Building a Smart(er) Café

by Bob Levine, Exhibits Project Manager

You asked, and we have delivered.

In countless surveys, one facet of the McWane Science Center experience always seemed to leave visitors wanting more -- our café. With our dedicated and professional food service staff, the McWane café experience should always be a great one, but we lacked the infrastructure to meet that goal -- until now.

Starting this weekend, the Smart Café will open with a bevy of new and healthier food options. Take an informal blog-tour with me and see what’s new…

Our first stop is Hot Off the Grill. Our old griddle and fry-baskets had reached retirement age and were sent upstate to a convalescent home for restaurant equipment. In their stead we’ve added two new pieces of equipment that will make your food tastier and far healthier than before. An automatic broiler replaces the griddle and will allow fats and oils to drip off of grilled items making your burgers and chicken sandwiches leaner without compromising flavor. The deep-fat fryer has been replaced with a hot-air fryer which uses no grease or oil. Saturated fats (the kind you don’t want) are greatly reduced but the fried items are just as tasty and crispy as they’ve always been.

Our next stop is Subway (you may have heard of them). Subway has a variety of sandwich and salad options to choose from, many of which have less than 6 grams of fat. Whether or not you’re in the mood for a sub, you’ll have no choice but to be drawn into the café by the hypnotic smell of baking bread.

If you want more “international” cuisine, come by Pasta & More. This area allows you to be the chef. You can pick and choose the sauce, meats, and veggies as you create your own Italian pasta or Asian noodle dish. There will also be some Mexican food specials, and there will always be a Mac ‘n’ Cheese dish available for our pickier, younger customers. Whatever your preference, there will be something to satisfy you!

Craving a healthy, filling option but don’t feel like chewing? Stop by Smoothie Fusion. With a variety of fruits and other mix-ins, you can create your own tasty, vitamin-filled smoothie from a score of ingredients. Smoothies make a great addition to a sandwich or salad or can serve as a meal in their own right.

And what would McWane’s café be without our ever-popular Pizza Hut? The pizza and breadsticks will still be as hot and tasty as before, but new whole-grain crusts and lower-fat cheese and pepperoni will make them even better for you.

Beyond these exciting new menu options, there will be a ton of nutritional information available to visitors to help our patrons learn about proper dietary habits and exercise. We’re also developing fun programming for guests that want to learn about healthy cooking and healthy living. But more than anything, we know it’s all about the food…and we think you’ll be very happy with the changes we’re making!

Contributor Profile:
Bob Levine is the Exhibit Project Manager at McWane. He is an avid reader, history and film buff, mediocre guitarist, and die-hard Red Sox, Celtics and Patriots fan. He lives with his beautiful wife (due with their first child in April) and their two rambunctious dogs, Abigail and Quincy.