February 17, 2005
IVY TECH'S CULINARY EXPRESSIONS CAFE
As a part of my Hotel & Restaurant Management studies at the University of Houston, I took a course where classmates and I were assigned to operate an on-campus restaurant's semester-long international dinner series. During the course of the 15-week class I bused and waited tables, tended bar, cooked, washed dishes, hosted, planned menus, handled publicity, and even got to take a couple of shots at managing the entire show myself for a few nights. All-in-all, looking back on it now, it was great fun and an excellent way to put into practice all of the theory I'd been subjected to in the many semesters leading up to the course.
Now word has come--thru someone I met via LinkedIn.com--that there's a similar program right here in Indianapolis. The Culinary Expressions Cafe, which is run by Ivy Tech's Culinary students, begins serving lunch this Friday to anyone lucky enough to get a reservation for one of the eight Friday lunches being served over the next two months. Like the program I worked in at the Univ. of Houston, Ivy Tech's students are running the entire show, but unlike the program I was in, a Culinary Expressions Cafe meal won't cost you an arm or a leg. Take a look at the menu and pricing:
APPETIZERS
- East Coast Style Crab Cake... a generous 3 ounce crab cake served atop corn relish with a roasted red pepper remoulade: $5.25
- Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Caps... two large mushroom caps stuffed with parmesan and garlic then baked to perfection: $2.00
- Lemon Hummus... freshly prepared with a variety of fresh vegetables and crisp pita chips for dipping: $1.50
SOUPS
- Cream of Chicken... velvety soup with chicken, vegetables and a hint of fine sherry: Cup $1.00 / Crock $1.75
- Pasta Fagioli Italian soup... with tomatoes, beans, spinach, pasta and Romano cheese: Cup $1.00 / Crock $1.75
SALADS
- Caesar Salad... romaine, seasoned croutons, and Parmesan tossed with classic Caesar dressing (repared tableside): $2.25 (with Grilled Chicken Strips: $3.50)
- Spinach Salad... baby spinach, chopped eggs and grilled red onions drizzled with warm bacon dressing: $1.75
- Mandarin House Salad... mixed greens, mandarin oranges, green onions and toasted slivered almonds with an orange balsamic vinaigrette: $2.00
ENTREES
- Italian Meat Roll-up... Italian-style ground beef filled with ham and mozzarella, rolled and baked till hot and bubbly, topped with a marinara sauce, served with garlic mashed potatoes and sautČed vegetables: $4.00
- Lemon Pepper Pasta with Shrimp... fettuccini in a creamy Alfredo sauce made with sautČed red peppers, shrimp and pine nuts: $5.00
- Pecan Chicken Salad Croissant... chicken with bits of roasted pecans, celery and onions in a sweet peppery sauce served on a flaky croissant with seasonal fresh fruit skewers: $3.50
- Smoked Turkey Wrap... tortilla filled with smoked turkey, bacon, caramelized onions, diced tomatoes and baby field greens with herb mayonnaise served with seasoned steak fries: $3.50
- Quiche of the Day... served with a lemon bread and raspberry cream cheese sandwich: $3.50
DESSERTS
- Carrot Cake... moist carrot cake with a rich cream-cheese icing: $1.50
- Lemon Tart... coconut infused shortbread crust with a lemon filling: $2.00
- White Chocolate Cheesecake... creamy chocolaty cheesecake in a graham cracker crust: $2.00
- Flourless Chocolate Cake... a decadent desert -- chocolate, rich and delicious: $2.50
Hungry yet? Good, because Ivy Tech's Culinary Expressions Cafe is now accepting reservations (note: seating is available from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. only). Contact Chef Thom England at 317-921-4619 or by e-mailing tengland at ivytech dot edu. When leaving messages or sending e-mail, be sure to leave your name, the date you want (remember, Fridays only thru the 8th of April), the time you have in mind, and the number of people in your party. Finally, if you do go, please pop back here and leave a comment about your experienceÖ unfortunately, because of the distance from my office, I donít think Iíll be able to make it there for lunch myself.
Posted by Mikal at February 17, 2005 6:02 AM
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