The Cesar Chavez Student Center held a product tasting for the Student Center’s Soul Food Project Friday, December 7.

Two final candidates supplied students, faculty, and staff with samples of food from their menus to decide which restaurant will serve their food in Cesar Chavez’s food court.

According to Neha Shah, project consultant, the Black Student Union has been trying to have Soul Food served in the Student Center since 1998. Nearly 10 years later, a spot has finally been opened to make it happen.

“If they’re going to be selling soul food here, it should be good,” said Chanel King, a freshman at SF State.

From 10:15 a.m. – 11 a.m., Two Jacks Seafood Restaurant sampled their food first. Erica N. Perry Cooper, owner of the restaurant, said that the restaurant has been running for 30 years and all the food cooked is by family recipes.

“I thought that this would be a good opportunity for the family business to branch out and get exposure,” said Cooper.

If they are picked, Two Jacks Seafood will be selling Oysters, Sole, and Catfish fillet plates for $7.00, an option to mix 2 items on the menu for $9.50, Potato Salad for $2.00, 8 ounces of Macaroni and Collard Greens for $3.00, Snapper and Rock Cod for $6.00, and Prawns for $8.00.

“The Mac ‘N Cheese was great, I’d gladly pay $3.00 for Mac to get me fat,” said Kevin Jenkins, a freshmen majoring in Nursing.

From 12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m., Jessie’s Hot House served their food with a side of three different southern desserts and homemade punch. The owner of the restaurant, Robert Darden, said that the name of the restaurant came from his late grandmother Jessie Davie who was the owner of the original Davie’s Hot House in Clarksville, Tennessee.

“I was excited to be able to have the opportunity to start a Soul Food restaurant on a college campus, especially since my wife went here,” said Darden.

Jessie’s Hot House offered SF State students a breast/thigh wing combo with collard greens for $7.99, BBQ tofu with sweet potatoes for $5.49, snapper with macaroni and cheese for $6.99, 5 piece shrimp with 3 pieces of fried cornbread for $5.99, a breakfast sandwich for $4.50, punch for $1.50, red velvet cake for $2.50, yellow chocolate cake for $2.00, and peach cobbler for $2.25.

“Both restaurants were good, but because I love macaroni and cheese, I would have to choose Jessie’s Hot House,” said Sekani Hamilton, an undeclared freshman at SF State.