La Mia Cucina's menu will offer salads, soups, sandwiches and pasta.
After nearly three years of planning and redesign, the east dining room at Harris Dining Hall is back in business-and pizza is still on the menu.
Miami's newest restaurant, La Mia Cucina, opened Feb. 9 with the promise of warm-hearted Italian meals and a wide-open dining experience for up to 126 patrons.
The menu includes salads, soups, sandwiches and pastas, as well as an array of 12 specialty pizzas, which will serve as the restaurant's calling card.
As students and staff enter La Mia Cucina, they are greeted by warm colors, abundant seating and an inviting open-kitchen. According to Paula Green, associate director of dining and culinary support services, this environment makes the dining experience more entertaining.
"It's a culinary experience," Green said. "We really want the food and conversation to be entertainment."
According to Nancy Heidtman, director of dining and culinary services, Mike Mitroi, associate director of dining and culinary services, the east dining room of Harris Hall had not been renovated since 1962 and was overdue for a new look.
The inspiration for La Mia Cucina came from suggestions in a yearly review of operations. According to Mitroi, a budget was approved and consultants were contacted for bids on how to best utilize the open space by the end of 2006.
The new restaurant was funded through a reinvestment of housing, dining and guest services revenue, and plans for La Mia Cucina continued moving forward despite the recent economic downturn.
"In 2007, we had approval for half a dozen positions and instead we're doing it with one," Heidtman said. "We couldn't have opened without the students."
For students familiar with Panache, Miami's first foray into restaurant-style dining also located in Harris Hall, La Mia Cucina will have its own unique style.
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"Panache was student dining's first service-based, upscale restaurant," Heidtman said. "(La Mia Cucina) has a different atmosphere and different service which is reflected in the lower price point."
In fact, La Mia Cucina will utilize a completely technology-based service strategy. Guests will place their orders using a touch-screen kiosk, similar to the current system used at Scoreboard Market in Martin Hall, and then receive a buzzer to alert them when their order is ready.
La Mia Cucina also offers extended hours in order to accommodate busy students and to complement buffet hours at Harris. The new restaurant will be open for both dine-in and carryout dining from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and also from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Mitroi emphasized that the La Mia Cucina concept is something new for an already award-winning dining service, and he hopes that students will embrace it.
"We've enjoyed a good reputation nationally and we aren't resting on that," Mitroi said. "We're taking a risk, but we've done our homework."
According to Green, this homework included a "soft opening," where a select group of students acted as a test group for the restaurant in a controlled atmosphere.
"We worked with student organization groups including Associated Student Government and the Residence Hall Association so that students could give feedback," Green said.
So far, much of the student feedback has been positive.
"The barbeque chicken pizza was pretty good," said senior Evan Leopold. "I'll definitely go back because I want to try the sandwiches."
First-year student Cameron Innis, who will be able to eat pizza at the new restaurant despite his gluten allergy, is also looking forward to utilizing La Mia Cucina.
"I'm excited to try (La Mia Cucina)," Innis said. "The option to order food with gluten-free crust is awesome."
Ultimately, Heidtman is excited about the possibility La Mia Cucina presents for future Miami dining halls and restaurants.
"We're really proud of it," Heidtman said. "I think it's our best work yet and will really become the future of college and university food service."
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