University of Cincinnati Hosts Wine Tastings

During the day, Mick & Mack’s is a busy sit-down eatery catering primarily to staff and visitors to the University of Cincinnati campus. The restaurant, located in UC’s Tangeman University Center student union complex, is open for lunch Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2.pm. and offers a diverse menu of sandwiches, salads, vegetarian/vegan dishes and traditional entrees such as fish and chips, blackened salmon and chicken orzo.

Normally closed in the evenings except for reserved functions, Mick and Mack’s has added a new twist: twice-monthly themed dinners called Think Thursdays that feature an alcoholic beverage sampling accompanied by a special menu. These events have included tastings of specific wines, beers or spirits and dishes designed by UC Executive Chef Jonathan Hunt specifically to accompany the featured beverages.

For example, one recent Think Thursday featured tequilas accompanied by cuisine from the Mexican province of Jalisco such as Duck Pozole, Guadalahara Gazpacho with Shrimp and Birria Tacos.

The events allow Mick and Mack’s to add more evening business and also help promote the campus and its events, as well as the capabilities of the dining team, to outsiders, says UC’s director of dining service, John Hautz.

“The guests are currently a mix of people from the university and visitors,” he notes, adding that the popularity the events has been increasing. “In fact,” he says, “we’re planning on adding a third monthly dinner because the two we currently schedule regularly sell out.” Each event draws up to around 130 guests to Mick and Mack’s with a flat $20 per person charge.

Because of the alcohol component of the events, the service staff for the Think thursday functions consists of adult dining associates and student workers who are 21 and over.