The Clark Room has been around for over twenty years, yet this gem of student run cookery has long gone overlooked. Nestled in the northwestern corner of the Penguin Student Union Building, the Clark Room is open from 11:15 a.m. -12:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

    Prices are reasonable, ranging from $5.25 to $6.75 a plate. The menu changes weekly and features a variety of dishes all made by Clark students. Nothing in the Clark Room comes “from a can,” but is made from scratch. Twice a week, fresh vegetables are purchased and prepared. Meats are prepared by Clark’s Meat Cutting classes.

    In this week’s 'Indy Reporters',  Jann Messer and Josh Chambers paid a visit to the long ignored Clark Room.

    Jann’s take: The Clark Room plays an interesting role in the college; it offers a restaurant style atmosphere in a college setting. The whole operation is run by Clark’s culinary program, the service is good but there is still a feel of an almost classroom environment.

    The décor is what you would expect from a restaurant at a community college, somewhat institutional in appearance but the Clark Room pulls it off well.

    The menu itself featured a few unexpected dishes; the stuffed leg of lamb was a surprise. The lamb was served with couscous and vegetables. The meat itself was a little cold, but lamb for $6.75 is still a deal.

    One dish that did stand out was the Jamaican Jerk Chicken, it was quite flavorful and the couscous made a fitting side dish. The texture of the chicken itself was a little soft for my palate yet still was a popular entrée amongst the patrons.

    Each dish also came with soup or salad prior to the meal.  Rolls were also standard and they were a nice touch before the meal came.

    The Clark Room is a good alternative to the cafeteria and unfortunately it goes unnoticed by students. If you are looking for a gourmet type meal at low prices and are willing to give the culinary students a try then the Clark Room is well worth the money. 

    Josh’s take: When you enter the Clark Room you notice, first, that the crowd is mostly of an older generation and that student patrons are sparse if any. The next is a feeling you are welcome here. As you walk through the door you are greeted with a smile by the student host and escorted to your seat.

    The host promptly brings you a carafe of water, a basket of rolls, and lets you know that your server will be right over. As you eat your server is frequently filling your glass, and asking if there is anything they can do. Overall the atmosphere was very pleasant, a bit noisy at times, but still serene enough to enjoy the meal.

    The décor was also a plus, with art from Clark’s very own mature learning students covering the walls, and warm colors beneath them. The Clark Room felt a little like a hospital cafeteria, yet still kept one aesthetically pleased.

    The food was fairly delicious, and the presentation was excellent. Other than a batch of undercooked noodles, and some fairly dry lamb, I did not have many complaints. The soup and salad was good, and was brimming with fresh ingredients.

    Despite a menu that was not vegetarian friendly, and had a slim beverage selection, I was very pleased with the experience. Even with the bumps along the road, the cost of the meal compared to what you get is extraordinary.    

Josh’s Scores

Atmosphere/Sound Level: 4/5

Décor: 4/5 Service: 5/5

Quality of Food: 4/5

Vegetarian Option: 2/ 5

Price Range: 5/5

Beverage Selection: 3/5

Jann’s Scores

Atmosphere/Sound Level: 4 /5

Décor: 3 /5 Service: 4/5

Quality of Food: 4/5

Vegetarian Option: 1/ 5

Price Range: 4/5

Beverage Selection: 3/5