Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Zuly Medel prepares a sandwich as the orders begin to stack up at the University Room at San Jose State University. The University Room is located next to the Market Cafe and Sbarro. [Click to enlarge]

Empty tables are plentiful, and background noise is limited to a minimum. Breakfast can be ordered there as well, and it is as simple as placing an order, getting a number and taking a seat.

Be forewarned, however. The prices are a little high.

The University Room, tucked away behind Burger King, Sbarro, and the Market Café in the Old Cafeteria building, is open for all.

“Students enjoy the location,” said Lisa Schubert, who manages all four restaurants in the Old Cafeteria building, as well as the catering on campus for Spartan Shops. “They are having food delivered to them on china with silverware.”.

About a week ago, I tried a standard breakfast of two eggs, home fries, sausage, toast and a coffee. The total was more than $5, which I thought was a little high.

The next day I checked the campus Burger King.

I found I could get a croissant sandwich, hash brown patty and a coffee for a mere $2.09..

Although the $5 brings a lot more, the Burger King food was satisfying and cost much less. The coffee at the University Room, however, was good.

A week earlier, in the afternoon, I had found the room packed with more than 75 students, faculty and staff members.

Although not noisy, there were lively discussions at many of the tables.

A few days after that, I stopped by in the morning again and found no more than a dozen people. Most were studying.

The special of the day was the Denver Omelet ($3).

Folded in half, it was bright yellow with a touch of golden brown, and it was stocked full of thinly sliced mushrooms and a cheese sauce.

Although filling, its taste leaned toward the plastic.

The home fries, however, were vastly different.

Square chunks of potato and topped with seasonings, the home fries were as fun to look at as they were to eat.

One drawback I found was that there was no ketchup at any of the tables. Instead, it was in little packets that could be found at the serving line.

Let me be clear.

Tearing open eight or more ketchup packets in order to get enough for my fries was not my idea of fun.

The old ketchup bottles would have taken less time.

On Wednesday, I tried the grilled cheese sandwich ($1.95) with a cup of chili ($1.45).

Although the sandwich was much smaller than expected – about 5 inches square and cut in half – with the chili, it offered a meal that was light but filling.

The bread, lightly toasted with butter, was crunchy. Biting into it left a trail of crumbs on the plate.

Thick and gooey, the melted cheese oozed into the butter that oozed into the toasted bread.

Eating the sandwich was simple, whole and pure, if a little small..

The chili was steaming hot.

Its tannish-brown sauce was brothy with a chili undertone that allowed the flavor of beans and meat to percolate through.

Dunking the sandwich into the chili provided another delight.

I stopped by the restaurant a few more times.

Overall, I cannot decide what I liked the most.

Many items were OK, but none were sensational.

Tables that would have a window view of Plaza de Cesar Chavez had their views blocked by untrimmed evergreens.

Why bother to look out the window, if all I am going to see is an overgrown shrub?

Schubert said the previously “faculty-only” dining room was made available to students because the location was not doing enough business to support itself.

Burger King and Sbarro are the big moneymakers, along with the Market Café, while the University Room sales are at about one-fifth the level.

Even with the addition of students, the University Room would not survive if it did not share staff, food and storage with the other three restaurants, Schubert said.

I am torn over what I like best about this place – as a place to study or a place to eat.

On many of the tables are signs that read, “Please refrain from studying at tables from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.”

Alan Finkelstein, a lecturer in nutrition and food science, who helps operate the restaurant as part of a culinary concept course he teaches, gave a reason for the signs.

“Students in the past have camped out for extended periods of time, taking seats from people who wanted to have lunch,” he said.

To my way of thinking, those who “camped out” showed initiative, but who am I to argue.

Setting aside the issue of lunch, however, my hope as finals approach, is that students find a way to go early, then go often.

What: University Room Where: Old Cafeteria building When: M-F 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Breakfast 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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