Students can get a taste of southeast Asia at new campus dining eatery, Sabai

by Davis Hamor, posted Sept. 23, 2011

Mizzou students now have another choice when it comes to eating on campus due to the opening of Sabai. Sabai is a southeast Asian restaurant that provides an assortment of portable foods. Their menu consists of wraps, bowls, and salads, which make for easy walking food for students to munch on from class to class.

The Sabai Grand Opening Celebration was on Thursday, Sept. 8. Sabai had samples of their food options and informed customers about the origins of the items on the menu. Sabai is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is located in Johnston Hall.

Michael Wuest, marketing manager for campus dining services, said that because of the success of Baja Grill, a blend of southwest and Caribbean cuisine, Campus Dining Services actually started researching a new restaurant project about two years ago. With the help of nutrition students from MU and by gathering students’ opinions, they landed upon Sabai.

According to Wuest, Sabai’s main goal was to enhance the campus dining program and to give students a greater variety of food. Wuest also said that after the Grand Opening, Sabai has really gained popularity and students are coming more and more.

Sabai is something new, which will always attract some students, and it is a whole new taste that students may not have had before. Sabai also prides itself on a great menu because of the easy portability of their food.

Individual tastes will vary, however.

MU freshman psychology major, Dennis Magdato, seems to have a much different view on Sabai. Magdato, a Filipino from Riverside, Ill., has a strong opinion of Sabai and the quality of their food.

“Worst Asian food in the world,” Magdato said. “I am Asian. I know what quality Asian food is.”

He says that because Riverside is a suburb of Chicago, he is used to all types of food and knows what they should and should not taste like. Before commenting on the quality, Magdato had just had the fried rice bowl.

Another MU student, Zach Whehmeyer, had a similar opinion of the food. After having the chicken fried rice bowl, which was suggested by the workers as a popular choice among students, he said that he was not impressed and does not plan on returning. Whehmeyer is a freshman nutrition and fitness major from Hallsville, Mo.

Sabai provides MU students with a taste of southeast Asian food and gives them more variety in their everyday food choices. The students wanted Sabai and they will decide whether or not they want to keep it around.

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