With free sausage samples and mariachi tunes, SF State celebrated Thusday the grand opening of West Plaza, a new addition to Cesar Chavez Student Center. After eight months of construction, from November 2006 to June 2007, two of the three units in the structure on the west side of the student center are now open for business.

The two eateries, Carmelina La Petite and Bark N’ Bun, celebrated their new permanent locations by offering free samples to passing students.

“I’m very happy,” said Carmelina Narciso, the owner of Carmelina La Petite, which has been on campus since 1988. “I’m trying to do the best for the students and the staff,” she said while serving samples of portabello mushroom wrap and rice and Japanese bean salad.

“I think the smoked Tofu is amazing, “ said Kurt Neilsen, a Broadcast and Electronic Communications Arts major, after tasting another of Carmelina’s salads. “I used to get coffee when it was over there,” he said, pointing to the south side of the student center.

Both businesses used to be housed in temporary wooden shacks in South Plaza.
“They worked really well for the campus populations,” said Edina Bajraktarevic, the retail and commercial services manager for Cesar Chavez Student Center. “So, the students committed to making them permanent, but it took almost ten years.”

A soul food spot is planned for the middle unit, scheduled to open at the beginning of the spring 2008 semester.