” There has long been an absence of any dining options on campus during the evening. With most food establishments in the Union closing by 6 p.m. and Rob’s dining hall also closed at night there hasn’t been much for students who are staying late on campus to go.”
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There has long been an absence of any dining options on campus during the evening. With most food establishments in the Union closing by 6 p.m. and Rob’s dining hall also closed at night there hasn’t been much for students who are staying late on campus to go. Enter the Planet Underground Lounge.

The Lounge opened for business three weeks ago on Feb. 8 on the first floor of the Student Union where the Planet Underground video store used to be. The restaurant, open from 6 to 11 p.m., has since filled the void of available late night campus eateries.

Chances are that most students haven’t tried the new restaurant. Luckily for you, I have put my taste buds and budget to the test to try the Planet Underground Lounge.

The Lounge looks a lot like it did when it was a video store. Remnants of video racks are still clearly visible on the walls and it has the same design and décor. You might think that this is still a video store, but it just happens to serve food now.

The staff is pleasant and efficient. The last several times I have been to the restaurant, I have not seen a break in the quality of service. But most important of all is the good food and the reasonable prices.

From tortilla crusted tilapia salad to a huge platter of nachos, the menu provides much more than your traditional campus cuisine.

Boneless Wings

These tangy and slightly spicy wings have a sweet taste, comparable to Buffalo Wild Wings’ medium sauce. The only downside is that they need a little more sauce.

Nachos Nuevo

These aren’t your grandma’s nachos. A more than generous portion of tortilla chips is piled with spicy chipotle pepper ground beef, black beans, queso cheese, pico de gallo and jalapenos. These are a good value for the price of only $8. If you do not like spicy food, avoid these nachos, which offer a little kick of spice that starts out mild and grows spicer. These nachos will leave taste in your mouth.

Burgers

These six ounce burgers, served with JoJo’s, have a succulent, juicy flavor. Different toppings are available for the burgers. The variety of flavor combinations range from spicy to wood- smoked to honey sweet flavor.

Salads

Both with crisp romaine lettuce and fresh asiago cheese, these Caesar salads are much more than a little side of lettuce with your meal. They are substantial enough as meals on their own. There are two options, either lime grilled shrimp or garlic focaccia chicken breast.

Tilapia salad

With two breaded pieces of tilapia on a bed of lettuce and greens, this delectable entree comes with blended cheeses and a savory citrus-balsamic dressing drizzled on top.

Overall, I would say the Planet Underground Lounge is a good value for the large portions of food you get for prices that stay below $9.

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