Mess hall fare (4)
I believe the answer is:
chow
'mess hall fare' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for chow that I've seen before include "Nosh" , "Long-haired dog of Chinese breed, or informal food" , "Dog (from China?)" , "Long-haired Chinese dog or slangy food" , "Grub" .)