Chartroom sails amid mediocrity

Ever wonder what dorm food tastes like? Chartroom offers the opportunity to experience it without having to live in a tiny room for a year.

On the north end of the University Dining Plaza, Chartroom occupies a vast dining room that is virtually barren during operating hours. Although it is open to the general public, the diners -- usually no more than 10 at a time -- are predominately faculty or employees from Brotman Hall. Chartroom may look like a faculty lounge, but students are welcome to eat there. The quiet dining room also makes for a good place to study or meditate. The windows offer panoramic views of the beautiful Ö food court receiving area below.

One my head to the back of the restaurant and ask to be seated, but with so many empty tables, this should not even be necessary. There are no menus because Chartroom is Cal State Long Beach's own all-you-can-eat buffet.

At $5.99 a person with unlimited portions, Chartroom is the best food bargain at CSULB. There are, of course, trade-offs.

The selection is small. The salad bar, which is self-serve, has both a lettuce-and-toppings line and prepared fare like macaroni salad and carrot slaw. The entrees, served by a Chartroom cook, typically feature one beef, chicken, pork or fish dish. While the meats vary by day, the rice, mashed potatoes and vegetables are daily standards.

The food at Chartroom gets better toward the end of the meal.

The salads are a bad way to start a meal. The prepared salads (macaroni, pasta, etc.) taste like they sat in a refrigerator for weeks and picked up the flavor of foods around them. Avoid them unless eating greenery is a must, in which case, the lettuce and toppings are easier on the palate.

The entrées are so-so. The meats are heavy but do not have much of a discernible flavor to them, except for salt. The side dishes are simple, but there is not much to say about plain white rice or mashed potatoes. The soups are not made from scratch, but the vegetables and beans taste like they were added fresh. Also, the broths do not have the aggravating saltiness commonly found in canned soups.

At least the dessert provides one decent course for the meal. Like the entrées, desserts can vary by day. The coconut rice pudding is solid, which is unusual for this dish which tends to be soupier. Nonetheless, the natural sweetness of coconut, rice and vanilla.

RESTAURANT INFO

Chartroom
University Dining Plaza
(562) 985-4039

Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m. ­ 2 p.m.

Visa, MasterCard and Discover accepted

Rating is a 2 out of 5