Museum of Art Cafe offers aesthetic appeal

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    By JILL DAVIES

    The ambiance: Metropolitan. The cuisine: Mediterranean. The place: The Museum of Art Cafe.

    These three M’s are indicative of the unique dining experience students can find without leaving the BYU campus, said Paul Johnson (“P.J.”), assistant director of dining services.

    “It’s kind of like going into a world outside BYU,” he said. “With the art, you can go anywhere else in the world.”

    The huge windows of the cafe overlook the sculptures and greenery of the art garden. From the balcony on the north of the cafe, guests get a view of the museum’s entryway and sections of the galleries.

    “That was the intent (of the architecture),” P.J. said. “Everything has been engineered to have a very aesthetic feel.”

    The museum’s Mediterranean fare includes Italian classics such as foccacia, and pastas such as manicotti and tortellini, smothered in tomato or cream sauce. The cafe also features specialty drinks such as San Pellegrino, Tynant and Cafe Tropicals. Other favorites include zesty pasta salads, green salads, soups and hot meats such as barbecue ribs or rotisserie chicken.

    “We’re trying to keep the menu interesting as well as keep the things that people like,” P.J. said.

    The cafe’s fare will become even more interesting than usual beginning this month as the Museum of Art Cafe becomes “Bob’s Diner” in honor of the museum exhibit “Art on Wheels” (a collection of antique automobiles).

    Each Friday, museum chic will meet ’50s fun with antique props, a jukebox and root beer floats. Three rotating ’50s-style menus will ensure guests who visit the cafe every Friday will find different choices each time. Bob’s Diner will help enhance the experience of museum guests who visit “Art on Wheels,” P.J. said.

    “Those that used to drive those cars are going to bring back great memories. It will be a walk down memory lane for them. Those that didn’t live back then will get a chance to experience it,” he said.

    The Museum of Art Cafe is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. A complete menu, including daily entrees, soups and salads can be accessed from BYU’s homepage.

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