Vals Getaway DES Cafeteria

Over priced low quality food. This is really taking advantage of state employees. There are many other café’s in the area with better food and prices. If this place was a stand alone rest yeah it would be struggling for business. Better off visiting the blimpies in the Capitol building just a few yards away.

The taco bowl today was awesome, I asked for the spicy meat and it has great flavor. Shell is light and crispy. Only second time here, I had the chicken cranberry salad as well and it was very delicious.

Do you like mediocre food and lots of cumin? then Val’s is right for you. I eat here because it’s close and «convenient» not because it is good.
Try the Cumin burrito! don’t like cumin? too bad.
Try the Cumin enchilada pie! don’t like cumin? too bad.
Try the Cumin Tacos! don’t like cumin? too bad.
Seriously did they get a smokin’ deal on cumin or something? I think there was cumin in the lasagna.

The employees are nice and accommodating and one of the checkout ladies is very cheerful and makes a point to greet everybody who comes through. Sadly that is all the nice things I have to say about this place.
They capitalize on the fact that they are the closest option for people that work in DES and the surrounding buildings. It is overpriced cafeteria food. I went by today and tried a bacon cheeseburger with no fries. I was shocked when it rang up $ 7.50. The check out lady asked Val if that was right and she agreed. I stepped out of line to check the price board and sure enough it was. As I am walking back to line I hear Val walking away singing to herself «I know what I’m talking about». I can’t even fathom how she treats her employees with an attitude like that. I know the customers are getting screwed.
There are trophies all over the place with her name on it dated 5+ years ago. Funny how nothing is recent and there are no awards for any of the employees. There are signs at every station blaming the recent economic crunch for the rise in prices. Half expecting tip jars to show up asking you to help her pay her employees.

Believe it or not, of all the capitol cafeterias Vals is the best. It’s like a food court combined with a convenience store. It has ample seating, outdoor seating, and sells more than salad and hot meals. You can also pick up lottery tickets, fresh popped corn, fruit, coffee, ice cream, candy bars, peanuts, chips, donuts, cookies, custard, and more.
The food is for folks who don’t mind eating just average meals. There’s a small serve yourself salad bar and three stations for food. At one, all the frying happens. At another they serve the light daily «specials» like personal pizzas, greek salad, mexican fiesta bowl, and sub sandwiches. The third is for daily soups and heavy entrees like fried chicken, lasagne, fish that are served with a side of potatoes, cole slaw, or veggies.
Average cost for a full lunch will set you back about $ 7. Clean up begins at 2 pm and the place is shut down at 3 pm.

This is actually one of the nicest cafeterias located on a job site that I have ever visited. It’s nice and clean, their selection isn’t huge, the staff is great and the owner is even more amazing. I gave 3 starts because for many of their items, your being doubled charged than if you were going to a convenience store. Paying for plastic cutlery sucks… but not as bad as the .40 cent fee that’s incurred for used your debit card.

Below average food above average prices. Order a pizza once but the cardboard box tasted better. Cashier is friendly but that does not help other the food. Burger patties are precooked. Not sure if I would purchase one. On Thursday they sell sub sandwiches they are not too bad.

I gave my 3 stars due to the lack of assembly line I’m used to in a normal cafeteria. My elementary school was more organized than this place.
It was so busy with no guidelines showing people where the line starts and ends. (Hate that). You have people waiting 3 different lines for the same cook… You also have people getting upset because since they took long to order people pretty much cut in front of them…
I ordered a roast beef sandwich for $ 4. The food was ok but could have been better.
The sitting area was nice with outdoor seating… Since I love to people watch it was fun. Will I come back again? Probably not– unless I really had to.

Unfortunately for those who work within the walls of the DES main building, there are not a lot of options, there are not a lot of decent places around to eat without driving.
This place is mediocre on a good day and is also very overpriced. I don’t know of many other places that will nickel and dime you for condiment packets and plastic silverware. Their grill items are greasy, the salad bar is boring without much variety, the pizza is tasteless, and the burgers are cooked the night before and left in a pan of water then heated up when ordered. I actually got ill a couple years ago here, and then after some things I saw behind the cook line I filed a health department complaint, but I don’t think it has helped.
So, if you’re in the neighborhood, beware.