ECC student-run restaurant opens today for spring semester

Spartan Terrace, the upscale restaurant operated by students of the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Institute of Elgin at Elgin Community College, reopens for the spring today. The restaurant is in the Culinary Arts Center on the ECC main campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.

The restaurant serves guests from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the exceptions of March 4, 18, 25 and 27. The restaurant will close for the season at the end of lunch on April 24.

Guests become part of the students' learning experience as they perfect their service and culinary skills in preparation for careers in the hospitality industry. The upscale entrees are prepared by student chefs under the watchful eye of Mark Bosanac, associate professor and certified executive chef, who will be grading their work.

The menus, which are created by the students and their culinary instructors, are changed once or twice during the semester to give students the opportunity to prepare and serve a variety of dishes. In addition, they learn how to create presentations for the various dishes with an eye to artistry and taste.

Guests will find themselves tempted by such delights as duck with fig sauce, scallops and bacon, and chicken Ballontine. Entree prices range from $7 to $9, with half orders available for most entrees at $5 to $7. For an additional price, guests also can have soup or salad, and end with a choice of sweet desserts.

Terrace Eatery, returning again this semester, will operate simultaneously within Spartan Terrace. This "restaurant within a restaurant" offers diners their own quaint seating area; simpler fare prepared by the students such as appetizers like beer-battered crab-stuffed mushrooms, Cajun mac and cheese, and sandwiches such as the Terrace Burger, grilled pork loin with apricot glaze, and tilapia burrito, with prices ranging from $3.50 to $6; and the opportunity for both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house students to learn in another unique atmosphere.

The innovative Spartan Terrace menu focuses on fine dining at reasonable prices, and the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Institute of Elgin is considered one of the most successful culinary arts programs in the country. Award-winning students train with award-winning professional chefs and faculty members.

Reservations for lunch are recommended and available by calling (847) 214-7382 or by visiting www.elgin.edu/spartanterrace.