The beginning of Spring Term always brings new electives, Hugh Camp Cup speeches, and warmer weather. But this year, the start of Spring Term also brought us a new and revamped version of our beloved Kwok Café.
On Monday, March 25, the Friedman Community Center was buzzing with excitement for Kwok’s grand opening. At this celebration, new menu items including fried rice, lo mein, quesadillas, tacos, mac and cheese, and sushi rolls were served hors-d'oeuvre style. Students also had the opportunity to win raffle prizes such as ‘Kwokie Monster’ T-shirts and Kwok gift cards. I am proud to have won both.
The café now offers a wider variety of foods from a range of cuisines. Sushi Sundays are another new addition, with California and chicken tempura rolls available every Sunday evening. The establishment has also expanded its selection of ice creams, snacks, and candies for sale.
Unfortunately, Kwok’s menu has suffered some devastating losses including the buffalo chicken wrap and my personal favorite: the chicken Caesar salad and wrap. Many students are missing not only the café’s old dishes but also its old prices. Kwok’s prices have risen substantially, which has led students to coin a new term: ‘Kwokflation.’ According to Barrett Pickett ‘24, “Normally you sort of think of politics as something out there in the ethos that doesn’t really affect us, but here we can see grassroots SPS students getting less value out of their dollar.”
While Kwok’s delicious new menu items have attracted many student customers, the rising prices might also be driving some away. Ethan Downey-Lamprey ‘25 shares, “Honestly, at first look, it was a little overwhelming, with so many options. But then I saw the prices, and I was even more overwhelmed. I was in full panic mode just trying to get a burrito bowl.”
Kwok’s increased prices seem fair, considering the effort the establishment is putting into offering students healthier food and a wider variety of products. The Kwok team has been aiming to move away from frozen items and toward healthier, more nourishing options, and is glad that many of the fresher items have been very popular. “Price changes are tough for everyone, but it’s worth it. The food is great. We have a new chef. Her name is Sam,” says Vishal Kumar, beloved long-term Kwok chef.
Chef Sam Vincent shared some very exciting things that Kwok has in the works. Bubble tea is coming soon, along with weekly specials to make up for some of the menu items removed. “In the next couple weeks, we’ll take stuff that hasn’t been super popular, and that will free us up for more weekly specials,” she said.
I’m looking forward to trying new items throughout this term and next year, and I’m sure many of you are as well. After all, this is just the beginning of a very bright future for Kwok Café.