BINGHAMPTON, N.Y. — The Chenango Room, Binghamton’s only full-service restaurant on campus, is closer to a café-type vibe than any of Sodexo’s other offerings. Nestled inside Science 1, Chenango is a quick getaway from the hustle of Glenn G. Bartle Library and the bustle of the Marketplace.
The Chenango Room offers a menu selection of made-to-order burgers and sandwiches, daily entrée specials served buffet-style, a full salad bar and a customized pasta station. Entrées and daily chef creations found on the menu are designed by head chef Michael Kulik.
Kulik’s creations are a testament to his culinary prose. He manages to transform Sodexo’s typically lackluster options into quality food that makes you forget it has an affiliation with the corporate campus dining giant. Standouts on the menu include the Chenango fandango burger, certified angus beef with peppered bacon and crispy ranch shallots served on a toasted brioche roll, and the fall sage chicken salad sandwich: fresh diced chicken dressed in mayo and sage in between an artisan roll with fruits and nuts baked inside.
For its loyal group of regular patrons, both professors and students alike, the Chenango French fries have become a staple to the dining experience. Offered as a side to most of the menu options, the fries have the perfect soft potato-to-crispy-outside ratio.
The Chenango Room also offers a full menu of homemade deserts, including a cheesecake recipe from the 1900s, red velvet truffles, an apple chip cake served with vanilla ice cream and an old-fashioned root beer float.
Another common sentiment shared about the Chenango Room is the delightful wait staff. The manager, Daniela Retezatu, a mother of five from Romania and a former teacher, is dedicated to making the Chenango Room a home away from home for BU students.