With a new semester comes new food options. As we kick off the new school year, bold new flavors and menu options are available at the Huskie Den, located in the Holmes Student Center.
From chicken sandwiches, black bean burgers and Fresco melts, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.
The menu changes throughout the school year, typically in summer and toward winter, and is designed and maintained by John Boswell, director of retail dining services.
Another change that brought about the menu upgrade was the removal of the meal exchange from the retail dining restaurants, although dining dollars are still accepted.
“It was always hard in the past because we were open for lunch and then we’re open for dinner … So we’d have to have two completely separate menus,” said Boswell. “So, now that meal exchange is gone, it lets us have a more kind of premiere type menu.”
Boswell has a background in food service and food retail management. He is responsible for creating the menu and personally oversees its creation and helps set up tasting of new items before they are sold.
Boswell said he was inspired after going to a restaurant in Michigan and wanted to bring back some of the flavors he encountered.
With so many options, some choices stood out above the rest:
The western cheeseburger
A mouthwatering delicious option, this burger comes with two quarter-pound lbs beef patties, and is topped with BBQ sauce, bacon, onion rings and cheese and is served with a brioche bun.
Friscotastic melt
This melt was a delightful cheesy and bacon flavor packed experience. Served on sourdough bread, this burger comes with a quarter-pound beef patty topped with a pimento cheese spread, American cheese, bacon, onion rings and onion chive cream cheese.
Mac & cheese cheeseburger
A delightful surprise, this fusion brings together the nostalgic experience of mac and cheese with a delicious bacon cheeseburger. Served on a brioche bun, this flavor packed experience comes topped with mac and cheese, bacon, American cheese and onion chive cream cheese with a quarter-pound beef patty.
Chicken sandwich
A real stand out, especially if you’re looking for a burger alternative, is the new chicken sandwich. The dish is served with either a grilled or crispy white-meat chicken breast on a brioche bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and a pimento cheese spread.
Black bean chipotle burger
If you are looking for a lighter option or a meatless burger alternative then they’ve got you covered with a delicious black bean burger experience. Served on a brioche bun, the burger comes topped with mayo, pimento cheese spread, onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles.
Beyond the burger and sandwich offerings, the menu also upgraded previous items such as their wings, fries and pickles.
The new menu items are limited until the end of October, so get them while you can.
The grill at the Huskie Den is open 11 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday.
