0;One new Union dining area is opening today, while construction crews and Union employees work through problems for another.
Fillet Mignon, Salmon Fillet and smoked pork chops are not usually items someone would find on a menu dealing with University dining: until now.
The Bowling Greenery is opening today in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union and will offer these menu items and more to the campus community.
“I think the students will be very excited by what we are offering,” said Edward O’Donnell, director of dining services.
According to O’Donnell, the menu will be an, “expanded version” of what the Pheasant Room offered when it was in the old union.
There will also be a buffet in the Bowling Greenery, which is still under construction that will be similar to what the Bowl ‘N Greenery in the old union had.
“It’s really a combination of both types of services offered in the old union,” O’Donnell said.
Dining services will mark the opening of the new restauant with a flute trio playing in the Union atrium at lunchtime.
“We’re going to have some music to be enjoyed by folks in the restaurant,” said Dave Crooks, director of the Union.
A final practice run through was held for the Bowling Greenery last Friday. Guests were invited by invitation only to test out the new campus restaurant.
“For the most part, I would say we’re ready,” O’Donnell said. “They were impressed. They think it will be a nice addition to the campus community.”
Tables and chairs for the Greenery have yet to arrived, so those from the atrium will be used temporarily.
“The tables that are going to be in there (today) are not that ones that will be in there the remainder of the semester,” O’Donnell said. “I don’t think it’s anything that will directly affect service.”
While the Union restaurant is opening, the food court is still two to three weeks away from being ready.
According to Crooks, dining services is still working out a contract with a franchise philly sub place.
“It’s very, very close,” he said. “They’re in the final stages of negotiations.”
However, the opening of the food court is not pending on the contract, O’Donnell said, but rather construction being completed and because some of the counter tops were delayed in being delivered.
Although the new Union opened last Monday with a majority of the food areas incomplete, everything else was open prior to the original completion date in February.
“I’m delighted we were able to open as much in this building as we did (last) Monday,” Crooks said. “(The food areas) are coming along very quickly.”
