Most students have probably noticed the new, brightly colored building that has popped up on Greenville Avenue. That Caribbean style restaurant is called Pollo Tropical. We got a chance to check out the restaurant before it opens this Friday, and our expectations were surpassed.

Pollo Tropical’s menu has a wide variety of items, from salads to steak platters, to a Tropical Lite menu of items containing less than 510 calories. Everything the SMU Campus Weekly staff tried was fresh and bursting with flavor.

Chef Jacqueline Kleis said that the company makes an effort to blend in popular flavors when they enter new markets. This mindset is why the menu in Texas restaurants offers sides varying from black beans and rice to mac & cheese.

Kleis went on to talk about the inspiration for the flavors on the menu. Pollo Tropical’s menu is inspired by Caribbean cuisine. Food from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic all influence the chefs who create the menu.

The new Pollo Tropical will be a godsend for most college students. The restaurant is open until midnight, so on the nights when Umph isn’t so great, or you just need a late night snack, there will be somewhere healthy to go.

This is an issue that lots of student’s face, since most restaurants that are open late don’t offer many menu items that are healthy. The ability to get a fresh salad and grilled chicken late at night, and so close to campus, will not go unnoticed by the SMU student body. The free Wi-Fi at Pollo Tropical is just another added bonus.

The grand opening of the restaurant is happening this Friday, Oct. 2. The party starts at 10 a.m. and doesn’t end until 8 p.m. Those who attend have the chance to win everything from coupons to free chicken for a year.

Life really is better under the palm. Especially when you’re under the palm and you can dip fried yucca in the garlic cilantro sauce. Oh, and don’t forget to try the calypso beef – it’s CEO Timothy Taft’s favorite.