The south now has a home at UT with SparBQ, the newest addition to Sodexo’s dining services. Students have been following their noses to Stadium Center to taste its wide variety of smokey, barbecued entrees.
“I like the idea of the new addition,” says junior Trevor Joensen, “because I feel like no one really ate at Sedona” (the location’s previous eatery). “The way it’s organized is nice too,” Joensen continues. “I’ve only tried one thing…I’ll definitely be back.”
Junior Stephen Long was one of the first to sample the new food during the weeks before classes started. “I tried it during RA training and it was almost like home-style southern food,” Long says. “But it could still use a little work. The corn bread was great and the Carolina BBQ sauce was good too.”
The extra zest from the diced peppers gives the mac-n-cheese a south-western flavor. A common misgiving with the macaroni is the size of the peppers, and for some, the added spice is an unwelcome addition to this classic dish.
There are three standard meal exchanges available for those with meal plans. The lightest of the three is a specialty salad with a choice of either smoked meat or seafood with a smoked salmon flavor; this also comes with cornbread and a drink.
Students can pick from any of the meat entrees with or without the bun to make a sandwich and a choice of two sides with coleslaw and cornbread. Vegetarians also have options with the vegetarian chili, smoked mac-n-cheese, steak fries, baked beans, corn, coleslaw and cornbread.
Bigger appetites are satisfied with the “SparBQ Combo Special” which includes either barbecued brisket, smoked turkey or ribs, a choice of two sides with coleslaw and cornbread. For those without Spartan or UT Dollars, this hearty meal costs $8.49.
After trying several meals there myself, my top pick is the salad with the pulled salmon, mozzarella and tomatoes. Chicken and pork are the other options but the salmon tastes very fresh and has just a hint of a smokey barbecued flavor. With a drizzle of their tangy Carolina BBQ sauce, this salad has become my favorite on campus.
SparBQ’s corn on the cob is tasty as well and goes great with the grilled chicken or a pulled pork sandwich. “I like that the meat is always fresh,” says junior Christine Crespo, “but I wish the sides had more flavor.” The sauteed greens and beans aren’t especially flavorful but students can spice them up to their liking with the different dressings: Chipotle and Ancho Chile salsas, available at both Salsa Rico and SparBQ.
Another perk with the Spar-BQ is the portability of the meal.
The food comes boxed in Styrofoam similar and stays hot even if you’re taking it back to your room across campus, unlike Salsa Rico’s burritos and quesadillas, which are served in paper dishes without covering.
“I like being able to grab my meals on-the-go sometimes,” adds Crespo. “I work on campus and it’s easy to bring Spar-BQ back with me. There’s also enough to choose from so it’s harder to get sick of the food there. Every day you could try a different combo.”
Best kept secret on the menu? The sweet potato steak fries, and they’re only $1.99.
Now whether you’re craving a burrito, sushi, pasta or BBQ, Stadium Center officially has it all.
Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@spartans.ut.edu