Hungry lawyers-to-be will finally be able to grab a quick bite without leaving the haven of the Law School.
Starting Monday, a new restaurant run by The Catering Company in Chapel Hill will fill a void left when the building's last eatery was shut down at the beginning of the year. Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst said the culprit behind the last vendor's brief stay--a failed background check that was discovered just after the owner opened his doors--will not strike again at the new venue, The Café at Duke Law.
J. W. Walton, Trinity '81 and co-owner of The Catering Company, said The Cafe will serve a wide variety of foods, including a number of low-fat and low-calorie options. The breakfast menu includes options such as breakfast sandwiches, fresh fruit and fresh-baked croissants and scones. The lunch menu ranges from Asian salads to roasted eggplant paninis to freshly made soups. The Café will also serve daily entree dishes.
"The idea was that we wanted Foster's [Market] quality but at lower prices, and we also wanted to make sure it could be quick," Wulforst said. "The new place will have grab-and-go foods, but will also be making things to order."
Walton said the eatery can seat 30 at its tall lunch tables, but that he was told to expect a lot of people on the run. "In fact, we were told to make sure the operation is efficient--that there are plenty of pre-wrapped, pre-packed products people can grab," he said. "That's why we have things like salads and sushi on the menu. People will be able to get in and get back out in five minutes or less."
Busy students and professors can also get their caffeine fix at The Cafe, which will be serving fresh, locally roasted gourmet coffees. Walton said he hopes The Cafe can eventually expand to include an espresso bar, depending on the volume of business he sees.
Business should not be a problem for the new company, as law school denizens were lined up "out the door, around the corner and up the stairs" the day the last eatery opened, Wulforst said. He speculated that The Cafe will meet similar interest Monday.
The Cafe will open for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and start serving lunch at 11 a.m., Walton said. Fresh-made sandwiches and certain hot items will be available until 3 p.m. and the venue will close at 4 p.m.
Walton said he hopes he can also fill some of the law school's on-site catering needs through The Catering Company, which is a full-service catering and event business.
Walton was a history major while at Duke. Since he graduated in 1981, he has worked primarily in restaurants, gourmet foods and catering. He has been working with The Catering Company since he bought into it in 1998.
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