Hunger pains during 7:30 a.m. class quickly shifted my focus from the lecture to finding a good breakfast in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. Frustrated with the current selections from nearby typical college campus eateries, I desired more than deep-fried round potatoes with a hint of onion flavor or petite chicken biscuits that hardly filled my belly.
I hopped on the trolley on Trade, got off at the Square, and walked south on Tryon. An enormous yellow sign placed at the entrance of the First Citizens Bank Plaza, 128 South Tryon St., greeted me: "The Boardroom Restaurant -- breakfast and lunch served here." A red arrow directed me to inside the lobby, into a secluded corner of the building. Filled with corporate employees, the place was obviously popular, but a secret to me.
The buffet, situated in the rear, included classic breakfast meats, home fries and scrambled eggs. French toast and pancakes were also available, cooked to order. A large breakfast burrito served in a warm soft corn tortilla, filled with sausage, perfectly scrambled eggs, seasoned home fries, bell peppers, onions, cheese and a spicy chipotle sauce, was my item of choice. For $3.69, my hunger was satisfied.
I wish The Boardroom was closer to the classroom.
Monique Gaines is a junior at Johnson & Wales University, majoring in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, and a student in Tricia Childress' Intro to Food Writing course.