potatomato.blog: Cal Tech Athenaeum Buffet

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Jun 30

Cal Tech Athenaeum Buffet

Food 18: Other

A friend of ours was a Caltech student (genius!) and belonged to the Caltech Faculty Club. He told us about the club's Wednesday night buffet ($28) and that they have really good prime rib! Outsiders can only get in by being invited by a club member. So he invited a big group of us~

The buffet is held at The Athenaeum, beautiful~ No strict dress code but collar shirt is recommended.

The buffet area was at the garden outside. The salad bar has many delicious gourmet salad, raw oyster, crab legs, shrimp and cheese.

The seatings are inside a grand and classical ballroom (with piano performance). The sushi roll, salmon and tuna are not bad, but the yellowtail are a bit fishy.

Prime Rib. Sliced at your order. It's so juicy and tender, so good! I especially like the wasabi mashed sweet potato side. There are a lot more meat actually (forgot to take pictures), fish, chicken...so much food! But some people continued to get their 2nd and 3rd slice of prime rib.

More desserts. We came too late so when we get to dessert they were wrapping up, and many desserts were gone already~

Still the desserts are amazing, full of variety~ Banana Flambé was made right in front of you (mini-fire show) when you ordered.

The chocolate fountain where you dip strawberries, marshmallow, etc. Afterward we took a stroll at Cal tech campus to walk off the food. I love the whole experience, one of the better buffets I've ever been to.

Freda | June 30, 2007 10:56 PM

Comments:

If anyone wants to go sometime, I am an alumni member so I have access to the Ath. Just drop me a line.

Caltech has some of the most stunning Mission-style architecture in the city, and a walking tour through campus is a fun summer evening activity. The students are all gone and the daylight persists longer than the heat.

Even if the Ath isn't the final destination, it still makes for a nice stroll.

Taste-Buzz | July 3, 2007 07:07 AM

YUM! I need to find me a Cal Tech friend!!! ;)

BoLA | July 2, 2007 11:00 AM

Wow the place looks classy and nice! I had imagined Cal Tech to be just ugly concrete buildings with toxic-smelling steam coming out of the chimney...^^;;

seat | July 1, 2007 05:38 PM

Oh, this place holds wedding banquet too right?
Dropped by before... Price very reasonable considering the amount/quality of food :-) Recently, after hearing so many benefits and discounts students get, I am getting quite envious X-D

RP | July 1, 2007 01:47 PM

Ah, the Ath. Never went as a student unless there was a special dinner event, and whenever I go back as an alum, I always crave one thing: the berries Athanaeum.