ASU alumnus Fares Tarabichi, who is one of the founders of The Crepe Club at ASU, has partnered with dietetics senior Sasha Bayat to open a restaurant concept near campus aimed at health and convenience.
Bayat said the concept for The Bodhi originally started as a meal delivery system that would allow people to have their meals delivered while learning about improving their health. She said it ended up growing into a physical location based on a build-your-own-bowl option. The restaurant will open in the bottom floor of the University House apartments on South College Avenue.
“It fit the notion of putting the power of health back in (someone's) hands,” Bayat said.
Tarabichi said opening multiple restaurants on and around campus has been an intense experience, but that he loves being able to strengthen his connections to ASU.
“You have to be fearless,” Tarabichi said. “You have to be fearless and resilient.”
The location will be open for one day on Nov. 19 for the Ironman Arizona event and then will open for regular business on Nov. 27., Tarabichi said.
The Bodhi will be serving up dishes like the "Heartbeat" salad, made of ingredients which promote cardiovascular health, and the "The Asian" bowl, which will provide immune system support and improve gastrointestinal function, Bayat said.
“Each ingredient that we’ve chosen to be in this facility has a purpose for being here,” Bayat said. “Everything is just honestly and totally good for the function of your body.”
Tarabichi said a meal delivery system is still in the works with The Bodhi, but the storefront offers students and professionals in the area the ability to come in and create their meals and ask questions about nutrition.
“It’s not just pick your base, it’s pick your energy,” Tarabichi said. “We want them to look at it as fuel for your body, not just something that is making you full.”
Tarabichi said it was also important to keep the options affordable and accessible for students, such as $5.95 bowls and grab-and-go options.
“We will be having (grab-and-go) Bodhi items at all Crepe Club locations,” said Tarabichi, who was also involved in the opening of the ASU Crepe Club locations. “A lot of people come and ask for more salad options, more grab-and-go options, healthier options, so this is our solution for that.”
Tanner Brunetti, manager of both on-campus locations of The Crepe Club, said employees will rotate between working at The Bodhi and The Crepe Club.
“We wanted to get them involved in the culture and the environment, so they could see how the process of working here is,” Brunetti said. “That way they can just take it right to Bodhi and hit the ground running.”
Reach the reporter at jlneff1@asu.edu or follow @jennaleeneff on Twitter.
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