Spaghetti takes Athens by surprise
By Dilynn Roettker, Staff Writer
March 13, 2008 | 6 a.m.
Those who have been yearning for more food options finally got their wish granted with the addition of a pasta and salad restaurant on Court Street.
The first to discover this novelty get the opportunity to judge it by their own standards before Athens as a whole defines its worth and reputation. It has all the simplicity and excitement of a new restaurant with plenty of unmeasured potential. Some might not have heard of the pasta place yet, as it has only been open for about a month.
Inside is a simple setup including a self-serve salad bar, several empty picture frames ready to be filled and one last piece of cookie dough pie desperate to be eaten. Along the wall are posters advertising a competition to name the new restaurant.
This is perhaps the most intriguing thing about the restaurant- simply the fact that it has yet to be named.
The name contest ended on Feb. 14. More than 250 entries were submitted for the name competition, so it has taken a few weeks to sort through them, and to make sure that they were original.
“Although there were a lot excellent entries, many were disqualified because they were existing restaurants,“ owner Quinn Schaller said.
The competition rewarded the winner of the chosen name, senior Mike Kellogg, with free pasta for a year. The name of the restaurant will be the “Killer Tomato."
Schaller also owns Big Mamma’s Burritos. When he opened Big Mamma’s, there was a lot of anticipation. At first, the popularity was overwhelming to employees, who were still becoming comfortable with the products.
So, for this new place, Schaller took the approach of a “soft opening” so they would all have a chance to become confident before the restaurant became busy all the time.
Senior Mark Skirtich came across a flyer featuring the new restaurant, and, after visiting, said, “it is a good thing, especially for the upperclassmen who don’t have healthy options easily accessible, like in the dining halls for younger students. They resort mostly to fast food, and this is a healthy, cheap alternative.”
So far, the only visible evidence of the restaurant is a few paper signs advertising prices. Even so, employee Matt Spain says that they already have some “regulars” who come in every couple days to sample various items on the menu. Also, they are working their way up to what most call a “lunch rush” from students and some uptown employees in search for a new, healthier meal.
This desire for healthier options uptown was Schaller's inspiration for his “spaghetti place,” as he calls it.
“Maybe we could make a better sandwich, but what’s the point?" Shaller said. We wanted to bring value to Athens, not more competition."
The Killer Tomato keeps its promise of healthy options, for example, by offering things such as whole wheat linguini and spinach fettucini.
“I wanted to start with a base menu and get a feel for what the customers like," Schaller said.
And so far, the customers seem to be satisfied.
Freshman Jack Via said it’s a very “promising business” for Court Street.
The Killer Tomato is located inside the “mini-mall” of Court Street, along with Kinko’s, The Grid Lab and the ever-popular Peking Express (better known to students as $3.95 Chinese). Like any other restaurant, the spaghetti place has its share of fun little things that make the day interesting.
“We get people all the time who come in and try to order Chinese," Shaller said. "They will stare right at the menu, and then order something Chinese."
To celebrate the new name, Killer Tomato will be holding a grand opening from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 15. A 50 percent discount will be given on all purchases. Customers can choose from several different kinds of pasta, as well as sauce. A half pound of pasta is two dollars, which is a decent price for a college student. Other options, such as linguini, or lasagna, are also available. Customers can create their own salad from (at present) 76 different items and 18 different dressings, at $5.99 a pound.
Schaller said, “I didn’t want people to come in and say, ‘that’s a nice salad bar,’ I wanted them to come in and say, ‘holy s***.’”
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