By Keadan Weiler
On the first floor of the center building at Lane Community College, there are several food options. They are Bartolotti’s Pizza, the Irie Jamaican Kitchen and Doug’s Place.
Walking up to Bartolotti’s pizza, you are greeted by the smell of delicious pepperoni and the sight of the smiles of happy students eager for food. Open Monday through Friday from 11a.m – 2p.m. The operations manager, Grant Hubbard, gave The Torch a rundown of the menu.
Bartolotti’s Pizza sells cheese and pepperoni pizza slices; whole pies; Caesar salad; and a list of drinks. This list includes Mountain Dew; Pepsi; diet Pepsi; Dr. Pepper; diet Dr. Pepper; and Bubly Sparkling Water.
The next restaurant in the Center is the Irie Jamaican Kitchen. Diners are given the feeling they are getting a taste of not just Jamaican food but also Jamaican culture.
This kitchen is open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on Friday, closes at 1:30 p.m. Desmond Wilson, the son of the chef/owner, gave The Torch a rundown of the menu. This includes curry chicken with potatoes; stewed chicken with carrots and bell peppers; dessert and pastries; daily specials; and sides. Wilson specifically wanted the Torch to mention the fried ripe plantains; and the boiled dumplings.
Daily specials Irie are as follows: On Monday, baked chicken with ginger glaze; the stew chicken with white rice bowl; on Tuesday, curry tofu meals; on Wednesday, chickpea macaroni salad; jerk chicken leg and thigh meal; on Thursday, you can order curry goat with potatoes and tofu fried rice; on Friday you can order fried chicken wing meals. All these meals come with rice, beans and steamed cabbage. All throughout the week you can order the Jamaican sorrel drink, a delicious beverage with ginger and cane sugar.
The third restaurant in the Center Building is Doug’s Place. Formally located on McVay Highway. Doug’s Place is perpetually busy, drawing people in with its casual dining that offers something for everyone and a welcoming atmosphere.
Doug’s Place is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Doug’s Place sells teriyaki chicken; burgers, stir fry vegetables; chicken strips; French fries; patty burgers, and vegan burgers.
When asked if Doug’s Place had vegan alternatives to meat the manager, Yuen Lee, replied “Definitely.” She went on to say she created the menu by making “food I like to eat, and my husband does like to eat.”
Lee said, “Most everything is made from scratch.” When asked if the store has bounced back from COVID, Lee said, “A lot of our business depends on college. Now that my employees can’t find parking, that means it’s a good thing.”
To find more information on the dining experience — including what’s available at J&J Java Coffee Roasters and The Titan Store for grab-and-go Lane Community College visit www.lanecc.edu/experience-lane/dining .
