It?s lunchtime and your stomach is growling; "the game" is on. You are on Stanford campus and are overwhelmed by a delicious smell. You follow your nose, and it leads you to The Treehouse.

Situated in Tressider Union on Stanford?s campus is a cozy little restaurant. It?s the kind of place where you would go to hang out with your friends. You walk in and wait in line to have your order taken. As you wait, you notice the walls are painted with pictures of people playing all kinds of sports, several of which are restored pictures of past Stanford athletes and coaches. After your order is taken, the cashier gives you a number. Once you receive your food, you are drawn into the back room by the numerous televisions showing various sports games. On the walls of this room are many beer tap handles giving you the feeling that this room is "the sports bar room."

The menu offers many different types of foods. It ranges from Mexican and Asian to American, offering burgers, fries, burritos, rice bowls, salads, etc.

For starters, The Treehouse offers dishes like Spicy Chicken wings ($3.29) or the Heaping Basket of French Fries ($2.49). The Spicy Chicken wings are a tasty appetizer that gets your taste buds racing and calling for more food. The Chicken Wings have a slightly crispy skin and are seasoned with various salts and spices.

The Treehouse also offers Garden Fresh Salads. One particularly tasty dish is the Grilled Chicken Caesar ($4.85). It has fresh romaine lettuce with house dressing, wonderfully spiced grilled chicken, croutons, and Parmesan on a crisp tortilla.

Five "Big Game Burgers" are offered at The Treehouse. They offer beef or chicken burgers like The Cardinal ($4.95) and the BBQ Grilled Chicken Burger ($4.95), respectively. The Cardinal offers two mouth-watering strips of bacon with hickory sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles on a generous lean beef patty (over 1/3 lb.) served with fries. The BBQ Grilled Chicken Burger is also served with fries, and has all the makings of a regular burger (lettuce, tomatoes, etc) with BBQ sauce and bacon over a lean piece of grilled chicken.

The specials offered, like the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl (4.50), or the Lobster Burrito ($5.50) are delicious. The Chicken Teriyaki bowl is loaded with grilled chicken marinated in teriyaki sauce with broccoli, served over Jasmine rice, and garnished with sesame seeds. The broccoli could use some more cooking, but otherwise it is good. The best dish of all is the Lobster Burrito, made with a generous serving of incredibly sweet lobster, rice, cabbage, guacamole, and two flavor packed sauces that gives it a curry taste.

The Treehouse is a great place to go hang out with pals, get some good food, and watch "the game." Being on a college campus, it has a casual atmosphere. Although it is hard to find if you do not live in Stanford or are not a Stanford student, it is worth all the trouble.

The Treehouse
Tresidder Memorial Union
459 Lagunita Drive,
Stanford, Ca.