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The Fusion Fresh Café opened this morning (Oct. 8) on the Corin Courtyard at the northeast corner of the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

The mobile cafe sets up shop Monday through Friday, early morning to late afternoon, and later for at least some of the center's new series of free outdoor concerts (see the schedule below).

The Fusion Fresh menu includes pancakes, breakfast burritos and pastries, chicken cheese steak, and chicken, lamb and beef kabobs, plus quesadillas, tacos and spring rolls. 

The café is the latest offering from Sodexo, which runs the dining commons, the Gunrock Pub and other campus food services.

“One of our goals at the Mondavi Center is to create a welcoming environment not just when events are taking place inside, but, now, with the redeveloped Corin Courtyard, to be a place where members of our campus and community can sit and enjoy free wireless and meals,” said Don Roth, the Mondavi Center’s executive director.

CORIN COURTYARD CONCERTS

This new series began Sept. 28 with the West Nile Ramblers, but the rest of the 2012-13 schedule did not come out until this week.

Six more concerts are yet to come — all of them preceding previously scheduled events in the Mondavi Center’s presenting season. You need tickets for the events inside the center but not for the Corin Courtyard Concerts — they are free and open to the public.

The Fusion Fresh Café is likely to stay open late and Sodexo is likely to run a cash bar during several of the concerts (the details were still being worked out).

Here is the concert schedule (each event lasts for one hour):

• Friday, Oct. 26 — Harley White Jr. Orchestra (ensemble performance). 6:30 p.m. (prior to Eddie Izzard comedy).
• Sunday, Nov. 4 — Julie and the Jukes. 5:30 p.m. (prior to B.B. King concert).
• Tuesday, March 19 — Mondavi Center SFJAZZ High School All-Stars and the Capital Jazz Project. 6:30 p.m. (prior to Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis).
• Friday, April 12 — Ukulele Play-Along! 6:30 p.m. (prior to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain).
• Saturday, April 18 — Richie Lawrence and The Yolos. 6:30 p.m. (prior to In Conversation with Ira Glass, moderated by Daniel Handler).
• Sunday, May 19 — Kids in the Courtyard! 1:30 p.m. (prior to Lara Downes Family Concert).

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