Jump Asian to join food court

The ASU Student Union food court will soon be home to a new concept cooking station, Jump Asian Express. Jump Asian will give food court customers a new option for their dining pleasure, and will offer a variety of Asian food ranging from egg rolls and fried rice to teriyaki chicken and stir fry.  
Jump Asian Express will replace Sub Connection as a food court station, but that will not be a problem for students such as Molly Bryson, a senior psychology major of Jonesboro, who said that she will probably prefer the new Asian concept station to the previous sandwich shop.

Sub Connection had been a food court fixture for more than 12 years, but student surveys and polls indicated a desire for something different, specifically Asian food, according to Student Affairs Vice Chancellor Craig Johnson.

Johnson visited several other Jump Asian Express locations in preparation for the switch. He has high expectations for ASU’s latest installment in concept cooking, and hopes students will be excited about it as well.

“Right now our best station is Chick-fil-A, but I think Jump Asian will give it a run for its money,” Johnson said.

David Miller, the dining services general manager, said the station is scheduled to open in late February to early March, and students are already eager to try its offerings. “They really can’t wait, and all we have done is put up a sign, ‘opening soon,’” Miller said.

“I’m excited about it,” Jenny Walker, a freshman intermediate education major of Little Rock, said. “I love Asian food.”

Natalie Bauer, a freshman social work major of Bryant, developed her taste for Asian food during the four years she lived in Japan while in high school.  “I can’t wait, it’s going to be great having Japanese food right here on campus,” Bauer said.

Dillon Tuell, a freshman history major of Conway, said he hopes the station will carry his favorite Oriental fare, sushi. “If they had sushi, that would be pretty cool. But I’ll probably go there anyway,” Tuell said.

While the Jump Asian Express menu will most likely not include sushi, patrons will be able to choose from a variety of savory options, including fried rice, steamed rice, egg rolls, and a create-your-own stir-fry bar. Entrée options will rotate daily, and will include dishes such as teriyaki chicken, beef and broccoli, pepper steak, and General Tso, sesame, or orange chicken.

David Miller of Dining Services said prices have not yet been finalized, but will most likely range from $4.50 to $7.50 depending upon the number of entrées ordered. As part of the food court, Jump Asian’s offerings will be available for purchase on students’ Flex Dollars.

“It will likely be very Americanized Asian food; when our international students go to Jump they will see an American version of their traditional dishes,” Craig Johnson of student affairs said. However, that does not dampen the excitement of students anticipating the grand opening.

“I like the idea; it’s different because all the other (food court stations) are American,” Sammy Cowgill, a sophomore interdisciplinary studies major of Pocahontas, said. “I’ll be there when it opens, that’s for sure!”