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17.232 Sushi Dinner

katch4246

Cycle 17 – Item 232

Post 6,076

25 (Tue) August 2026

Sushi Dinner

3.5

at Kirala

-Berkeley, California, USA-

with DJ, Hahn + Kaityln, Christian

Feathering the (Kid’s New) Nest: Day 7 of 9

In Berkeley.  DJ, upon finishing his freshman year at Cal, has moved out of the dorms and rented an apartment.  Though my parents didn’t (physically) help to furnish my first apartment (financially, yes), DJ seemed hopelessly lost on what needed to be done and utterly incapable of getting it done, so here I am.  Always happy for an excuse to visit Berkeley – 3rd year in a row (see previously 16.228 Korean Beef Short Rib with Vegetables Wraps; 15.182 Top). Mission accomplished, for the most part.

LUNCH

Crossroads is a dining hall at Cal.  According to DJ, everyone calls it “Croads.”

Located on the corner of Channing Way and Bowditch St, 1 block away from DJ’s former dorm.

For my final lunch in town, I finally got a chance to see where DJ had eaten most of his meals as a freshman.

The biggest dining hall at Cal.

It had been a point of contention in deciding how much to give DJ for spending money last year.  I’d proposed $500 a month, which admittedly wasn’t a lot, given the high cost of living in Berkeley, but more than enough to survive, especially as he was in the dorm and on a full meal plan, already paid for ($3,277.50 per semester) – and knowing how well stocked American college dining halls are, even at a public school.  W was appalled, saying that “all” the other kids from SIS were getting $2,000 on average (not true, not even close), and lamenting that DJ shouldn’t be forced to eat cafeteria slop all the time – this, given her experience with the trays of rice and soup and kimchi at Korean university (see for example 2.343 The Final Cafeteria Dinner of 2011).  But I knew that the dining halls would offer tasty, varied, and nutritious options.  And frankly, I believe that college students should struggle a bit.  So we settled on $800.
Every meal service includes a rotating entree: today, grilled chicken and shredded pork tacos with all the fixings, including sour cream and guacamole.

I was right.

An Asian corner offers daily rice bowls: today, chicken teriyaki with mushrooms.

THE APARTMENT

DJ’s is now a bonafide resident of Berkeley with his name on the lease of his own studio apartment.

Located on Blake St, between Dana St and Ellsworth St.

After a final afternoon push, we finished the assembly, just before dinner.

May not look like much, but the combined expenditures from 5 trips to IKEA + 2 trips to Target + 1 trip to Best Buy = $5,111.45.

With (my) airfare, hotel stays, and car rental, not including food, the total damage was close to $10,000.  You’re welcome.

DINNER

Kirala is a Japanese restaurant.  Offers a wide range of items, from sushi to teriyaki bowls.  Founded 1989.

Located on the corner of Shattuck Ave and Ward St.

Back in my day, Kirala was our go-to venue for Japanese.  The food was good, prices relatively cheap.  Most of the customers were students, Asian students.  Sushi had already gone mainstream by the mid-90s in America, at least in big cities, though not quite so popular among old white people.

Mostly old white people.

Our party of 5 included 4 Golden Bears: me, DJ (sophomore), Kaitlyn (senior), and Christian (freshman); and 1 Bruin: Hahn – the only Asians in the joint.  Shoulda taken a photo.

As DJ rightly pointed out, the name of the restaurant should be “Kirara.”

I’m pretty sure that Kirala is where I’d tried spicy tuna roll for the first time in my life.

Spicy Tuna Roll (4.0): for old time’s sake.

Afterwards, we went back to the apartment, where I hugged DJ goodbye: “This is where I leave you.”

Hahn dropped me off at SFO on his way back to Los Altos.

(See RESTAURANTS IN USA)

(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See BOOZE)

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