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By Janine Kritschgau and Erin Silgardo '18, Staff Writers
Our experience at the Circus Café was mixed. Service was exceptionally slow, as we waited roughly 40 minutes for a table (and an additional 40 minutes to be served). Our party sampled a variety of foods offered including; a chicken quesadilla, an order of fajitas, pan seared salmon, and a chicken breast sandwich. The menu boasts a wide variety of options, including Tex Mex, fish, burgers, and pasta dishes. Unfortunately, none of the dishes we tried were exceptional.
The salmon was inconsistent and relatively expensive, priced at $18.99. The top of the pan-seared fish was burned, while the middle was gooey. In addition to the underwhelming presentation, the waitress was unaware of where the fish was from; therefore, leaving us in the dark about what we were consuming. The accompaniments were tasty, but nothing earth shattering; diced tomatoes to top the fish, jasmine rice, and a small vegetable medley decorated the plate but did not do much for our palates.
The quesadilla seemed to be the most satisfactory of the entrees. The tortillas were somewhat overstuffed, as the ensemble quickly fell apart. This option was one of the most economical, with a cost of $9.99. The fajitas ($15.99) were quite pleasant. This dish comes in a sizzling cast iron skillet, although the responsibility of assembling the fajita is left to the diner.
The chicken breast sandwich; however, was not very good. Instead of slices or a smaller piece, the chicken was about an inch and a half thick and sandwiched between two pieces of hard, French bread. There was little of the 'famous' pesto sauce and then there was a side of onion rings, which tasted like they had been taken out of a frozen bag. Normally, the sandwich comes with a side of the Circus Cafe's signature curly fries but on that particular Saturday night at 8pm, they were all out. For the price, it was not bad, costing $12.99.
The one different and ultimately unique quality about the restaurant is that instead of bread, they serve popcorn. We will admit that was a nice treat.
Janine and Erin’s Rating: 2.5/5