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Rendezvous, a new restaurant in Rieber Terrace that will serve both Asian and Mexican cuisine, is

Students got their first taste of the fresh international flavors of the new Rendezvous restaurant in a pre-opening taste-testing Tuesday night.

Rendezvous, located at Rieber Terrace, has two separate dining areas, one serving Mexican food and the other serving Asian food.

The new restaurant will open next week in shifts to different parts of the Hill, so as to gradually open the restaurant to the flow of on-campus residents, said Connie Foster, associate director of Dining Services.

It will initially open next Tuesday to Hedrick and Hitch residents only. Next Wednesday, it will open to Rieber and Saxon residents, and by next Thursday the restaurant will open to all residents on the Hill.

Initially opening from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Dining Services plans to have the new eatery open continually from 9 a.m. to midnight starting next fall quarter, Foster said.

The taste-testing was the first time the Policy Review Board and Dining’s focus group of students, who have been working with Dining Services to plan dining options on the Hill for some time, were able to sample the fruits of their debates and discussions.

Student reactions to the new restaurant were overwhelmingly positive.

“(Rendezvous) is above and beyond what everyone would expect,” said Mike Weiss, a fourth-year anthropology student and member of the Policy Review Board. “The aesthetics and the food are amazing.”

Some students said they were impressed by how good the Asian food options were.

Third-year Spanish and linguistics student Andrea Ma said she doesn’t usually like the Asian food provided on the Hill, but thought Rendezvous’ Asian options were surprisingly good.

“I think it’s better than Panda Express,” Ma said.

Peter Wong, an Office of Residential Life staff member in an exchange program from Hong Kong, also said the food was very good.

“We might implement something like (Rendezvous) in Hong Kong,” Wong said.

Rendezvous has a modern design and decor with an environment similar to that of De Neve Dining Hall, with multiple tables and booths inside in addition to an outside dining patio.

“It’s pretty cozy,” said Jessika Herrera, a second-year linguistics and anthropology student. “It feels more homey than Puzzles.”

Some students said they were sad Puzzles will close when Rendezvous becomes fully operational. But even so, many said they enjoyed Rendezvous’ food and atmosphere better.

“I think (Rendezvous) is higher quality than Puzzles, Crossroads and Bruin Cafe,” said James Engler, a first-year English student who lives in Sunset Village.

Engler, who said he loved Puzzles and joined Dining’s student focus group when he heard it would be closing, said he was now happy with the addition of Rendezvous to the Hill’s dining options.

Students also said they enjoyed Rendezvous’ Mexican food options.

“The quesadilla here kicks the quesadilla at Crossroads’ ass,” said Dianne Tanjuaquio, a second-year sociology student.

But some students worry whether Rendezvous will be able to fill the roll that Puzzles now plays on the Hill.

Though Rendezvous will only be open until midnight, Dining Services plans to extend Bruin Cafe’s hours to 2 a.m. every night starting next year, Foster said.

Rendezvous will also start serving breakfast items similar to those currently available at Puzzles, she said. The new restaurant may also offer Asian breakfast food items, though those details have yet to be determined, she added.

In addition, the menus at Bruin Cafe and Crossroads will change next fall quarter.

Bruin Cafe will offer some new items that were once at Puzzles, and because Rendezvous will serve Mexican food, Dining Services plans to change the type of food offered at Crossroads. It plans to convert the eatery into a 1950s-style diner, serving hamburgers and shakes, Foster said.

She added that these foods will be of higher quality than the options currently available in residential dining halls.

Aaron Israel, a second-year political science student on the Policy Review Board and resident of De Neve Plaza, said he supported changing the role of Crossroads.

“I think the residents of De Neve are ready for a change,” he said. “Plus, Rendezvous is worth the walk up here.”