Back in my days as a freshman, I fondly remember a little restaurant known as the Storm Surge café. Their offering of Hispanic favorites, such as tostadas and café Cubano, were among the best treats in the entire campus, and their prices were more than fair. Their two pool tables and small television were enough to provide more atmosphere than that of the current Oasis Deli.
Now I’m not saying that the Oasis is bad (they are actually very good as well), but listen to this analogy. Once upon a time, there was a little stadium known as the Orange Bowl. Despite its uncomfortable student section seating and its faults, the University of Miami student body wholeheartedly embraced their beloved stadium, and the Orange Bowl became the birthplace of many great football players and memories.
Then one day, for many different reasons, our beloved stadium was torn down. The University of Miami football team then moved to “Joe Robbie Stadium” (this is the only true name for the stadium; the name Land Shark Stadium is nothing but a marketing lie!) and it was … good. The seats were definitely nicer, but many UM fans couldn’t help but feel the administration sold its soul to the devil.
In the end, we ended up with a nicer stadium, but it was not truly our own. Ladies and gentlemen, this analogy perfectly explains my feelings about the replacement of the Storm Surge café with the Oasis Deli.
Oasis undoubtedly serves an important function as being one of the only kosher restaurants in the area, but does that mean the administration needed to take away the wonderful Hispanic food that once reigned supreme? Now the only place nearby to get Hispanic food is Salsaritas, and that restaurant is about as Hispanic as Nascar.
I want to propose one of the most incredible mergers of all time: “The Oasis Storm.” With its mixture of delicious kosher food and Hispanic flavor, the Oasis Storm could become the greatest restaurant in all of UM, nay the world. Beloved Oasis, all I ask for is the return of tostadas, café Cubano and of courses, pastelitos.
Alexander Rafuls is a senior majoring in English. He may be contacted at arafuls@themiamihurricane.com.