The student-run restaurant is located on the first floor of the Hilton Hotel, next to Cougar Grounds. It closed last springand was reopened this semester. | Rebekah Stearns/The Daily Cougar
Barron’s Restaurant, the student-run restaurant located on the first floor of the Hilton, reopened with a new menu after in closed in the Spring. Its new direction is due to the guidance of Professor Kristi Baker, who aims to give Barron’s an upscale feel.
“When guests come to Barron’s, they can expect their food to be made-to-order and fresh,” said Baker in a press release. “They can also expect good service and a quality meal that looks and tastes great.”
Students are already enjoying the changes, said marketing sophomore Fidel Diaz.
“Barron’s is not like a school restaurant,” said Diaz. “The new menu is better; it has more variety. The quality of the food is great. I’ll come back because of the food.”
Rahul Rao, a creative writing junior, said he thinks Barron’s is just as good as any of the other dining options on campus, but that the presentation of the food is different.
“Barron’s is good if you have time and if you are available between 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” Rao said.
“On first glance, there would appear to be more care in Barron’s burgers than Bernie’s Burger Bus. But this is not to say that Bernie’s is trashy food. It is just based on appearance.”
The menu features dishes like the cuban panini, southern cheesecake the simo special, which is a burger stuffed with jalapeno and avocado, and the house specialty, parmesan-crusted tilapia.
“The menu has lots of flavor,” said hotel and restaurant management Michael Heiman.
Barron’s is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays, and provides an alternative place to grab lunch to those who feel confined by the limited number of food options around campus. | Rebekah Stearns/The Daily Cougar
Heiman has been working at Barron’s as a manager and said the menu has taken a turn from Mexican food to more gourmet, college-oriented food.
Not only is the menu college-oriented, but so are the prices — every item is priced at less than $8.
Barron’s also offers great service, and everyone — from the managers to cooks to busboys — are HRM students. The restaurant serves as a lab for two classes taught by Baker — Food and Beverage Service and Advanced Food and Beverage Management.
Barron’s gives students the chance to experience the ins-and-outs of working in a restaurant, Heiman said.
“No one realizes how hard people in the restaurant business work. If you work in the kitchen, you have to be fast. If you work on the floor, you have to be a quick thinker.”
HRM junior Kendyl Troutz said she doesn’t feel she is on campus serving her peers. Troutz has worked on the hotline, and all she thinks about when working is getting the food out on time.
“It is a good experience for students like myself who has never worked in a restaurant before,” Troutz said. “And working with peers is really helpful. We have to rely on each other to make sure things run smoothly.”
Barron’s is open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays until Nov. 30.
