students with appetites but without cars.

Former major military base Fort Ord, now home to CSU Monterey Bay, enjoys a seclusion that may have worked well for firing range practice and staged battle maneuvers. But today it leaves students not-so-strategically stranded in a sea of sand, disc golf courses and hit-and-miss cafeteria food.

For those students with their own car, a good meal awaits less than 10 minutes away, but for those dependent on Monterey Salinas Transit’s bus system, dinner off-campus can be more of a slog. Fortunately two major updates are helping change that. The Marina Dunes shopping complex, which sits less than a mile and a half from CSUMB’s northern edge, continues to add affordable and healthier fast-casual options. Teriyaki Madness, Smashburger and Blaze Pizza rank among the most popular, and Deli Delicious and Chipotle just opened.

For students ready to venture a little further afield without a car, MST’s new smartphone trackability makes taking the bus significantly easier. By downloading the app Transit and searching for a local stop, riders can time arrivals to the minute. It’s a slick update to an impressive system that already enjoys more than 60 stops, with digital sign information (which will soon double) and 90-percent reliability buses will hit their stops within 5 minutes of the scheduled time.

“We’re taking the guesswork out of waiting for the bus and we believe these technology investments will be especially useful to our customers when there are traffic delays due to road construction or other events outside of our control,” says MST General Manager Carl Sedoryk.

In honor of that update, here appear very bus – and budget-friendly spots for students like me to flag for good food.

New Korea

When nine out of 10 Korean exchange students recommend a place, you know it serves some good jjigae and tteokbokki. For a white girl like me, some menu items may be unpronounceable, but the value and flavor of the food, like the dolsot bibimbap ($12.99), a bowl of vegetables, rice and seafood drenched with a spicy-sweet sauce – with an assortment of included side dishes like steamed daikon, kimchi, bean sprouts, fish cake and broccoli – needs no translation. The stews are served in stone bowls so everything remains hot until the last mouthful, a perfect retreat from finals and campus fog.

11am-2:30pm and 4:30-9:30 Tue-Fri; 11am-9:30pm Sat; 11am-9pm Sun. 300-D Carmel Ave., Marina, 384-7171.

Directions: From CSUMB’s Alumni and Visitor Center bus stop (the one between the short orange building and the white church that acts as an MMA practice arena), take the 16 Marina bus and get off at Reservation/Crescent (just before the Marina Transit Center). From there it’s a short walk west down Crescent then right on Carmel Avenue. It’ll be on the left, appropriately located in front of a Korean DVD/snack shop. Return to Marina Transit Center for the 16 Dunes bus back through East Campus wilderness.

Noodle Bar

Being the first off-campus restaurant I ventured to as a freshman, this comfy Vietnamese fusion restaurant quickly became a staple for me and my friends. Side note: this was also where I learned that taro flavoring is just a Southeast Asian way of saying really good vanilla (that happens to be purple). Menu items like the fried jumbo shrimp ($10.50) or classic pho ($7) are good examples of why college students can’t get enough huge portions and lively flavor. Fair warning though: It’s usually crowded. But hey, wandering through the Dollar Tree next door is a great way to pass the time.

11am-8pm Wed-Mon. 215 Reservation Road, Marina, 384-6225.

Directions: From CSUMB’s Alumni and Visitor Center bus stop, hop back on the 16 Marina bus to Reservation/Vista Del Camino. From there just follow the scent of fried oil and abundant seasoning. On the way back it’s a five-minute walk up Reservation to the Marina Transit Center for the 16 Dunes bus back through raccoon/wild turkey territory.

Turn 12 Bar and Grill

The casual, social atmosphere makes this four-year-old joint an excellent location for regrouping with friends after a year studying abroad (or a summer back home). The Weekly has featured its versatility and value before, via items like their “white” pizza and street tacos. But their mouthwatering-lick-your-fingers burgers, like the Corkscrew, with balsamic onion compote, bleu cheese, arugula and lemon aioli and daily happy hours deserve a second mention. The couch chairs and patio fire pit are pretty nice, too.

11:30am-1am Mon-Fri; 11am-1am Sat; 10am-1am Sun. 400 Tyler St., Monterey, 372-8876.

Directions: From CSUMB’s Alumni Center stop, take the 18 Monterey Express to Monterey Transit Plaza. From there it’s a short walk down Alvarado Street, where other fresh and tasty spots like Alvarado Ramen, Poke Lab and Saffron Cafe offer fast-casual options a la Marina Dunes, though these are all locally owned and operated.

Mark C. Anderson contributed to this report.