"AFTER A FUN COUPLE OF HOURS AT SHIBA RAMEN ON A THURSDAY, MAKENNA ARASE, AND I, AVA LOSEE-UNGER, DECIDED TO MAKE IT WEEKLY, VISITING AND RATING A NEW RESTAURANT EVERY WEEK." - AVA LOSEE-UNGER AND MAKENNA ARASE
After a fun couple of hours at Shiba Ramen on a Thursday, Makenna Arase, and I, Ava Losee-Unger, decided to make it weekly. We decided to visit and rate a new restaurant every week. Our experience has always been delightful so far, and we have yet to visit a restaurant we weren’t happy with. We also decided to look into the December holidays of the ethnic origins of each restaurant. After some deliberation, we have rated the following restaurants near OSA. Note: all ratings are based on food quality.
Itani Ramen, 1736 Telegraph Ave, Oakland
Itani is a Japanese Ramen shop just down the street from OSA. Easy, quick, and delicious, this shop specializes in not only ramen. They serve several appetizers, rice bowls, lunch meal sets, and drinks, along with the large assortment of cheap Japanese street desserts in a refrigerated vending machine across from the counter.
With a price of $14-16 for ramen, we can give it about an 8/10 for pricing. This price may inconvenience some as a bowl of ramen, an appetizer, and a drink could be pricey. As for customer service, seating, and distance, all could be given an 9-10/10. Staff were very polite, quick, and made light conversation. The distance is maybe two stop lights away and the seating was open, no waits. We were able to seat ourselves. We thoroughly enjoyed Itani Ramen and were quite full after.
Itani Ramen, 1736 Telegraph Ave, Oakland
Itani is a Japanese Ramen shop just down the street from OSA. Easy, quick, and delicious, this shop specializes in not only ramen. They serve several appetizers, rice bowls, lunch meal sets, and drinks, along with the large assortment of cheap Japanese street desserts in a refrigerated vending machine across from the counter.
With a price of $14-16 for ramen, we can give it about an 8/10 for pricing. This price may inconvenience some as a bowl of ramen, an appetizer, and a drink could be pricey. As for customer service, seating, and distance, all could be given an 9-10/10. Staff were very polite, quick, and made light conversation. The distance is maybe two stop lights away and the seating was open, no waits. We were able to seat ourselves. We thoroughly enjoyed Itani Ramen and were quite full after.
As for Japanese December traditions, the birthday of Japanese Emperor Akihito is celebrated on December 23rd. It is known as “Tennou Tanjyobi” in Japan and falls on a Sunday. On this day, a public ceremony takes place at the Imperial Palace, where the gates of the palace are opened to public traffic (the Imperial Palace is usually off limits to the public). The Emperor, accompanied by the Empress, and several other members of the imperial family appear on a palace balcony to wave and smile at the Japanese crowds below. Only on this occasion and on 2 January may the general public enter the inner grounds of the Imperial Palace.
Anula's Cafe, 1319 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612
Last Thursday, we visited Anula’s Cafe, a Sri Lankan cafe about a ten minute walk from school. Although a small shop, the options were plentiful. Overall, the menu consisted of smoothies, sandwiches, snacks, soups, hot food, salads, vegetarian, beverages, and coffee galore.
The pricing was a 7/10, as the lot of the menu (for entrees) was $8-12 and could come as pricey to someone looking to grab a quick, five-dollar sandwich. The food was an 8/10, as it was street food that one could eat on the go, not gourmet, five-star full meals. Seating was in short supply, as there were maybe two or three tables outside and a small counter with five seats. We’d give this seating a 6/10. The staff were polite and quick with food.
Last Thursday, we visited Anula’s Cafe, a Sri Lankan cafe about a ten minute walk from school. Although a small shop, the options were plentiful. Overall, the menu consisted of smoothies, sandwiches, snacks, soups, hot food, salads, vegetarian, beverages, and coffee galore.
The pricing was a 7/10, as the lot of the menu (for entrees) was $8-12 and could come as pricey to someone looking to grab a quick, five-dollar sandwich. The food was an 8/10, as it was street food that one could eat on the go, not gourmet, five-star full meals. Seating was in short supply, as there were maybe two or three tables outside and a small counter with five seats. We’d give this seating a 6/10. The staff were polite and quick with food.
Sri Lankan December Holidays are few, but interesting. One is December 22nd, a holiday called “Unduvap Full Moon Poya”, which takes place during a full moon of Unduvap, the ninth month in the Sinhalese Calendar. It celebrates the arrival of the Bo tree sapling in Anuradhapura, brought by Ashoka’s daughter, Sangamitta. Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment by meditating under a Bodhi Tree in Bihar, India. In the 3rd century BC, Sangamitta Theri, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka brought a sapling from this Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka, arriving on Unduvap Poya day. There’s also Christmas, and Tamil Thai Pongal Day which is basically Thanksgiving in January.
Xolo La Taqueria,
The week before Anula’s Cafe was a Mexican restaurant called Xolo La Taqueria. If you go to OSA, there’s a good chance you’ve seen outside the window, as it’s right across the street. So for that major convenience, we gave it a 10/10 for distance.
When Ava and I first walked in, the first thing we noticed was how big it actually was compared to the storefront. There are plenty of seats to sit your party, so seating was a 10/10. For the price, it was a little expensive (Ex:$3.85 per taco) but maybe I’m just a broke middle school student. Either way, it was a 7/10 for pricing. The wait actually wasn’t that long once we found our seats, and the new emptiness in my wallet was definitely worth it once I tried the food. 10/10. No questions. The customer service was really good, and the cashier was patient while I searched for something I could actually pronounce. The total score is a 47/50, making Xolo’s definitely someplace that you should visit.
The week before Anula’s Cafe was a Mexican restaurant called Xolo La Taqueria. If you go to OSA, there’s a good chance you’ve seen outside the window, as it’s right across the street. So for that major convenience, we gave it a 10/10 for distance.
When Ava and I first walked in, the first thing we noticed was how big it actually was compared to the storefront. There are plenty of seats to sit your party, so seating was a 10/10. For the price, it was a little expensive (Ex:$3.85 per taco) but maybe I’m just a broke middle school student. Either way, it was a 7/10 for pricing. The wait actually wasn’t that long once we found our seats, and the new emptiness in my wallet was definitely worth it once I tried the food. 10/10. No questions. The customer service was really good, and the cashier was patient while I searched for something I could actually pronounce. The total score is a 47/50, making Xolo’s definitely someplace that you should visit.
Now for Christmas in Mexico. It’s celebrated from December 12 to January 6, which is something I’m insanely jealous at. From December 16 to Christmas Eve, children perform "Posada" processions or Posadas. If you didn’t know, Posada means "Inn" or "Lodging" in Spanish. There are nine Posadas. Now this gets a little complicated, so try to hang on.
They celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Mary and Joseph are looking for somewhere to stay. The outsides of houses are decorated in evergreens, moss and paper lanterns to celebrate the Posadas.
In each Posada, children are given candles and bread, with painted clay figures of Mary and Joseph to go around the streets with. They go to the houses of friends and neighbors and sing a song about Mary and Joseph asking for a room in the house. At first they are teased and told to go away, but then are let inside for the party! Each night a different house holds the Posada Party, and on the final Posada, which is Christmas Eve, the house hosting the party puts out a manger and figures of shepherds on the board. When the house is found, a baby Jesus is put in the manger and everyone goes to a midnight Church service to celebrate the start of Christmas. Pinatas are also very important in the holiday, and very popular.
Something that is also very popular are "Nativity Scenes", also known as "nacimiento". They are often very large since the figures being life-sized! They are passed down through the family, made out of clay, and sometimes have an entire room in the house dedicated to them. They are figures of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds, and the Three Kings, though there are also many other different kinds.
Christmas Eve is known as "Noche Buena" and is a family day. Some of the foods served are: Pozole (a thick soup made with hominy, chicken or pork and chilies with is topped with greens), roast turkey, roast pork, tamales, bacalao (salt cod), romeritos (a green vegetable that's cooked in a mole sauce with potatoes and shrimps) and there are normally salads served as side dishes such as Ensalada Nochebuena (Christmas Eve salad). For dessert bunuelos are very popular, they are fried pastries sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon or a hot sugar syrup.
This is only a small and very brief overview of Christmas in Mexico, so I highly recommend you look check it out for yourself!
They celebrate the part of the Christmas story where Mary and Joseph are looking for somewhere to stay. The outsides of houses are decorated in evergreens, moss and paper lanterns to celebrate the Posadas.
In each Posada, children are given candles and bread, with painted clay figures of Mary and Joseph to go around the streets with. They go to the houses of friends and neighbors and sing a song about Mary and Joseph asking for a room in the house. At first they are teased and told to go away, but then are let inside for the party! Each night a different house holds the Posada Party, and on the final Posada, which is Christmas Eve, the house hosting the party puts out a manger and figures of shepherds on the board. When the house is found, a baby Jesus is put in the manger and everyone goes to a midnight Church service to celebrate the start of Christmas. Pinatas are also very important in the holiday, and very popular.
Something that is also very popular are "Nativity Scenes", also known as "nacimiento". They are often very large since the figures being life-sized! They are passed down through the family, made out of clay, and sometimes have an entire room in the house dedicated to them. They are figures of Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds, and the Three Kings, though there are also many other different kinds.
Christmas Eve is known as "Noche Buena" and is a family day. Some of the foods served are: Pozole (a thick soup made with hominy, chicken or pork and chilies with is topped with greens), roast turkey, roast pork, tamales, bacalao (salt cod), romeritos (a green vegetable that's cooked in a mole sauce with potatoes and shrimps) and there are normally salads served as side dishes such as Ensalada Nochebuena (Christmas Eve salad). For dessert bunuelos are very popular, they are fried pastries sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon or a hot sugar syrup.
This is only a small and very brief overview of Christmas in Mexico, so I highly recommend you look check it out for yourself!
Little Giants Ice Cream, 1951 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Finally, Little Giants Ice Cream. Ironically, this was the first restaurant we visited in our food adventure. Little Giant’s is a cute ice cream shop only about a block from school. Distance is a 10/10, and so is the customer service. To be completely honest, the price is ridiculous, especially for students like me, so a 4/10. The price range is $8-10+. And I say 10+, because I saw on the menu you could get something for $40. The seating is cute, because they’re little picnic tables, but kind of cramped and hard to get out of, so I gave an 8/10. The food is good, considering that it’s ice cream, but that’s it. Sure, there are toppings, but I was still expecting something like sherbet or sorbet. The menu range is kind of disappointing, but it changes frequently, so that’s up to you to judge. We gave the food an 8/10, making the total a sum of 40/50.
Finally, Little Giants Ice Cream. Ironically, this was the first restaurant we visited in our food adventure. Little Giant’s is a cute ice cream shop only about a block from school. Distance is a 10/10, and so is the customer service. To be completely honest, the price is ridiculous, especially for students like me, so a 4/10. The price range is $8-10+. And I say 10+, because I saw on the menu you could get something for $40. The seating is cute, because they’re little picnic tables, but kind of cramped and hard to get out of, so I gave an 8/10. The food is good, considering that it’s ice cream, but that’s it. Sure, there are toppings, but I was still expecting something like sherbet or sorbet. The menu range is kind of disappointing, but it changes frequently, so that’s up to you to judge. We gave the food an 8/10, making the total a sum of 40/50.
Since you probably have the basics of the Christmas story, and Mexico’s Christmas is quite closely related to ours, you have a refresher. So I decided to do something different and give some fun facts about Christmas in different parts of the United States!
In Hawaii, Santa is called Kanakaloka, and in Philadelphia, a Mummers Day Parade lasts over six hours on New Year’s Day. Clubs called “New Years Associations” perform in costumes and fit into four categories: Comics, Fancies, String Bands and Fancy Brigades. They are judged on multiple things during the parade.
In south Louisiana, small communities along the Mississippi River light bonfires to help ‘Papa Noel’ find his way to their homes.
In Hawaii, Santa is called Kanakaloka, and in Philadelphia, a Mummers Day Parade lasts over six hours on New Year’s Day. Clubs called “New Years Associations” perform in costumes and fit into four categories: Comics, Fancies, String Bands and Fancy Brigades. They are judged on multiple things during the parade.
In south Louisiana, small communities along the Mississippi River light bonfires to help ‘Papa Noel’ find his way to their homes.
To visit all of these wonderful cafes and restaurants, find:
Itani Ramen: 1736 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Xolo La Taqueria: 1916 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Little Giants Ice Cream: 1951 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Anula’s Cafe: 1319 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612
Itani Ramen: 1736 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Xolo La Taqueria: 1916 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Little Giants Ice Cream: 1951 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
Anula’s Cafe: 1319 Franklin St, Oakland, CA 94612
