Special to UM News

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (August 14, 2014) — Faculty and staff are in for a number of culinary surprises as students return and the University begins another exciting academic year. To enhance the campus dining experience, Dining Services has spent the summer implementing its Dining Master Plan by adding new, healthy food choices and appealing venues to its offerings—and new dining plans for faculty and staff.

A newly renovated Faculty Club and Hurricane Food Court are set to partially reopen this month with an old campus favorite, Sushi Maki, and two new additions:

•Pollo Tropical, a Miami favorite, will offer Caribbean-inspired, fresh-grilled chicken, tropichops, and other flavorful meals.

•Innovation Kitchen (IK), which serves comfort cuisine, slow-roasted rotisserie meats, and brick oven specials, will alter its menu as trends, tastes, and culinary needs change. Opening with an Italian theme featuring pastas, pizza, and salads, the dining spot also will include a Wicked Spoon, a frozen yogurt concept that will make customers wickedly happy.

Two other campus favorites, Subway and Panda Express, will reopen in the Food Court soon. A new Einstein Bros. Bagels at the School of Law also will be part of the mix, joining the Outtakes convenience store, which opened this summer in the Food Court and is home to the New York-style “Corner Deli,” featuring piled-high pastrami sandwiches, made-to-order salads, and homemade sides.

New on the Outtakes menu for the fall will be a variety of kosher-certified items, including freshly made sandwiches, salads, sides, and full meals, as well as a number of pre-packaged products. All kosher menu items are produced by Kosher Miami (KM) or Orthodox Rabbinic Board (ORB) Certified Caterers.

A revamped and expanded Hecht Stanford Dining Hall will open with the “Pulse on Dining” brand, which provides a restaurant-like experience with healthy choices in a dynamic, market-style environment. Strategically placed stations will add energy and excitement while contemporary design elements will be layered into a classic UM feel.

The new meal plans for faculty and staff will be valid at both Hecht Stanford and the Mahoney-Pearson Dining Hall, which was previously transformed into a “Pulse on Dining” venue, complete with outdoor seating. For more information about the dining plans, contact Dining Services at 305-284-3584 or Chartwells at 305-284-2715.

The renovations, additions, and expansions follow a number of other enhancements that debuted when the campus’s second Starbucks, a Jamba Juice, and M2O (Made To Order) Deli opened in the University’s stunning Student Center Complex, and Lime Fresh Mexican Grill opened on the adjacent Whitten University Center patio.

And there’s more on the horizon. Come spring 2015, Dining Services will complete its Dining Master Plan by adding two more restaurants to the Food Court, a burger concept from California, Built by The Counter, and a made-to-order salad concept, Tossed.

For questions, comments, or to learn more, contact Dining Services by phone or at [email protected] or visit the Dining Services homepage.