Kylemore to take over all on-campus catering and food outlets (apart from SU shops_

wyrn

Ah the restaurant was/is/was poor compared to Elements when it first opened. When Elements opened the Thai Green Curry was lovely, even the pizzas in the evenings. It was pricey but they were genuine portions. If I was staying late, I'd treat myself. They used to have imaginative meals there, something different from sandwiches and carvery.

Although Elements isn't as homey as the old Science restaurant. Used to pass time sitting in the same unmoveable seats for hours. The odd time a maths science sheet was completed.

The restaurant annoys me these days. There are times when I have to get a hot meal, or decent dinner. The restaurant is over priced. WHY did they take baked potatoes off the menu, grr! I think the Science restaurant had them. In the restaurant, I generally have the salmon which is lovely, when it is defrosted. I wish they'd defrost sooner, as the salmons are always half frozen. (I would go somewhere else but sometimes I don't have the time).

For me, if I was meeting someone (not in UCD) for lunch in UCD, like a family member or work related - I certainly wouldn't bring them to the "restaurant". It was usually Insomnia. What ever happened to the restaurant downstairs? Did it move or was it just taken away?

parker kent

wyrn wrote: »

What ever happened to the restaurant downstairs? Did it move or was it just taken away?

International students and study abroad students use it, plus some staff related to those groups have offices there. It has an official name which escapes me right now.

Edit: The Global Lounge

Raphael

mloc wrote: »

I've heard almost exclusively very poor feedback on coffee quality from the Starbucks in Conway. Similar with the food, though not to the same extent.

Don't drink coffee, but their chai tea is good, and I actually quite liked the sandwich I got from there on Friday.

Marygoss

parker kent wrote: »

Were you there when it opened? In other words the time when the poster referred to it being really nice. Which it was when it first opened.

i was actually,and thought it was very bad and badly ran. they ran out of food by 2.00 . and never got better..

Siuin

Well. Tis still a rip off...

parker kent

Marygoss wrote: »

i was actually,and thought it was very bad and badly ran. they ran out of food by 2.00 . and never got better..

They didn't "run out of food". They had specific hours for different meals (i.e breakfast was something like 7:00-11:30, lunch 12:00-2:30 and dinner was after 5pm)

mloc

Some teething problems today in Conway around the busier times with the whole one coffee machine/several hundred students ratio causing trouble.

CramCycle

mloc wrote: »

Some teething problems today in Conway around the busier times with the whole one minitature hot milk coffee machine/several hundred students ratio causing trouble.

FYP :pac:

Raphael

Actually, I found it a lot faster than Insomnia was - I was asked what drink I wanted at the start of the queue, and it was ready once I got to the end. I never got my drink before I paid for it in Insomnia, I was always waiting a while afterward.

triseke

I'll probably be in UCD at some point during the week, and after seeing the reviews here, I'll be making my lunch at home, and bringing it with me!

Marygoss

parker kent wrote: »

They didn't "run out of food". They had specific hours for different meals (i.e breakfast was something like 7:00-11:30, lunch 12:00-2:30 and dinner was after 5pm)

was

wrong, and they were still running out of food just b4 they closed . only the main restaurant was a bad as elements..

CramCycle

parker kent wrote: »

They didn't "run out of food". They had specific hours for different meals (i.e breakfast was something like 7:00-11:30, lunch 12:00-2:30 and dinner was after 5pm)

I remember several people mentioning that they had run out of food before the allotted time.

parker kent

Marygoss wrote: »

was

wrong, and they were still running out of food just b4 they closed . only the main restaurant was a bad as elements..

That post actually makes no sense.

Michael Butler

Where have all the old staff gone? I thought they had to be kept on and that they had to employ students, I can only recognise one student in all there outlets. What's the story here?

eilo1

So I was in Pulse today only recognised one member of staff!

Plus I got a white bread cheese, chicken and lettuce sambo with a bottle of pepsi. Cost 6.10!!! I will not be back!!

Raphael

I'm pretty sure they did some juggling of staff, so that might be why you don't recognise people.

Also, how much did a sandwich and drink cost in Fresca? Can't remember, want a comparison point.

Michael Butler

It must have been a serious amount of juggling. How many students do they employ? I think it is only one.

eilo1

Raphael wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they did some juggling of staff, so that might be why you don't recognise people.

Also, how much did a sandwich and drink cost in Fresca? Can't remember, want a comparison point.

I used to get the pesto chicken wrap (which was amazing and huge!) plus a bottle of pepsi for 5 something (80 I think).
You can also get an huge hot chicken role in grind for less than 6.10.

Its way over priced and I will not be going back.

Michael Butler

What happened to availability of The Irish Times in the Arts cafe? Some of us came in there to have a coffee and read the newspaper,

Raphael

eilo1 wrote: »

I used to get the pesto chicken wrap (which was amazing and huge!) plus a bottle of pepsi for 5 something (80 I think).
You can also get an huge hot chicken role in grind for less than 6.10.

Its way over priced and I will not be going back.

So their prices have gone up by 30 cent, then. I can see why you have no intention of going there again.

eilo1

Raphael wrote: »

So their prices have gone up by 30 cent, then. I can see why you have no intention of going there again.

The price I gave you was for a plain white sandwich with 3 fillings versus a large toasted wrap with chicken, pesto, mozzarella, peppers, onion and tomato.
Wasnt this move supposed to enhance value for money on campus? (Or what every other spin the college put on it)
Clearly the Kylemore monopoly is not value for money.

L

It's fair. My entire lab has stopped using anything but Centra and the SU shop. Considering we used to go to insomnia for lunch most days, that's a pretty big change

mloc

The sandwiches in Pulse are tiny. I would guess close to about half the size of Fresca sandwiches. Very disappointing considering prices went up.

It seems like they invested most of their money putting baskets of fresh ingredients and fancy signage around the place, and are now recouping costs through cutting ingredients and charging more.

havinamare

Did we expect Kylemore to be better/cheaper or to care? They're on campus to make money - end of story. UCD needs more money and will do almost anything to get it - simple. With britfic and now Kylemore, we can expect more deals like soon and all we students will do is roll over and have our tummys tickled. Kylemore will make more money, UCD will make more money and who is going to have to pay them all this money?

L

havinamare wrote: »

Did we expect Kylemore to be better/cheaper or to care? They're on campus to make money - end of story. UCD needs more money and will do almost anything to get it - simple. With britfic and now Kylemore, we can expect more deals like soon and all we students will do is roll over and have our tummys tickled. Kylemore will make more money, UCD will make more money and who is going to have to pay them all this money?

Somehow I doubt Kylemore is making much money by gouging cash strapped students. Entertainingly, I'd imagine it's great for Centra and the SU shops' profits though :P

eilo1

Id quite like to have tummy tickled!

Well the one good thing about this is that I am more determined than ever to start bringing in my own lunches and dinner. Thank you kylemore for making me skinny and healthy!

suzie987

I am getting so sick of Starbucks in the Conway and their service. Thankfully since Pulse Cafe opened there is not as much of a queue for coffee but I am still experiencing a mix up/long wait nearly every second time I get something. This morning it was quiet when I was down there. I ordered my coffee, and then at least 5 people behind me got served before me until I eventually had to ask them again for my coffee. And even after that two more people were still served before I actually got it!!

I think there is clearly some very hard working staff there but the communication is awful!!! It is resulting in orders being skipped and mixed up.

CramCycle

Had to go into PULSE as I was having a hypo and and it was the closest (would have survived to elsewhere but why risk it), only one member of staff remained from FRESCA, maybe they are juggling staff but unless they were all from ELEMENTS, they are being juggled from outside of campus as far as I can tell as I remember none of them from any other place (911/Arts Cafe etc.)

Also the only member of staff to show any concern as I started shaking and couldn't stand up, I like her, the other two just helped themselves to my wallet as I wolfed 2 donuts.

Thank you to her.

parker kent

CramCycle wrote: »

Also the only member of staff to show any concern as I started shaking and couldn't stand up, I like her, the other two just helped themselves to my wallet as I wolfed 2 donuts.

Thank you to her.

Some of the other Cafe Fresca/O'briens staff are elsewhere on campus. I have spotted a few familiar faces in unusual places.

A bit awful that the rest of the staff didn't really show any concern if you were shaking etc. Maybe they didn't understand what was happening or were unsure how to react. Hopefully the donuts sorted you out!

Marygoss

parker kent wrote: »

Some of the other Cafe Fresca/O'briens staff are elsewhere on campus. I have spotted a few familiar faces in unusual places.

A bit awful that the rest of the staff didn't really show any concern if you were shaking etc. Maybe they didn't understand what was happening or were unsure how to react. Hopefully the donuts sorted you out!

doesnt surprise me.. was in Pulse myself earlier and they couldnt take my money quick enough. found them very rude.. heard there is talk of a blanket boycott on all kylemore outlets soon