New restaurants in the MUC offer variety for students, faculty

Campus Dining made the decision to discontinue a popular eating option among students, the WOK. However, a variety of new restaurants in the Muenster University Center will be rotated on a weekly basis to allow for more options for students and faculty.

Replacing the WOK on the Campus Dining schedule is something named “Restaurant Rotation.” In an email, Adam Chicoine, director of Campus Dining, said the four new restaurants that will be rotated are an opportunity for Campus Dining to adapt to the “ever-changing habits and eating styles” of everyone on campus.

“Campus Dining is always looking for ways to keep the students satisfied and happy,” Chicoine said, “While the WOK was always popular, Campus Dining wanted to keep up with the food trends out there right now.”

Chicoine said the four restaurant options that will be rotated are Barbecue District, Mighty Bowl, Chopsticks and Tavolino. Menus for all four restaurants can be found at USD.Campusdish.com.

Barbecue District features Kansas-style slow-cooked meats and sides. Might Bowl features “globally-inspired grain bowls packed with flavor.” Chopsticks offers modern stir-fry options. Tavolini is an “Italian comfort food” restaurant that features traditional pastas.

Even though WOK is no longer available, Chopsticks might be an alternative for students and faculty, since it’s menu offers a few similar options.

“Chopsticks has some of the same side options (as the WOK) available but the entrée items are different,” he said.

Even if the new restaurants offer new options, some students are upset about the closure of the WOK. Arenne Marksbury, a sophomore studying communication studies said she’s upset the WOK is no longer available.

“I loved the WOK,” Marksbury said. “I got rice and chicken, extra teriyaki sauce and broccoli every day.”

Marksbury said she’s open to trying the new restaurants, but it will be weird.

“I’m just honestly scared to try it because I liked the WOK so much,” she said. “It’s like, ‘do I really want to try this?’”

Kaci Reiser, a junior studying english, said she’s sad to see the WOK go, but she understands why.

“I think I saw that they have something like the WOK and I guess I understand that they’re trying to get more variety here, which I think is a good idea,” Reiser said. “But I don’t know, I’ve talked to a lot of people and they liked the WOK too. So maybe they could’ve done something differently.”

When it comes to trying one of the new restaurants, Reiser said she’ll probably go for Chopsticks, because it’s the one “most like the WOK.”

Marksbury said she would’ve liked to see some more vegan options or a homemade pizza place in the restaurant rotation. Reiser said she just wishes there was even more diversity of food options in the MUC.

“Something more culturally different, maybe, like Thai or something else,” she said.

Chicoine said Campus Dining is encouraging all students and faculty to give their feedback about the new restaurants online at YourDiningVoice.com.