The Racquette

Issue date: 9/19/08 Section: College Life

Media Credit: Alison Chiasson Mediterrano's is now at a larger location in the Student Union but underwent menu changes that are getting mixed reviews from students.

When PACES opened its doors to the Student Union Dining Center this semester, it presented changes and additions it made during the summer for students.

New to the dining center, PACES installed Saguaro Burrito this summer, which offers Mexican-inspired wraps. The ingredients used at Saguaro Burrito are prepared fresh in the Thatcher kitchen, and the eatery has a limited menu because of its small space.

Director of Dining Services George Arnold based the new eatery on the chain restaurant Chipotle Mexican Grill after conducting research in order to find a model for Saguaro Burrito.

Mediterrano's, which features a menu of Mediterranean pasta dishes, is now located next to the Blue Plate Diner, which features a menu of home cooked meals for lunch and dinner while no longer offering breakfast.

In response to customer requests for buffet style breakfasts, Lehman Dining Hall began offering breakfast last year, which caused the volume of customers at Blue Plate Diner to decrease. According to Arnold, the number one operational request from students was to make Mediterrano's bigger. This has been accomplished by "crunching" Blue Plate, which now does not have the space or equipment to provide breakfast.

"As in most of life, things are often a trade-off: to gain something you have to give something up," said Arnold. "Based on customer feedback as well as operational data, it seemed like a good decision. This year Lehman has all the products we used to serve for breakfast at the Blue Plate, including the waffles."

Mediterrano's also underwent a menu change as a result of this compromise. The eatery now offers four dishes and the option of a custom dish every day, instead of its former format of only two signature dishes offered each day on a once a week schedule. It's popular dish "Pasta Rosso" is now offered every day but served with penne or bowtie pasta, instead of its former ravioli or tortellini pasta.

Senior art studio major Jennifer Grytebust still eats at Mediterrano's but not as much as before the changes. "I liked two particular dishes, and now one isn't even offered anymore. Then, they completely changed one of my favorite dishes, and it's not as great as it used to be. I know the lines are shorter now, but it was worth waiting in a long line before. Now when I see a line there I don't even bother going over there."

Continued...

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