The Nutmeg Grille, the University's elegant new restaurant, will officially open for business on February .

The restaurant will be open for lunch between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with reservations accepted for groups of six people or more. Payment will be accepted only by cash or, soon, by credit card.

The Nutmeg Grille will be available for rental at other times for special and catered events. Rental costs are $150 for the entire restaurant, $100 for the large section and $50 for the small section. The space will be reserved primarily for student use on the weekends.

On the menu will be a variety of interesting dishes. Appetizers include bruschetta, a crustini bread with different weekly toppings, and packed pita wedges, wheat pitas filled with vegetable cream cheese, black olives, onions and peppers. Among the entrees is a Mediterranean hero sandwich, and the dessert menu features tiramisu.

The Nutmeg Grille has been renovated by the University and is being furnished by a $100,000 gift from the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). The 100-person capacity dining room is located in the Student Union in rooms 278 and 282. It is opening in direct response to the need for facilities to bring the University community together and its development is an integral part of the strategic plan and the campus master plan.

To make reservations please call (860) 486-5633. For more information on reserving the room for special events call (860) 486-3422.

Renu Aldrich