As students at UC Berkeley are departing for Spring Break on March 18th, the last true light of Caldining will close its doors. I'm talking about that unusually cramped and misplaced Cafe housed inside Wurster Hall — Ramona's Cafe.
I've always felt a personal connection to Ramona's. It took me a few months to even find it freshmen year because I had no business in Wurster Hall, which to me has always vaguely resembled a prison. But by some chance of the universe, I found Ramona's early one Friday morning on the way to my 8 a.m. discussion while a combination of hungry and tried. I walked through its concrete bordered doors and after picking up an everything bagel with cream cheese... I was hooked.
It was conveniently located close to the dorms, less chaotic than GBC, and situated in the perfect part of campus for noontime people watching. I soon realized that Ramona's had something for every craving my body could procure. Want to eat something healthy? Fruit cups, yogurts, and humus packs wished away the freshmen 15. Want something sweet? Please turn your attention to the bigger than your face Zoe's cookies stocked by the register. Need something that isn't a generic Caldining wrap? Let me introduce you to Ramona's grilled paninis and chicken bowls.
Now Caldining is shutting Ramona's down to be replaced by a Vietnamese restaurant, headed by an SF restaurant owner and Berkeley alum. It will feature healthy and sustainable food, shifting yet another dining location on campus to become more trendy and attractive to non-college students. And although I support the improvement of food on campus, there is still much to miss in the disappearance of the fryers at GBC, a Pat Browns that still had Pat in the name, and Ramona's Cafe waiting for me after class.
Ramona's was much more than a place to get food. It was being forced to socialize with classmates while you wait for your panini order number to be called. Getting asked "brown or white rice" by the same lady every day before consuming questionable quality teriyaki chicken. A place of escape from the rain to study in the poorly lit eating area. Scavenging the seemingly always empty stock of snacks on the shelves, or the comfort of a cookie and large coffee before a midterm.
This week I will celebrate the end of a great era by eating a different Zoe's cookie there every day and trying all the flavors I was always too scared to try, because what can beat snickerdoodle? I bid a farewell to you Ramona's and all your mediocre — yet consistent — food that you served to the students of UC Berkeley during your time of operation. And after March 18th... I guess you'll find me at GBC.
