Patrons attending this weekend's \Kites on Ice"" show at the Memorial Union will be the first to get a sneak preview of its new restaurant, The Lakefront on Langdon, scheduled to open regularly for business in March.
The venue, located at the east end of the Union, will be marketplace style, according to Union marketing specialist Marc Kennedy. It will have various food stations, allowing customers to order specialized foods.
Laura Pescatore, associate marketing specialist for the Union, calls the food ""casual upscale,"" with items such as smoked turkey wraps, custom salads and pizza.
""It certainly caters to a large audience. Almost anyone can find something to eat there,"" said Pescatore.
The former Lakefront Caf??, located where the new restaurant will be, closed three years ago leaving lunch rushes to overcrowd the Rathskellar.
Pescatore said she believes the venue will be a welcome change to the Union, creating more space to eat during busy lunch hours.
""The big idea [of the new restaurant] is just to enhance options for food service within the Wisconsin Union to obviously create a more fun and light atmosphere,"" said Julie Grove, architect and project manager for The Lakefront on Langdon.
While the dimensions of the venue have remained basically the same, the interior is largely altered.
Grove commends the Strang Architects design team for combining the art deco of the west end of the Union with the elements of the terrace to create the venue's unique atmosphere.
The venue will also feature new furniture, including wooden tables and chairs, as well as a couch seating area.
In addition to the aesthetic appeal of the venue, Pescatore said the large amount of windows in the dining hall accentuates the lake view.
""I think it's, honestly, the best view of the lake in Madison as far as anything from a dining facility is concerned,"" Pescatore said.
This project, totaling $2.5 million, accounted for new furniture, specialized cooking equipment, renovated restrooms and service areas, as well as a dance floor.
Pescatore hopes the venue will appeal to students as well as faculty who used to dine at the Lakefront Cafeteria.
""I'm really interested to see how this new generation of students, who maybe haven't been here when the old lakefront [caf??] was open, react to having this brand new facility here,"" Pescatore added.
