 
This month: Katana-Ya Ramen 10546 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito (510)528-1678 Da' Pository: Cheap eats and the broth goes down really well. Da' Negatory: Limited seating and miniscule complimentary jello dessert (complimentary so I shouldn't complain?) Convenience Score: 7. On San Pablo but you still might miss it if you don't look closely. Price: $6 for dumpling ramen Winter is approaching, which, unfortunately, means cold season is just around the corner . Although we try to stay warm and take measures to prevent infection, for some of us it is a lost cause, as somehow we still manage to catch the bug. Coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and days of lost productivity are the unfortunate result. It's not always a bad thing though. We get to stay in, lie in bed watching our favorite shows and drinking soup- lots and lots of soup. Well sometimes we might get sick of drinking soup. When that's the case, there are alternatives that are just as effective. Like ramen. Tasty noodles with fresh vegetables in a soothing broth can be just the thing to make one feel just a little bit better. If you'd like to get a little more punch from your ramen than your average store bought type, Katana-Ya Ramen in El Cerrito may be the solution. Katana-Ya Ramen, is a ramen house but they also serve a diverse array of Japanese cuisine, including sushi. Located on San Pablo within a strip mall (next to JayVee liquor), Katana-Ya is not much to look at at from the outside and could easily be missed driving by if you didn't look out for it. The inside of the restaurant is pretty nice and looks like your standard Japanese restaurant. The place is packed in the evenings and you may be forced to sit at the sushi bar. Even though the place is rather small and full of people, it is pretty quiet nonetheless and may be a good place for a family outing. As for the menu, it is rather extensive, and includes illustrations. I decided on the dumpling ramen, which included pork dumplings and cut vegetables. My bowl of ramen looked impressive upon first inspection. I got a big bowl of noodles, with ample dumplings. It also came with a side of kimchee and wasabe for added spice. The broth was tasty and went down well. The noodles were thin, yet oddly had a lot of substance, and were of a decent quality- much better than the store bought type. The dumplings were a nice addition. They added dimension to the meal but didn't didn't do much more than play that role. There was also some spinach and green onions in the broth for added flavor. It was nice to drink the broth after consuming the noodles and is best to drink down slowly and mindfully. Overall Katana-Ya is a nice place to go to and cheap too. It's nothing special really but good if you have a craving for noodles or just sick of Campbells. The staff is pretty friendly, but the service is lacking, as my friend who inquired about vegetarian plates still got two thick slabs of meat in his soup. But overall, I'd recommend giving it a try.
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