By Jody Record, Media Relations
Two weeks ago, Stacy’s Buffet at the Thompson School served New York deli food. Last week it was salads: Waldorf, garden, tri-pasta, chicken Caesar and fruit.
On Tuesday, at the school’s Balcony Bistro, where diners can sit and linger over lunch, fresh veal was one of the three entrees of the day.
It’s no wonder professors Charlie Caramihalis and Gino Alibrio call the two student-run restaurants the best kept secrets on campus.
“It’s good food, reasonably priced,” Alibrio, associate professor of restaurant management, says. “And it’s all done by the students.”
Both eateries are open to the public. Lunch prices run between $6 and $8.95. The Bistro, open Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., is located on the second floor of Cole Hall. Reservations are recommended.
Stacey’s Buffet, open Wednesdays 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., offers a different cuisine each week. Future themes include Cajun, international vegetarian, Asian and French. Also in Cole Hall, Stacey’s is downstairs from the bistro.
Students create flyers, brochures and discount coupons during marketing classes. Key is making sure they offer reasonably priced meals.
“We want to get people to come up here from campus so it has to be a good value,” Caramihalis says. “The only thing we cover is the cost of the food.” Of the Balcony Bistro he adds, “The type of meal these students are serving would cost $15-$16 somewhere else.”
Second-year restaurant management students are responsible for operating the restaurants, doing everything from developing the menus and running a food cost analysis to preparing and serving the food. Managers rotate weekly.
The restaurants provide hands-on, real-life experience, says associate professor Caramihalis, noting students learn how to own and operate their own restaurants or how to operate one for someone else. The two-year program introduces students to the fast-food concept through the UNH Dairy Bar; they get the fine-dining experience at the Bistro and large quantity preparations with the buffet.
“In the end, they get a pretty good introduction to all areas,” Alibrio says. “The concepts can be massaged to fit the arena but they are all the same concepts.”
The biggest challenge facing the bistro is time: not everyone wants to devote an hour to lunch, he says. In response, students have come up with “Rushin”— a sandwich and a cup of soup that can be prepared more quickly than other menu items.
“If people don’t have the time to be waited on, they can get in and get out,” Caramihalis says.
And Stacey’s Buffet is a great choice for those on the run as well.
“The buffet has been hugely successful. It’s great food and if you don’t have time, you can be in and out,” Alibrio says. “Both of these are the best kept secret on campus.”
For reservations at the Balcony Bistro, call 862-4760.