Welcome to Dublin House!

Everything and everyone start getting a little greener come mid-March.  The snow melts just enough to reveal a hope of grass and St. Patrick’s Day revelers adorn themselves in enough green to scare a leprechaun.  Campus House takes a more modest approach to the holiday and celebrates Irish culture through, what else?  The cuisine!

A bustling bar -- always a sign of good times 

Campus House commemorated St. Patrick and all his ensuing festivities with their annual Dublin House event on Thursday, March 13.  Campus House students had the honor of bringing this year’s event to life by planning and choosing appropriately jovial food, drinks, and decoration.  They drew from their varied skills and experiences to plan the logistical aspects of the event as well, including event goals, marketing, and start-to-finish party procedures. 

Guest Gorden Ballard with an ideal Irish beverage

Brittany with a hearty meal

The student planners -- most of them seniors just weeks from graduation -- chose offer a rich Dublin experience for guests.   No detail was too small – even the checks were delivered to the tables with green foil-wrapped Hershey kisses.  Indeed, even the libations offered ran more along the lines of the Nutty Irishman (with Frangelico and Baileys) and the Irish Saint (with Jameson, Noilly Prat, and St. Germaine), rather than the green beer typically guzzled at Irish-themed bashes.

In years past, the Dublin House event was a buffet, but this year the students and staff chose embrace pub-style a la carte service for Dublin House.  Students embraced the challenge of switching formats in order to provide more flexibility and enjoyment for the guests – allowing them to snack and mingle or enjoy a full-blown dinner at their leisure.

Student host & concierge Denise

Samantha, Alexandra, Danielle, and event manager Jen

Students involved in the planning and execution of the Dublin House event were Jen Gelormino (event student manager), Denise Lee (student concierge), Alexandra Melbardis, Brittany Mobley, Samantha Wik, and Danielle Kane.  Each student played a crucial role in the success of the evening.

Guinness & cheese soup

Let us not forget the cuisine of the hour!  The Irish countryside is celebrated for its lush, rolling green hills, known to feed cows producing some of the most incredibly rich cheeses and butters in the world.  The kitchen took full advantage of this and offered a Dubliner cheddar cheese Irish Salad with red cabbage, pickled beets, and a Dijon dill vinaigrette.  The most Irish of beers, Guiness, was featured prominently in the beer cheese soup with pretzel croutons. 

Black & Tan mussels

Once appetites were whetted, diners had the option of enjoying some Black & Tan steamed mussels with fresh herbs & butter.  In addition the menu featured a pan-roasted salmon Reuben sandwich with slaw, Swiss cheese, and Thousand Island dressing on rye.  Both the Reuben and a banger (Irish sausage) sandwich came to the tables with house made potato chips.  Not to be forgotten was the classic corned beef & cabbage dinner with carrots and boiled potatoes.

The meal of the hour

Chocolate mini cakes with Baileys whipped cream were offered as a sweet finale – as was Guinness Ice Cream – the perfect match of bitter and sweet. 

Alexandra and Danielle offer a tea selection for dinner

May the luck of the Irish be with you and we hope to see you soon at Campus House, where you will experience world-class service.  Slainte!

Weekly specials March 10-14

          As spring looms closer on the horizon, Campus House is pleased to present its weekly specials in hopes of bringing about a warmer weather state of mind.

***The current soup feature is a velvety roasted onion soup with asiago cheese – a vegan option of this soup is also available.

***The sandwich special is an oldie, but definitely a goodie – hand-carved turkey on a BLT - with crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo on toasted sourdough.

***Smoked trout is a decidedly delicious addition to this black pepper fettucine with leeks, sweet peas, and a creamy lemon parmesan sauce that simply smells like spring should taste!

***A sure harbinger of the beautiful warmer weather to come, the salad feature is a refreshing orzo and arugula salad with black beans, sweet corn, scallions, and tomatoes, tossed with white cheddar and a cilantro chili buttermilk dressing – available additionally with grilled chicken or shrimp.

***Last, but most certainly no least, Chef Shetice wows with fresh pan seared sea scallops and a saffron beurre blanc (a fragrant, dreamy butter sauce) over tomato vodka risotto, an elegant spin on the classic Italian-American sauce.

          The Campus House bar strives to showcase unique wines with authenticity of both taste and history, where the flavors can "speak of where they're from."  Wine is an important component of Campus House, so we are excited to announce the arrival of some new bottles of wine that will tickle the fancy of many hungry oenophiles.

***Apollonio is a single winery red wine from Copertino, a district in Puglia, Italy (in the "heel of the boot" region) that uses three indigenous grapes -- negroamaro, montepulciano, and malvasia nera.   These varietals are blended into a wine that is wonderfully earthy, with the mellow aromas of leather and cigars.  This wine would be a great match with grilled meat, especially game.

***Leth, fermented from gruner veltliner -- the primary grape varietal of Austria -- is a deliciously dry and fragrant wine that tastes of citrus and grass.  Its sauvignon blanc-like flavor profile holds its own against richly flavored poultry and fish dishes, as well as asian foods.

***German Stock & Stein (literally, sticks and stones!) is a wonderfully fresh and addictive rose from the pinot noir grape that would happily play counterpart to any cocktail party fare.  Both cheeses and smoked or cured meats would be welcome accompaniments.

          We hope to see you soon at Campus House, where you will experience world-class service.

A Fish Fry to "Get Hooked" on!

The festivities and fun of Phat Tuesday came and went.  Ash Wednesday marked the passage into the season of Lent… So now let the parade of Friday night fish dinners all over Buffalo begin!  This first Friday of Lent marked the grand opening of the fish fry season and Campus House was not about to miss out on the action.

Campus House students and staff hosted their annual Fish Fry event on Friday, March 7, to showcase not only the bounty of the seas, but also to give Hospitality students an opportunity to flex their event planning muscles.  The challenge for the students was two-fold:  to distinguish their Fish Fry event from everyone else’s in town, and to make this particular year’s event memorable in its own way alongside the Campus House Fish Fry events of the past.

Hanna presenting the Fish Fry menu

Students planning the event worked out a “Get Hooked!” theme to drive the menu, décor, and atmosphere.   The fruit of their efforts was a high energy, bustling evening.  Diners enjoyed not only a variety of beer and wine pairings with their dinner selections, but also a classic fish fry match -- sweet tea.  A constant flow of Campus House guests eager to dine was matched only with a steady stream of take out orders of the fish offerings.

Take out orders delivered with a smile 

As most fish fry aficionados will attest, the fish du jour on Fridays is most often haddock.  The Campus House Fish Fry featured the classic fried haddock with slaw and fries or fresh veggies.   Haddock works great for a fish fry because it is firm and mild, but even then, the Campus House kitchen upped the ante and chose to feature cod on the menu as well.  

Melissa shows off the evening's headliner

Cod is slightly denser than haddock and has a clean flavor that is a great match to strong flavors. The kitchen offered pan-roasted cod with wild rice pilaf and a tropical pineapple, mango and avocado salsa for those that needed their dose of Omega-3 with a more upscale spin.

Pan roasted cod & tropical salsa

For diners who wanted to make a proper night out of the event, there was seafood gumbo and house and Caesar salads to whet the appetite.  Far from finished, Campus House also served up mixed berry shortcake martinis and triple layer chocolate cake to ensure that everyone’s night ended on a sweet note.

Shannon as Fish Fry event student manager 

The Campus House students that orchestrated the Fish Fry also played critical roles in staffing the event.  Student Shannon Yokopovich took on the manager’s role for the evening, assisted by students Melissa Wasserman, Trevor Thomas, Johnnishia Rouse, Hanna Ross, and Kyrsten Rossette as servers.  Student Byeosul Kim acted as the event host to welcome diners for the occasion.

Student host Byeosul and server Trevor

Johnnishia offering an appropriate beverage

As proof of a successful evening, “Why don’t we come here more often?” was overheard as happy customers departed Campus House for the evening.   One would be hard pressed to hear a more ringing endorsement for both Campus House and the professional experience-focused Hospitality program.

Hospitality students cook as well as serve

There are just six short weeks left to take full advantage of the official fish fry season -- so enjoy it while you can -- but in the meantime, come join us soon at Campus House, where you will receive world class service.

Weekly specials March 3-7

Winter is the time when most of us crave comfort food.  That which is familiar is often the most soothing, especially when Mother Nature is unrelenting in her wrath.  This week, Chef Shetice brings back some classic gems to make Campus House guests feel nice and warm on the inside.

***Chicken Waldorf salad, named after the famed Waldorf Astoria hotel, showcases perfectly poached chicken matched with the clean flavors of celery, grapes, green apples and toasted walnuts.  The salad is dressed with a creamy lemon vinaigrette and served in a Bibb lettuce cup.

***Liver lovers can get a homestyle classic, given new life, with pan-fried calves liver, topped with bacon and caramelized onions.  The crispy liver is served with smashed potatoes and pan gravy.

***Proof that healthy and delicious can happily coincide, aromatic and spicy shrimp curry is sautéed with fresh asparagus, peppers, cremini mushrooms, and served over jasmine rice.

***The sandwich special is a grilled Gruyere & fresh mozzarella sandwich on whole grain bread, smeared with a kalamata olive tapenade.  The gooey cheese is accentuated by the olive spread's garlic, basil, and sun dried tomatoes.

***Campus House is now proud to offer both vegan and gluten-free soups, due to popular request.  Whether or not guests follow specific eating lifestyles, they will find these new and delicious soup options every week.  The current feature is carrot-ginger soup, garnished with candied pecans.

***Housemade desserts are featured this week, so it is advisable to save some room for something sweet!  Those with a touch of the sweet tooth can choose from a chocolate mousse cup with berries and mint or an order of Mexican churros with housemade salted caramel sauce.

The bar at Campus House is pleased to introduce its new and improved cocktail menu.  Organized by the main type of liquor featured in each libation, the drink menu directs guests to choose cocktails that most elegantly feature their favorite liquor.  From the Campus House Manhattan for whiskey lovers to a Corpse Reviver for gin drinkers, networking happy hour just got a lot more happy!

Campus House goes the extra mile to ensure that cocktail drinkers have a great experience.  Small batch, single farm, and artisanal liquor brands line the bar.   Drinks are chilled with slow melting "cold draft" large ice cubes, that do not dilute drinks as they sit.  Cocktails are generally priced at $6-7 each, so the only dilemma is which one to try.

Don't forget our annual Fish Fry this Friday, March 7, from 4-7 pm.  Campus House has a selection of great beers that will pair quite nicely with the featured fish dishes!

Come join us at Campus House, where you will experience world class service.

Campus House on Buffalo State TV!

Keep an eye out on those television billboards all around campus - Campus House is now advertising its weekly lunch specials and upcoming events.

The weekly updated video will showcase menu items and special student projects during the semester, televising all the hard work that Hospitality students put in to making Campus House successful.

Come join us at Campus House, where you will experience world class service.

Weekly specials February 24-28

          With spring just around the corner, the kitchen at Campus House is buzzing with activity, creating dishes that foreshadow the feelings of warm weather (hopefully) our way coming soon.

***The sandwich special is a grilled Italian sausage sandwich with sautéed peppers and onions and melted provolone on a roll.  No need to wait for the summer festivals to enjoy this Buffalo favorite!

***When Chef Shetice pairs seared salmon with French green lentils, she proves that healthy and delicious do not have to be mutually exclusive.  Sundried tomatoes add a touch of sweetness to the lentils, spinach adds depth, and a yogurt dill sauce rounds out the dish with a delicious flourish.

***Ravioli stuffed with goat cheese pairs with a creamy poblano pesto - the roasted chile adding a smoky complexity to the basil and garlic sauce.  The dish is topped with a house made roasted red pepper chutney - a sweet and sour condiment that complements the ravioli's richness.

***This week's salad special showcases Cabernet Sauvignon-poached pears over field greens tossed with aromatic Maytag blue cheese, crunchy candied pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette -- additionally available with grilled chicken or shrimp.

***The soup feature is a gluten-free tomato chèvre soup with fresh chives.

          Campus House is excited to feature its selection of rye whiskeys.  After a lengthy hiatus from the cocktail bar must-have list, ryes are back with a vengeance.  This resurgence is no doubt due to the high quality spirits coming out of the US and Canada, where artisanal liquors are created in small batches to provide top-notch flavor profiles.  As opposed to corn-based bourbon or barley-based scotch whiskey,  rye is named after the whole grain used to brew it.  Considered by many to be milder and smoother than conventional whiskeys, rye's gain in popularity is to the benefit of all dark liquor aficionados.  Campus House recommends trying rye straight or in a classic Manhattan or Vieux Carre.

Campus House is proud to offer the following:

***Whistlepig Rye 10 and Whistlepig 11 (numbers denote both proof and aging time), from Shoreham Vermont, received the highest rating ever for a rye from Wine Enthusiast for its smoothness and aging.

***Bullett Rye, from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, is a relative new rye whiskey.  It stands out for its award-winning oakiness, spice, and lingering complexity.

***Michters Rye, of Louisville, Kentucky, boasts a long history of distilling since 1753.  Its taste is described as both complex and buttery, smooth, and velvety.

***Lock, Stock & Barrel Rye, from New York City, is aged in charred oak barrels to provide a uniquely robust flavor for rye lovers.

          Come join us at Campus House, where you will experience world-class service.

Weekly specials February 19-21

President's Day shortened the week considerably for the Campus House students and staff, but Chef Shetice, nevertheless, ran a selection of specials that made the trip into the cold worthwhile.

***A quesadilla, the crunchy cousin to grilled cheese, was amped up considerably when stuffed with apples, chicken, and brie.  Chef Shetice served it with maple mustard and sour cream.

***Everyone loves spinach bacon salad, but this version got the luxe treatment with shiitake mushrooms and a bacon & sherry vinaigrette, along with hard boiled eggs, shaved red onion, and grated pecorino romano cheese.

***Pasta and seafood is a classic combo for a reason, and at Campus House, this translated into Sicilian calamari with bucatini pasta.  The classic Mediterranean sauce of anchovies, golden raisins, and fennel gave a sweet and salty tang, enriched by pine nuts and asiago cheese.

***The sandwich special featured a slightly exotic spin for the burger lover -- BBQ elk burger, topped with crunchy onion rings and melted swiss


        Come join us at Campus House, where you will experience world-class service.