A room with a view

Hillcrest Market Place features cherry wood furniture and new windows that enhance the river and campus views. Photo by Rex Bavousett.

You head toward the food but are again distracted by the brushed metal islands on industrial casters, the glinting glass display cases, and the menu. Choices include tomato-basil fettuccini, spicy Indonesian noodles, and grilled honey-stung pork.

No, you haven’t stumbled into Iowa City’s trendiest new restaurant.

On second thought, maybe you have.

You’re at the newly refurbished Hillcrest Market Place.

	On her first day on the job, Candy Ritzman-Smith serves students deli sandwiches at the Hillcrest Market Place. Photo by Rex Bavousett.

The renovations to Hillcrest, which hadn’t changed much since it opened in 1960, had their genesis in conversations that began nearly six years ago, according to Maggie Van Oel, director of Residence Services. Administrators and staff studied food trends across the country, sampled dozens of recipes, and worked with consultants to come up with the current configuration of cooking, serving, and clean-up facilities.

In addition, the decision was made to consolidate Quad and Hillcrest.

"We considered a number of issues in deciding which facility to renovate," Van Oel says. "The views in Hillcrest are just so great, it would have been a shame not to take advantage of them."

Diners have certainly been enjoying the vistas since Hillcrest Market Place opened on the first day of classes. Staff members admit these early days have been a challenge.

Golden Harvest Home Cooking station features comfort food, while Piazza Cafe (left back) serves pizza and pasta. Photo by Rex Bavousett.

"It’s like we’re trying to fix a car while it’s going down the highway," says Greg Black, referring to the limited trial operation period before students flooded back. Black is director of food service, and serves as both the manager of IMU Food Service and an assistant director for Residence Services.

"This new way of working is very different from what most of the staff was used to—it’s a huge change," Black says. "Everyone has adjusted well, and is working hard. I’m really impressed by their positive attitudes."

Since those first days, the breakfast and lunch rush have eased somewhat as students adjust their schedules, and staff become more familiar with the new ways of working. But dinner continues to be very crowded—despite changes to the Burge dining room menu that more closely mirror the offerings at Hillcrest, approximately 300 to 400 students from east-side residence halls are swelling the dinner crowd nightly.

	Cook Roger Bernas is enjoying the opportunities created by the remodeled cooking and dining facilities. "This place runs more like a real restaurant," Bernas says. "I’m having the best time." Here he talks with a student about the lunchtime offerings at the World’s Fare station. Photo by Rex Bavousett.

The Hillcrest Market Place is open to faculty, staff, and the general public. Prices are $3.75 for breakfast, $5.50 for lunch, and $6.50 for dinner. Black recommends coming early. Watching the sun come up over the Old Capitol at breakfast is a special treat, he says. Private dining rooms may be reserved for University groups by calling (33)5-3968. Menus are available on-line at www.uiowa.edu/~resserve/
FoodServiceMenus.html.

Changes in food service aren’t limited to residence halls. The State Room has refocused its efforts, according to Black, and is expanding its offerings of special events including the Szathmáry Culinary Arts Dinner series, Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras meals, and additional pre-Hancher dinners. New this fall is a post-football prime rib buffet. Menus, dates, and hours of operation are on-line at www.imuis.uiowa.edu/food/stateroom/index.html.

With all this haute cuisine, it’s easy to worry that those cafeteria classics might be a thing of the past. But fear not. If tater tot casserole has always been high on your list of culinary delights, you can still get a plate of that, too. At the Hillcrest Market Place’s Home Cooking station, you’ll find mashed potatoes every day, and a rotating menu of comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, country fried steak, and the venerable tater tot casserole.

There are some days when elegant dining can only take you so far.

Article by Linzee Kull McCray