By Angela Twining
The Skyroom restaurant constantly strives to be a mark of elegance and sophistication from the sixth floor of the Wilkinson Center.
And this semester it made even more improvements by introducing a new menu.
“We have to keep up with the trends of the food industry and serve what people like,” said Jessica Christensen, manager of the Skyroom.
Some old dishes were brought back and new dishes, like the Kona coast crispy chicken strips and buffalo chicken strips, were added.
“We also increased the span of pricing,” Christensen said. “We wanted to make it more affordable for students.”
The Skyroom audience now is mainly freshmen and faculty, but Christensen hopes to draw a new crowd with the prices and ethnic buffets.
Every Tuesday after the Devotional, the Skyroom buffet features a different country with authentic foods. Christensen said many of her student employees are from the countries featured, so the recipes are genuine.
She said if the employees don”t know how to make the genuine dishes, she seeks out the help of returned missionaries and the BYU language departments.
Some ethnic foods to be featured during February include Australian, Thai, Greek and Polynesian, Christensen said.
The menu, including all upcoming buffets, can be found at www.byu.edu/dining/skyroom.
Charya Lieng, 19, a freshman from Anaheim, Calif., majoring in broadcast journalism, said her favorite parts of the Skyroom are the buffet and the atmosphere.
“It”s classy but affordable,” Lieng said.
“I like the structure of it. The architecture inside is beautiful. It”s so open,” she said.
Having dining plus is a plus, she said. Freshmen can purchase meals at the sit down restaurant on their meal plans.
“The freshmen are great,” Christensen said.
The Skyroom is a chance for them to do something on-campus, yet different and nice, she said.
“I love the atmosphere here. We dim the lights on Friday nights and put up little candles on the tables — it”s so elegant,” said Allison Harrel, 20, a senior from San Diego, Calif., majoring in international law and diplomacy and a host at the Skyroom.
Christensen also said the quieter lunches make the Skyroom attractive.
“It”s just so busy everywhere else,” she said.
Lieng said even though she won”t have Dining Plus next year as a sophomore, she still plans to go to the Skyroom.
The Skyroom is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., except Tuesday when it opens after the Devotional. The Skyroom is open Friday evenings from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
