University Restaurant offers a touch of class |
Becky Sandlin |
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It may be the university's premier eatery, but finding fine fare at the University Restaurant in the Morris University Center may be a hit or miss affair. Many students are unaware that the restaurant on the second floor of the MUC is open to them. Many professors and SIUE employees regularly use the University Restaurant to meet colleagues and conduct business. But students are welcome to take advantage of the restaurant's offerings of a salad and hot bar or special order from the menu. Meals can be charged to student meal plan cards, right down to the tip for the server. This means you could bring your friends or family and treat them to a nice meal without having to fork over cash. The atmosphere at the University Restaurant is pleasant and relaxing. Cloth napkins and table covers accent silver-plated utensils and china. Pianist Clyde Pointer plays jazz and pop standards. But if you're looking for good service and gourmet food, it will simply depend on what day you show up. Take Thursdays, which is "Steak Day." For $4.95, you get a thin but good-sized piece of sirloin, baked potato or fries, and access to the soup and salad bar. Customers should take care how they order the doneness; I ordered mine medium and got crispy. Other times the meat was so tough, I felt as if I had completed an upper-body workout after dining. I also picked out slick lettuce in the bowl on the salad bar and found a rotten tomato the hard way. The service is not what you would expect from a fine restaurant, either. On several occasions I have had to ask for my server to come take my order. Some never return after they drop off your meal. I have witnessed a few patrons who have become accustomed to refilling their glasses themselves. Restaurant manager Larry Tharps said this shouldn't be happening. "We strive to be as top-notch as any off-campus restaurant," he said. "With the student labor we have, we do the best we can." He said the restaurant is looking for additional help. The food itself is not always bad. However, I have noticed that on days when there are no visitors with "Hello I'm So-and-So" name tags, the fare isn't much different from what is served downstairs in Center Court. But if you come on a day when the university has visitors, you may find Caesar salad, hors d'oeuvres, cheesecake and even shrimp and chef-carved turkey breast on the menu. Regular menu items cater to nearly every appetite and diet, including vegetarian selections. And although the restaurant hours have been cut this year, new items have een added to the hot and cold bars, such as chickpea salad and vegetable lasagna. In spite of putting up with sometimes bad service and sometimes blah food, I still enjoy the atmosphere, live music, sunlight and intimate surroundings afforded by the University Restaurant. It's a good place to meet friends and relax from a hectic day of university life. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hot bar menu costs $5.95 and cold bar only is $4.25. Sunday brunch is $7.95. Check the Alestle for ads listing special Sunday brunch days... | |