Finally got to The Dining Lab and enjoyed every moment and each morsel!
The Monroe College Staff and Students are focused, honing their crafts and curated a beautiful meal and experience for us.
Gregg R.
You check in with the host just like a regular restaurant. When you go in it looks like a small cafeteria turned restaurant. You could see the chefs in the kitchen with the front of staff being students as well. My first course was a chickpea, onion, and peach tart. I have never had anything like it and loved it. Would totally order again. The salmon was served over a lemon sauce which was great. The salmon could have used a minute longer but that's personal preference as I like it cooked a bit more. Lastly I had their take on a Boston crème doughnut. It was a round chocolate mousse cake with crème filling around the outside. For $30'i highly recommend coming.
Madeline A.
For a fully student run restaurant, this place was great! They are only open on Wednesdays for a 6, 6:30 or 7pm seating. You must call to make a reservation. Lots of street parking was available for $1/hour. It's byob so we brought a bottle of red wine; they do charge for soft drinks. The meal is 3 courses for $30! I loved the risotto and the tart app was so flavorful! My pork came out undercooked but I sent it back, they apologized and corrected it. My boyfriend said the salmon was a little dry. I loved the Hurricane dessert which tasted like key lime pie. Overall, I would definitely come back especially if they change the menu up in the future. It's interesting to see how the students are taught how to provide a fine dining experience. Definitely a fun cheap date night!
C Tatiana Infante
The menu was excellent. The fact that students are responsible for hosting, serving, and cooking makes The Dining Lab a great experience. It's a BYOW and the atmosphere is perfect to dine with your friends and have a pleasant time. I am looking forward to the new semester.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
C Infante
The menu was excellent. The fact that students are responsible for hosting, serving, and cooking makes The Dining Lab a great experience. It's a BYOW and the atmosphere is perfect to dine with your friends and have a pleasant time. I am looking forward to the new semester.
Karolina E.
Oh, that's a very cute going to a restaurant. I want to say that this kind of practice is very important for the professions and it's great that you're doing it. Yes, it's awkward and long in places, but it's cool that there is such a thing. It was a little experiment for me. We will definitely come to the new menu
Sharon Weekes
Dine in: Yes
Kayla Bryd
When there for a class trip
Olga H.
Best kept secret in New Rochelle. Get a 3 course dinner for $25! Great value for the morning and excellent quality. Reservations only. Been coming here for years to allow the culinary students wow mw with their food and service. Plenty of street parking and BYOB.
Jerry L.
I live very close to hear and I've seen it in passing but did not realize that this was open to the public, for those who don't know, this is available from the Monroe college culinary arts program, they have a price fixe menu available that is prepared by the students in the program under the supervision of instructors. The wait staff are also students currently learning, it is cool to see the process, the space itself is very nice with probably about 10-12 tables and a nice modern decor, it is byob with no corkage fee but they do sell soft drinks. All the staff was nice and eager to learn, some seemed a little more experienced or natural in the setting but it's all about learning. The food itself was very good, for the price you get 1 starter, 1 entree and 1 dessert, for starters I opted for the chestnut risotto while my wife went with the past fritter, this might've been my first time having risotto so I can't compare but it was really good, it was savory with some small cuts of meat, the pasta fritter was good and unique, for entree I had the flat iron steak which was good! Seasoned well but not overdone, crispy onions on top was a good touch, my wife had the New Orleans chicken which I was jealous of because it was just delicious! For dessert the apple option was good, it had cinnamon ice cream on top of a apple cider donut and what looked like an apple but was a dessert, my wife had the pear dessert which was tasty. The food here is very impressive, we really wouldn't be able to tell we were having food prepared by students, the service was inconsistent but we understood that they are in the process of learning, the experience was nice but we felt it took to long to get the check at the end, honestly you don't want to go to dinner and feel like you're getting kicked out but also don't wanna feel like you're being held their either, again we understand the process, check the website for more info on how to reserve a seat, we would definitely come back, thanks again to all the great students and staff!
The food selection is amazing. Ingredients are supurb. I am so glad they are now open 3 days. Service is super attentive. Candidly, they achieve the perfect balance between friendly and professional. And friendlyManagement (professor Luna) is always paying attention to everything. The best BYOB for free that I know. The take home desert bar cannot be missed. I bought 20 raspberry crumble bars, cut them in half and froze them. So I enjoyed the dining lab experience for weeks! ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Monique M.
The Dining Lab is a unique and wonderful way to give back to the community. I found out about it from Yelp. It seemed like an amazing chance to try great food from aspiring chefs while supporting an educational institution. I myself, work within the food service industry, so this was pretty near and dear to me. After trying to get a reservation for awhile, I finally managed to secure a dinner reservation in June. I'm not extremely familiar with New Rochelle, but I believe The Dining Lab is located fairly close to New Roc City. Street parking was very easy and I found the location with ease. Upon arrival, I met some charming folks who stated they have been there a few times. The crowd seems to be a mixture of older adults and a few twenty-somethings dining, all predominantly women. I was seated within minutes and close to the kitchen, so I saw a lot of movement throughout and around my table. Not a bad thing as I liked the opportunity to observe the operation. The dining space is dimly lit and reminds me of a casual dining restaurant like Red Lobster or TGI Fridays, but a little more upscale. It also wasn't a lot of people for the 6:30pm service, which I liked. From what I observed, the staff included minimal faculty and a host of students. Although you might know that this is an academic initiative, it gives the feel of a family restaurant. The ambience is very relaxed and everyone makes you feel at home. Once I was seated, the server introduced herself and offered me a beverage. There is no alcohol served, not even wine. Just soft drinks and some juices. I did see others bringing their own bottles of wine, so that is an option. I opted for apple juice. The menu consists of a 3 course pre-fixed deal for $29.95. It menu changes every few weeks, this round seemed to be a European (Spanish/Italian) focus. As I waited for my meal, I was offered a mini cornmeal fritter with some type of chipotle aioli. It was delicious! Just the right tasting to get your tastebuds anxious and ready for the first course. I also received a small variety of homemade bread with olive oil. The bread was so fresh with a crispy crust. It paired well with the olive oil too. For the meal, I started off with a risotto with crab and asparagus. I do not eat crab so, I asked my server if it were possible to just the risotto prepared with only asparagus. She said it would not be an issue, but she warned me that crab was in the broth, which I was ok with. Unfortunately, when I received my dish, it was a little cold and there was a significant amount of the crab in it. I tried to pick it out and eat what I could because I did not have the patience to ask them to remake it. Aside from that, the asparagus was cooked well, it was slightly crisp to soft with a bright green color. The risotto was also good. The texture seemed just right, meaning it wasn't clumpy or soupy. Next up, I chose the cornish hen scarapiello dish. I had never had this before, so I had no expectations. The cornish hen was moist and the potatoes were soft. But for the most part, it was a little too spicy for my liking. Presentation of both dishes was simple but inviting. To end the night, they offered some specific desserts from the pre-fixed menu however, I wanted a cupcake. For a few dollars more, I was able to make the adjustment. I thought it was a plain vanilla cupcake but when I bit into it, it was vanilla cake with a chocolate filling/candy inside. Surprising but good. I'm not a fan of chocolate, so I wished they would have told me up front. Nonetheless, the cake and buttercream frosting were delicate with a just the right balance of sweetness. To round the meal off, I received some after dinner nibblers including a cookie, a coffee tasting bite, and a coconut macaroon. Staff are very attentive and make the experience calm and enjoyable. My meal went by with ease. The ambience is relatively quiet, no issues. Overall, it was a good experience. I would love to return however, they book very fast and it is only offered throughout the school semester (Fall/Spring). I
Margo De Santis
Everyone works so hard to be professional and learn the food service industry. It's really a good value for the money. Its a short period they are open so you need to act quickly. Take away desserts are ridiculously cheap!
Margo Desantis
Nice to help students learn the business...the desserts can be purchased after from a case...the prices are a steal !
Amy H.
Ok. So I really want to give this place 5 stars, but it is not a 5 star experience. I know it's a school restaurant but the service wasn't great and it took forever to get our dinner. We were there for over two hours. This is too long. The food was good, but some dishes missed the mark. I say try it, but don't expect a fine dinning experience and prepared for a wait.
Finally got to The Dining Lab and enjoyed every moment and each morsel! The Monroe College Staff and Students are focused, honing their crafts and curated a beautiful meal and experience for us.
You check in with the host just like a regular restaurant. When you go in it looks like a small cafeteria turned restaurant. You could see the chefs in the kitchen with the front of staff being students as well. My first course was a chickpea, onion, and peach tart. I have never had anything like it and loved it. Would totally order again. The salmon was served over a lemon sauce which was great. The salmon could have used a minute longer but that's personal preference as I like it cooked a bit more. Lastly I had their take on a Boston crème doughnut. It was a round chocolate mousse cake with crème filling around the outside. For $30'i highly recommend coming.
For a fully student run restaurant, this place was great! They are only open on Wednesdays for a 6, 6:30 or 7pm seating. You must call to make a reservation. Lots of street parking was available for $1/hour. It's byob so we brought a bottle of red wine; they do charge for soft drinks. The meal is 3 courses for $30! I loved the risotto and the tart app was so flavorful! My pork came out undercooked but I sent it back, they apologized and corrected it. My boyfriend said the salmon was a little dry. I loved the Hurricane dessert which tasted like key lime pie. Overall, I would definitely come back especially if they change the menu up in the future. It's interesting to see how the students are taught how to provide a fine dining experience. Definitely a fun cheap date night!
The menu was excellent. The fact that students are responsible for hosting, serving, and cooking makes The Dining Lab a great experience. It's a BYOW and the atmosphere is perfect to dine with your friends and have a pleasant time. I am looking forward to the new semester.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The menu was excellent. The fact that students are responsible for hosting, serving, and cooking makes The Dining Lab a great experience. It's a BYOW and the atmosphere is perfect to dine with your friends and have a pleasant time. I am looking forward to the new semester.
Oh, that's a very cute going to a restaurant. I want to say that this kind of practice is very important for the professions and it's great that you're doing it. Yes, it's awkward and long in places, but it's cool that there is such a thing. It was a little experiment for me. We will definitely come to the new menu
Dine in: Yes
When there for a class trip
Best kept secret in New Rochelle. Get a 3 course dinner for $25! Great value for the morning and excellent quality. Reservations only. Been coming here for years to allow the culinary students wow mw with their food and service. Plenty of street parking and BYOB.
I live very close to hear and I've seen it in passing but did not realize that this was open to the public, for those who don't know, this is available from the Monroe college culinary arts program, they have a price fixe menu available that is prepared by the students in the program under the supervision of instructors. The wait staff are also students currently learning, it is cool to see the process, the space itself is very nice with probably about 10-12 tables and a nice modern decor, it is byob with no corkage fee but they do sell soft drinks. All the staff was nice and eager to learn, some seemed a little more experienced or natural in the setting but it's all about learning. The food itself was very good, for the price you get 1 starter, 1 entree and 1 dessert, for starters I opted for the chestnut risotto while my wife went with the past fritter, this might've been my first time having risotto so I can't compare but it was really good, it was savory with some small cuts of meat, the pasta fritter was good and unique, for entree I had the flat iron steak which was good! Seasoned well but not overdone, crispy onions on top was a good touch, my wife had the New Orleans chicken which I was jealous of because it was just delicious! For dessert the apple option was good, it had cinnamon ice cream on top of a apple cider donut and what looked like an apple but was a dessert, my wife had the pear dessert which was tasty. The food here is very impressive, we really wouldn't be able to tell we were having food prepared by students, the service was inconsistent but we understood that they are in the process of learning, the experience was nice but we felt it took to long to get the check at the end, honestly you don't want to go to dinner and feel like you're getting kicked out but also don't wanna feel like you're being held their either, again we understand the process, check the website for more info on how to reserve a seat, we would definitely come back, thanks again to all the great students and staff!
Restaurantji Recommends
The food selection is amazing. Ingredients are supurb. I am so glad they are now open 3 days. Service is super attentive. Candidly, they achieve the perfect balance between friendly and professional. And friendlyManagement (professor Luna) is always paying attention to everything. The best BYOB for free that I know. The take home desert bar cannot be missed. I bought 20 raspberry crumble bars, cut them in half and froze them. So I enjoyed the dining lab experience for weeks! ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
The Dining Lab is a unique and wonderful way to give back to the community. I found out about it from Yelp. It seemed like an amazing chance to try great food from aspiring chefs while supporting an educational institution. I myself, work within the food service industry, so this was pretty near and dear to me. After trying to get a reservation for awhile, I finally managed to secure a dinner reservation in June. I'm not extremely familiar with New Rochelle, but I believe The Dining Lab is located fairly close to New Roc City. Street parking was very easy and I found the location with ease. Upon arrival, I met some charming folks who stated they have been there a few times. The crowd seems to be a mixture of older adults and a few twenty-somethings dining, all predominantly women. I was seated within minutes and close to the kitchen, so I saw a lot of movement throughout and around my table. Not a bad thing as I liked the opportunity to observe the operation. The dining space is dimly lit and reminds me of a casual dining restaurant like Red Lobster or TGI Fridays, but a little more upscale. It also wasn't a lot of people for the 6:30pm service, which I liked. From what I observed, the staff included minimal faculty and a host of students. Although you might know that this is an academic initiative, it gives the feel of a family restaurant. The ambience is very relaxed and everyone makes you feel at home. Once I was seated, the server introduced herself and offered me a beverage. There is no alcohol served, not even wine. Just soft drinks and some juices. I did see others bringing their own bottles of wine, so that is an option. I opted for apple juice. The menu consists of a 3 course pre-fixed deal for $29.95. It menu changes every few weeks, this round seemed to be a European (Spanish/Italian) focus. As I waited for my meal, I was offered a mini cornmeal fritter with some type of chipotle aioli. It was delicious! Just the right tasting to get your tastebuds anxious and ready for the first course. I also received a small variety of homemade bread with olive oil. The bread was so fresh with a crispy crust. It paired well with the olive oil too. For the meal, I started off with a risotto with crab and asparagus. I do not eat crab so, I asked my server if it were possible to just the risotto prepared with only asparagus. She said it would not be an issue, but she warned me that crab was in the broth, which I was ok with. Unfortunately, when I received my dish, it was a little cold and there was a significant amount of the crab in it. I tried to pick it out and eat what I could because I did not have the patience to ask them to remake it. Aside from that, the asparagus was cooked well, it was slightly crisp to soft with a bright green color. The risotto was also good. The texture seemed just right, meaning it wasn't clumpy or soupy. Next up, I chose the cornish hen scarapiello dish. I had never had this before, so I had no expectations. The cornish hen was moist and the potatoes were soft. But for the most part, it was a little too spicy for my liking. Presentation of both dishes was simple but inviting. To end the night, they offered some specific desserts from the pre-fixed menu however, I wanted a cupcake. For a few dollars more, I was able to make the adjustment. I thought it was a plain vanilla cupcake but when I bit into it, it was vanilla cake with a chocolate filling/candy inside. Surprising but good. I'm not a fan of chocolate, so I wished they would have told me up front. Nonetheless, the cake and buttercream frosting were delicate with a just the right balance of sweetness. To round the meal off, I received some after dinner nibblers including a cookie, a coffee tasting bite, and a coconut macaroon. Staff are very attentive and make the experience calm and enjoyable. My meal went by with ease. The ambience is relatively quiet, no issues. Overall, it was a good experience. I would love to return however, they book very fast and it is only offered throughout the school semester (Fall/Spring). I
Everyone works so hard to be professional and learn the food service industry. It's really a good value for the money. Its a short period they are open so you need to act quickly. Take away desserts are ridiculously cheap!
Nice to help students learn the business...the desserts can be purchased after from a case...the prices are a steal !
Ok. So I really want to give this place 5 stars, but it is not a 5 star experience. I know it's a school restaurant but the service wasn't great and it took forever to get our dinner. We were there for over two hours. This is too long. The food was good, but some dishes missed the mark. I say try it, but don't expect a fine dinning experience and prepared for a wait.