Barron’s, the student-run restaurant at the University of
Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, is set to
reopen for the fall 2012 semester with a brand-new menu.
The bistro-inspired fare includes a wide variety of delicious options—such as chicken artichoke pesto pizza, parmesan-crusted tilapia and spinach Caprese salad—all at prices sure to fit any budget. In fact, nothing on the Barron’s menu exceeds $8.
But Barron’s isn’t just a great place for a lunchtime bargain; it’s actually a lab where Hilton College students learn the ins and outs of running a restaurant. Students manage every aspect of the operation, filling roles ranging from general manager, to executive chef, to line cook, to server.
The
restaurant is staffed by two classes—Food and Beverage Service, a
freshman-level course, and Advanced Food and Beverage Management—a capstone
course for students concentrating in restaurant management. 
Lecturer Kristi Baker, who teaches both courses, said the goal is for her students to learn professionalism and service-industry standards in a fast-paced, realistic environment.
“When guests come to Barron’s, they can expect their food to be made-to-order and fresh. They can also expect good service and a quality meal that looks and tastes great,” Baker said.
Baker and her graduate assistants collaborated on the new menu, with consultations from Hilton University of Houston Executive Chef Abbas Jaffari and managers from the hotel’s restaurant, Eric’s.
“I wanted to take the restaurant in a new direction; from a casual diner to something with more of an upscale feel. I want the students to have something they are proud of, from the way the menu looks, to how professionally they are dressed, to the amazing food they'll be serving to the guests,” Baker said.
Barron’s, which has been a student-run operation since 1989, is located on the first floor of Hilton College’s South Wing next to the Cougar Grounds coffee shop. It will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, beginning Sept. 18 through Nov. 19. It will reopen in February for the spring semester. To view Barron’s new menu, visit this link: http://www.hrm.uh.edu/default/documents/Barron%27sMenu2012.pdf
View the menu: http://www.hrm.uh.edu/default/Barron%27sMenu2012s.pdf
For more information, contact Taylor Wiley, 713-743-4258 or ttwiley@uh.edu.