Chloe Wright
Junior Editor
When I left my hometown for Sewanee, it wasn’t leaving the comfort of my home and starting a new life that scared me. It was the lack of boba on campus or in a 30-minute radius. How was I supposed to be a cool college girl when I didn’t have a little treat in hand at all times? When I heard that Biehl Commons was opening not only during my freshman year (when I could go all four years) but also on central campus, I was hooked. Then I learned they had boba, and I was enamored.
But to give my opinion on the new student commons area with some validity, I needed to have a tour of the place. I spoke with Ivory Roberts, the Assistant Director of Student Programs, and Tanya Ingvoldstad Otero, the Biehl Cafe manager, about what inspired the menu and look of the location.
The space is quite large and open, especially the common area. Roberts said the place was designed as “classic”, “modern”, and at the same time, “not out of place” on a campus like Sewanee’s. The large windows were a nice touch, letting in natural light and making the space seem larger and, by extension, more welcoming. Other rooms in the commons had lots of seating, some game tables, and a good amount of space to socialize. It’s not impossible to study here (I’ve done it before), but Biehl was very obviously not designed for that purpose.
The other spots in the commons seemed very polished, clean, and designed with intent. A powerful electric fireplace in the “Christmassy area,” as described by Roberts, definitely solidified the feeling of “Hey, I can hang out here with my friends!”
The two parts I’m anticipating the most are the video game consoles: a PS5 and a Nintendo Switch. Roberts mentioned that they have the consoles and will install them in late February. I was initially confused about the logistics of having one PS5 for more than a thousand undergraduate students, but here’s the scoop: there will be an open account owned by Biehl itself that anyone can use and sign into. I am still curious about how in-game purchases would (or, most likely, wouldn’t) work, but with an account like this, we could even have a school-wide tournament!
Now, let’s talk about the food! After seeing the dumplings and spring rolls on the menu, I knew I had to order them. They came out on a pretty wide tray, which made the small shareable look even smaller than they already were. However, they tasted great! I had them with the sweet chili sauce which completely elevated the flavor. I think they are better with the sauce than without, but regardless we now have access to more Asian fare.
Now, the moment you may or may not have been waiting for: the boba. They have a plethora of flavors, and luckily they have my favorite (strawberry!). I was surprised when trying the flavors that mango came out on top as the better flavor. Also, the strawberry popping bubbles, while rich and delicious, were hard to drink. You had to wait until you finished the milk tea itself and then gather the bubbles at the bottom. Maybe it’s a skill issue on my part. I was a tad disappointed in the flavorless tapioca pearls, but they are still nice to have.
I was impressed by the amount of flavors on the menu, and now that they have lemonade to add to the mix, even more combinations are possible! If you want more flavor from the syrup, go for 100% sugar. More flavor from the black tea? Go for 50%. The intentionality behind how simplistic the ingredients are (meaning there are no obnoxious powders, just baseline ones like tea and milk) makes it taste very authentic and refreshing.
Mainly, I was very pleased to see more global options, as that was Otero’s intent. The design of Biehl Commons reflects its main goal: to unite students and give them a place to connect. International students were kept in the front of the designers’ minds when playing multiple international music genres (like dancehall and Latin pop) and having non-American menu items. Here, everyone is welcome, regardless of background. Otero plans on growing the menu and the hours. In just the first week of Biehl’s opening, the hours increased slightly and Lemonade was added as a boba option. described the menu as “a little taste of home, even if it’s not authentic.”
For a place that is “for the students, by the students,” as Ivory puts it, I felt welcomed not only by the vibe of the building but also by the cafe workers. When the time comes, I don’t need a PSL but rather an SBWTPAOHPS (strawberry boba with tapioca pearls and one hundred percent sugar). It doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well, but it tastes much better.