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New Dining Experiences
October 12, 2011 | Written By Meghan Kyle ’13
The aroma of coffee brewing at Cornerstone Coffeehouse fills the air. Students scatter
throughout the amphitheater doing homework in the warm, afternoon sun. Herds of people
trek from East to West Campus to get to class on time. School has arrived. Over the
summer, Azusa Pacific made changes to the dining facilities throughout campus. The
new school year brings new menus, more options, added space, and an overall better
experience for students eating on campus. One of the most exciting changes that occurred
is the expansion of Cougar Walk and its new barbeque menu. “Students can choose from
four southern-style sandwiches that Pam Crute, our head banquet chef, developed with
the help of her secret family recipes,” said Samuel Samaan, director of hospitality
services. Cougar Walk BBQ provides a quick, delicious lunch and more seating for students
to have a relaxing time with friends.
The newly named 1899 Dining Hall also received some upgrades. “The chefs developed
new menus that meet the food trends and students’ appetites,” said Samaan. “There
is now a pasta station that provides a variety of fresh ingredients, a Pho station,
meats cooked on a rotisserie, and an upscale deli and salad service that gives delectable,
healthy choices.” Next to the 1899 Dining Hall is the home of the Mexicali Grill,
the newest dining venue on campus. The grill has a Latin American Cuisine menu that
offers burritos, quesadillas, tacos, salads, and burrito bowls. “The venue will have
serving lines that accommodate more students, making it easier to obtain their food,”
said Samaan. Another improvement on East Campus is the Cougars' Den Café. It serves
deli sandwiches and features a hot wing station, giving students more choices for
grabbing a quick bite to eat. On West Campus, in Heritage Court, the Canyon Grill added
a new express Chinese food line with entrees such as chow mien and egg rolls. Just
around the corner in the Hall of Champions, Umai Sushi offers a teriyaki bowl along
with sushi selections. And, if there is not enough time in the day, you can now order
meals online through Webfood. According to Samaan, planning for these changes usually
takes anywhere from six months to a year. “The process starts by having a new idea,
working through the process of creating space, budget, and approvals, and finally,
implementation of the idea,” he said. With the addition of new menu items and different
cuisines, this year students are in for a treat. “The updated dining venues are great!”
said junior nursing major Alexa Funk ’13. “I’m glad they tried something new in almost
each dining area. We now have more selection as to what we get to eat.”