Hidden in the Carl Icahn Laboratory in the midst of thoughts of double helixes and molecules, the Genomics Cafe offers an opportunity for both a quick lunch and scientific collaboration.
The cafe, which opened in June, was created as a part of the University's recent initiative to unite the various sciences at Princeton.
While the Icahn Lab was the University's primary way of creating this unity, the cafe was added to foster communication and "get people out socializing," said Faith Bahadurian, an administrative assistant in the Carl Icahn Laboratory, as well as to achieve a "multidisciplinary focus in the sciences."
Prospect House — which provides the central dining facilities for Princeton faculty — caters the cafe and offers an assortment of breakfast sandwiches, breads, pastries, snacks, fruit, sandwiches, salads, soups, chili and beverages.
In addition to these items, the cafe serves the daily hot entree, featured sandwich, wrapper and gourmet salad that are offered in the Prospect House.
This variety is what Shelley Winslow, assistant professor of molecular biology, enjoys most about the Genomics Cafe.
"Where Frist doesn't change its menu," Winslow said, "[the Genomics Cafe] changes all the time."
However, not all customers believe the cafe offers a better food selection than Frist.
Daniel Unger, a research associate in the Schultz Building, said he didn't think the "the food here is [any] better or worse than Frist."
Rather, it is the cafe's convenience and pleasant layout that brings him here for his daily cup of coffee, Unger said.
A majority of the patrons share this appreciation for the cafe's appearance and location.
Stephanie Chen '05 said she used the cafe as a place to have a quick cup of coffee and review her notes before going to her class in the building.
Similarly, Noriko Ohta, a research associate, found the Genomics Cafe to be a "convenient, comfortable, and quiet place" to sit down, have a sandwich, and work.
For the majority of the time that the cafe is open — Mon. through Fri. 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. — the cafe appears relatively quiet and business generally slow.
Though there is a slight increase in sales during the lunch hour, there is never a time when the cafe is overcrowded or noisy.
However, cafe sales have been rising since it was opened, Louann Kosmerl, the business manager for the Genomics Cafe, said. Kosmerl quoted the rise from $500 per week when it was first established to $1,500 per week presently.
The numbers may be an encouraging sign that the Genomics Cafe is on the right track and, as Kosmerl said, that it "is a worthwhile place if people get to know that it's here."
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