NOCTILUCA June 2016

CULTURE

Appleton, Wisconsin June 2016 Vol. XXI

Issue III

Page 9

As we go on: 4must-listen graduation songs

Restaurant in review: Katsu-ya of Japan

The school year is wind-

ing down and with it comes

nal exams, last-minute

nostalgia and celebration

for seniors throughout the

school, and with celebra-

tion comes an inherent need

for playlists. Whether they

be for formal graduation

parties or just for the av-

erage “let’s-go-insane-be-

cause-high-school-is-over”

shindigs, the perfect party

needs the perfect songs.

Here is a list of the top

best songs to satisfy every

senior’s graduation blues.

“Don’t You (Forget About

Me)” by Simple Minds

Best known as that one

song from The Break-

fast Club, Simple Mind’s

“Don’t You (Forget About

Me)” is as iconic for grad-

uation as it is reminis-

cent of the shoulder pads

and

uffed-up hair of the

1980s. Lyrics like, “Slow

change may pull us apart,

I’ll get us back together at

heart, baby,” will give de-

parting seniors a little sense

of hope for the next few

months, that true friend-

ships will last the test of

time. On graduation day,

seniors may even be seen

leaving the gym with their

st in the gym, revealing

their amazing music taste

and con

dence as new

North alumni.

“Graduation (Friends

Forever)” by Vitamin C

This pick should be a

no-brainer. As if the title

wasn’t evidence enough as

to why this song belongs

on this list, the lyrics will

resonate with any gradu-

ating senior. Questions

like, “Can we survive it

out there? Can we make it

somehow?” Have been in

the minds of every senior

these past few months, as

featured in the song, but

the rest of the quiet 90s jam

prove the determination

that many have to remain in

touch during college years.

“Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC

While this song may seem

like something pulled out

of a 2000 teen

ick, “Bye

Bye Bye” is a must for

Katsu-ya is located in downtown Appleton, right

across the street from the Fox Cities Performing Arts

Center.

Photo by Rachel Sina

anyone feeling a little nos-

talgic. With their boy band

dynamic and upbeat tem-

pos, NSYNC make the per-

fect group to listen to when

you’re looking for a blast

from the past. This more

vengeful song is perfect for

anyone looking to move on

from any nasty social en-

counters during their high

school career. Any advice

on cutting off toxic friend-

ships should be addressed

The Restaurant

Katsu-ya of Japan is a

Japanese hibachi restaurant

with a sushi bar and a unique

atmosphere. Located in

downtown Appleton at 338

W. College Ave, this restau-

rant was founded in 1988.

Recently remodeled and re-

located directly across from

the Fox Cities Performing

Arts Center, Katsu-ya serves

a wide variety of main dish

hibachi options including

seafood, steak, and chicken.

Sides like fried rice and shii-

take mushrooms are offered

as well.

The Atmosphere

The restaurant is dark and

warm, but lively and

lled

with conversation. Each

room has a small curtain at

the entrance that goes down

about a foot from the top of

the door frame. Large samu-

rai masks adorn the walls

and other decorations add to

the authentic environment.

Before dishes are served,

hot towels are given to the

By Jacob Zajkowski

customers for them to clean

their hands. They are passed

from one side of the table to

the other on a platter, with

each person taking one. Af-

ter everyone is done, the

towels are put back on the

platter and sent to the origi-

nal side where it is picked up

by a waiter.

The Meal

For those of who are ask-

ing, “What is hibachi?” I

have just the answer. A large

metal panel is used as a grill.

The grill is right in front of

the customers as the chefs

prepare their meals for them.

The chefs even perform

tricks to entertain them.

An interesting one is when

they stack onion slices up,

pour oil inside and ignite it,

creating a burst of

ames.

Many of their tricks involve

ames, but they also spin

their knifes around or juggle

their other various cook-

ing utensils. For the meal,

a warm beef broth is served

beforehand. This simple yet

tasty soup helps to draw

any customer’s palate into

the food that is to come.

When I was there, I ordered

the salmon which was very

tasty. I also ordered the fried

rice, which was expertly

prepared before my eyes in-

cluding the cracking of an

egg into the rice by

ipping

it through the air and onto

the chef’s knife.

The Prices

Prices for most meals are

about $20-$35 and include

the soup, appetizer shrimp

and the main dish with veg-

etables. This is a small price

to pay for the wonderful at-

mosphere and culinary de-

lights.

The Staff

With reservations, you are

seated almost immediately.

The waiters are friendly and

work quickly, coming out

to check on the tables every

few minutes. The chefs are

limited, but expertly trained,

the one that cooked for me

being trained in the culinary

arts in Japan. The chefs are

talkative and charismatic,

and will talk to any customer

with ease.

The Small Things

Reservations are recom-

mended for larger parties as

tables are shared with other

groups. Don’t worry though,

each table can hold about ten

people, so if you plan ahead

you can get most of the table

to yourself. Another thing to

note is that this is not a meal

that you can grab and go.

These dishes are meant to be

enjoyed slowly with friends

and family. Also, the waiter

and the chef are two differ-

ent people, so a tip left would

have to accommodate for

both of their services. Learn

more at www.nakashimas.

com. Hours vary by the day,

but they are generally open

from 5 PM to 10 PM.

The Rating

4/5

The delicious and intrigu-

ing meals and lively atmo-

sphere give the restaurant a

deserving four stars. How-

ever, pricing and speed keep

it from being a

ve.

Senior Rachel Flom listens to music on the dock of

the school pond for her last year at North.

Illustration

by Maddy Schilling

By Maddy Schilling and

Rachel Flom

towards Justin Timberlake,

the king of drama himself.

“Five Years Time”-Noah

and the Whale

Sure, “Five Years Time”

is more than anything a love

song that tugs at the heart-

strings of acoustic indie

music lovers. Nonetheless,

it is also a testament to the

unexpected nature of the

future as well as the hopes

and dreams that people

hold onto with gusto. Char-

lie Fink’s voice is beautiful,

Laura Marling backing ac-

companiments are wistful,

and the whole track rings

of summer, thoughtfulness

and wish ful

llment. What

better way to start out both

the summer and post-high

school life?

Also, if these songs don’t

quite do the trick, ironi-

cally playing Kanye West’s

“Graduation” is always an

option.

Happy listening!

Mon-Thurs 5-10 p.m.

Fri

5-10:30 p.m.

Sat

4:30-10:30 p.m.

Sun 4-9 p.m.