You will find anything but mediocre and amateur in this experience. From the table settings to the silverware and lighting, the ambiance resembles an upscale fine dining restaurant. But remember, these are advanced students, learning the ropes of the industry, so a little grace and patience goes a long way.

Here’s how it all works:

The classroom restaurant lab offers lunch on Tuesdays and dinner service on Thursdays. Reservations are made online. Seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot. If you don’t see an option for dinner or lunch on your desired date, that means the restaurant is booked.

As for the meal itself, four courses are served with substantial portions. I had the opportunity to eat at Artemisia on Thursday, September 22, for dinner service. It was Spanish themed and it did not disappoint.

To start, we were served garlic soup. It doesn’t sound appealing, but I assure you that the taste and flavor of this delicacy was in no way overpowering. It came with three pieces of what appeared to be giant croutons in the soup. From what I enjoyed, it added a bit of texture to the dish.

After swallowing every last bit of soup, I worried about the breath. Luckily a freshly made Spanish salad was our next course. It was very small with not much salad on the plate. The dish was more like tapas than the full American salad you’d be served in restaurants. It came with a few pieces of lettuce, a slice of green pepper, rings of red onion, a few slices of cucumber, a slice of tomato, and half a hard-boiled egg. But the star of the dish was the vinaigrette! Its tangy, tangy taste helped cleanse the garlic soup palate. The dressing was light and refreshing. If I was home eating this meal, I would have licked the plate.

Now let’s move on to the main course. We had Adobado pork with Romesco sauce, Spanish tortilla and Spanish green beans and tomatoes. The meat was very well seasoned but a little salty. It was a little chewy, but still full of flavor. The green beans were soft and went well with the romesco sauce. My favorite part of this course was the Spanish tortilla or potato omelet. It reminded me of a potato casserole served as a slice of pie. It was really delicious. At this point, I was getting pretty full.

Finally, we had the Flan con Mango for dessert. I’m not a Flan fan, but I’d make an exception for this one. Again, the star of the dish was the sauce. I spare you my attempt to describe it because there are no words. It was sweet and had the consistency of applesauce. The cinnamon sticks provided an extra crunch with the flan. I was also served coffee with my dessert.

At the end of the meal, the students are brought into the dining room to be introduced and told what they have prepared for the night. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind dining experience, book your reservation. I’m already planning my next outing.

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