Off-campus dining options more varied

Billie Jo Kubat

Billie Jo Kubat

Sometimes it is nice just to break the culinary routine and go off campus for a nice meal. Brookings has a wide variety of local restaurants that can offer various options to satisfy hungry appetites. Recently, the number of restaurants has grown, and some of the more established ones have expanded their options.

Many people are familiar with the seasonal restaurant Backyard Grill BBQ Shack, but most do not know that it is now a restaurant that will be open year-round.

“This is a great opportunity to quadruple our menu and business,” said Alan Elenkiwich, the owner of BBQ Shack. Elenkiwich said that the new menu would soon have 12 different buffalo wing flavors, stacks of French fries and much more. He is very excited for the growth in business.

The shack now has five booths and two stools for seating and can hold 25 to 30 people. Elenkiwich said that they have only been open a week and already they have had 72 people in the restaurant at one time.

“We have a country southern atmosphere,” said Elenkiwich. “I mean, we have peanuts on the tables.”

Once the BBQ Shack has been open for a while, Elenkiwich said he is looking forward to having different eating contests. Until then, the restaurant will be open from 10:30 a.m. in the morning to 7:30 p.m.

“It was really good,” said Beth Schmitz, a sophomore park and range major. “It is almost as good as the southern cooking my family makes.”

Not in the mood for BBQ? Want something maybe a little healthier? Consider Meals in Minutes.

“Call ahead and I will prepare a meal for you to pick up or you can come in and make it yourself,” said Marialene Lundie, the owner of Meals in Minutes. “I do all the chopping and cleanup – you just have to go home and bake it.”

Lundie is offering a 15 percent discount for any SDSU student that shows up with their ID and makes a meal. The only challenge for students that live in the dorms is that they need an oven to cook the meals. Meals come in half or full sizes. Meals in Minutes is located at 620 Western Ave.

“I would be more than happy to do any kind of fundraising with the SDSU clubs,” said Lundie. “I want to get more involved with SDSU students.”

Brookings is also receiving a new pizza place called Boss’s Chicken and Pizza. Boss’s already has a location in Sioux Falls.

“An opportunity arose and it seemed like a good time to expand,” said Darin Nagelhout, who runs the Boss’s in Brookings. “Boss’s Pizza is known for its great varieties in pizza and for delivering, carrying out, or dining in until 3 in the morning,” said Nagelhout. “The late-night pizza was not offered like we do it before.”

Nagelhout is hoping to open Boss’s Pizza on Dec. 2 or 3. The restaurant is located at 420 Main Ave.

Nagelhout said that he would love the idea of doing different challenges with the dorms on campus, once the staff is fully changed and the business has started.

“The customers will determine our growth,” said Nagelhout.

Since Boss’s delivers pizzas to their customers, they cannot accept Hobo Dough said Nagelhout, but he hopes that will not stop students from ordering Boss’s Pizza.

“It is good pizza. I remember last year Boss’s Pizza served free pizza on Black Friday in Sioux Falls,” said Beth Koletzky, a sophomore nursing major. “I think it is a more community-based business and I really like that.”