Shoki Ramen House

Shoki Ramen House is another restaurant that I might never have tried if I weren't writing this blog.  My only previous experience with ramen was those little packages of dried noodles with seasoning packets that you can get at the grocery store for about 25 cents.  Since I never liked that type of ramen, I couldn't imagine why I'd want to go to a restaurant where ramen was the only thing on the menu.

Besides, the Shoki Ramen House on 24th Street in the Curtis Park neighborhood always has a line of people outside waiting to get in, which looks very intimidating.  I had no idea how long I'd have to wait, or what to expect if I ever did get inside.  But I kept hearing that there was a vegan broth option, so I finally decided to check it out so I could write a blog article about it.

Imagine my excitement when I drove past the 24th Street location at lunchtime yesterday and there was no line outside!  I must have timed this just right, I thought smugly to myself.  And then I noticed the big red "CLOSED" sign in the window.  Oh.  Undaunted, I drove to the new Shoki Ramen House location at 12th and R, and pulled into the last open space in the parking lot.

The place was packed, but people seemed to move in and out fairly quickly, so I only had to wait a couple of minutes for a table.  I quickly located the vegan options on the second page of the menu:  vegan ramen or spicy vegan ramen.  I ordered the vegan ramen at the medium hot spice level.  The broth is served over regular or whole wheat noodles (I ordered the regular, but I'm looking forward to trying the whole wheat noodles on my next visit), and topped with spinach, bamboo shoots, green onions, and a piece of seaweed.  Other items can be added at an extra cost, so I added tofu and corn.  I would have added shiitake mushrooms, but because of the way they're prepared, they are not vegan.  Most of the ramen comes in small, medium, or large sizes, but the vegan ramen is available only in the regular size, which turned out to be considerably more than I could eat in one sitting. 

The broth was hearty and subtly flavored, and the chewy noodles were plentiful.  I had expected the broth to be very salty, but it wasn't.  And I really liked the texture and taste of the added corn.  A sign on the wall of the restaurant explains that each type of broth takes between 6 and 8 hours to make, so it's clear that ramen is a labor of love for the chef.  I'm sorry I took so long to give Shoki Ramen House a try!

Shoki Ramen House has two locations.  The downtown location is at 1201 R Street, and the phone number is 916-441-0011.  This location is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and for dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  It's open for lunch on Saturday from noon to 3:00 p.m., and for dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.  On Sunday, the restaurant is open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Curtis Park location is at 2675 24th Street, and the phone number is 916-454-2411.  It's open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  It's open for lunch Saturday from noon to 3:00 p.m. and for dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  It is closed on Sunday and at lunchtime on Monday. 

The website address for Shoki Ramen House is http://www.shokiramenhouse.com/, but it only lists their hours of operation.  It does not include an online menu.

Sacramento Vegan Is Taking a Long Weekend

Blogging will resume on Tuesday.

Downtown's Kitchen at the Round Corner

Recently, I heard from a few different sources about a new place that was advertising its BBQ vs. vegan menu.  The restaurant is called Downtown's Kitchen, and it's located inside the Round Corner, a bar at the corner of 24th and S.  I had to laugh when I looked at their website, which says:  "Going out with friends can sometimes be a problem if you are vegan, or vegetarian, where do you go with your carnivore eating friends?"  Which, of course, is the whole reason I started this blog!

So I had to check it out, and I'm so glad I did!  There really are two different sets of menu selections:  one for vegans and vegetarians, and one for carnivores that includes the non-vegetarian barbecue selections.  I decided to live dangerously, and I ordered the Vegan Boca Bacon Cheese Burger Combo, complete with vegan cheese, veggie bacon, and fries.  It was delicious!  I guess I've never tried veggie bacon before, but if I'd known that it was going to taste so much like the real thing, I'd certainly have tried it before now.

I also ordered two vegan lumpia, a kind of spring roll filled with chopped up vegetables.  They were fresh and crisp and very tasty.

Other vegan options at Downtown's Kitchen include potato tacos (hold the sour cream and ask for vegan cheese); grilled cheese sandwich if ordered with vegan cheese; tofu rice bowl; tofu sandwich; falafel sandwich; veggie chef salad; and various fried appetizers (I'll definitely try the fried tofu stix the next time I'm there!).  Since the next question is bound to be whether they cook their vegan fried foods in the same oil that they've used to cook the meat, I'll quote directly from their website:  "We use organic tofu and cook no meat in our deep fryer, and have special veggie pans for dedicated vegan/vegetarian meals.   We promise to cook every meal with love and attention!"  What more could I ask?

Downtown's Kitchen is located at 2333 S Street.  Their phone number is 916-455-4100, and their website address is http://downtownskitchenbbqvsvegan.com/.  They're open seven days a week during bar hours, which is about 11:00 a.m. until around 1:00 a.m.  Since Downtown's Kitchen operates from inside a bar, no one under the age of 21 is allowed on the premises, so families with children will want to order their food to go.  Curbside pick-up is available. 

Scott's on the River

UPDATE: WHEN I WROTE THIS BLOG POST IN 2011, I HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE STAFF AT SCOTT'S ON THE RIVER THAT THEIR CAPELLINI WAS VEGAN. NOW I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NOT. THEY ORDER THE PASTA FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE AND THINK THAT IT MAY CONTAIN EGGS. EVEN IF IT DOESN'T, THE CHEF AT SCOTT'S ADDS BUTTER TO THIS DISH, FOR SOME REASON. THIS MEANS THAT THERE ARE NO VEGAN OPTIONS ON THE MENU AT SCOTT'S. UPON REQUEST, THEY WILL MAKE GRILLED VEGETABLES OR A STIR FRY WITH RICE NOODLES.

ALSO, THE SCOTT'S SEAFOOD LOCATION ON MUNROE HAS CLOSED.

I don't know about you, but all of my friends seem to want to go to Scott's on the River these days.  What's not to like?  It's a lovely dining venue, and it's one of the few restaurants in Sacramento to take advantage of the fact that the city has a waterfront.

The Scott's Seafood chain, of course, is known for its fish.  But is there anything there that a vegan can eat while sipping on one of the many fabulous wines they offer?  This seems to be an issue that Scott's has wrestled with throughout the years.  I remember when the Scott's location at Loehmann's Plaza began offering vegan prawns on their menu several years ago.  I think it was the only restaurant in the Scott's chain to serve that particular dish, and I only had it a couple of times before they discontinued the item.  But I appreciated the fact that they made the effort.

The vegan prawns may not be on the menu anymore, but there is still one vegan item on the Scott's menu:  the Capellini Provencal, a dish consisting of angel hair pasta in a sauce made of tomatoes, onions, capers, kalamata olives, garlic, herbs, and olive oil.  It's listed in the "Small Plates" section of the menu, and it really is quite small, so if you're hungry, you'll need to either fill up on the complimentary sourdough bread, or order one of the salads as a first course and ask them to omit all the non-vegan parts. 

I can't say that Scott's on the River is my favorite place to eat from a food standpoint, but since I love sitting outside with my friends and family, sipping wine, and gazing at the beautiful Sacramento River, I'm glad to know that there's something on the menu that seems to have been created for people like me.

Scott's on the River is located at 4350 B Riverside Boulevard.  Their phone number is 916-379-5959, and their website address is http://www.scottsseafood.net/locations/river/restaurant/.  They are open for breakfast Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (looks like your best bets on the breakfast menu are the fresh fruit, oatmeal without milk, and toast without butter); lunch Monday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; dinner Monday through Sunday from 3:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and brunch Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (not much for a vegan on the brunch menu -- probably just salad with all the non-vegan parts left off).

There are two other Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar locations in the area:  the one at Loehmann's Plaza, located at 545 Munroe Street in Sacramento (http://www.scottsseafood.net/locations/sacramento/restaurant/), and one in Folsom at 9611 Greenback Lane (http://www.scottsseafood.net/locations/folsom/restaurant/).

Chada Thai Cuisine

Sacramento certainly seems to have its share of Thai restaurants.  Everywhere I turn, a new Thai restaurant magically appears.  I expect to try out several of them so I can write about them for his blog, but the one I'm going to start with is Chada Thai Cuisine.

One of the things I like best about Chada Thai Cuisine is that several of their dishes are designed so the diner can choose which type of protein to include.  For me, of course, the choice is always tofu.  I used to resist ordering any of their curry dishes, assuming that they contained fish sauce, but I asked the server during my most recent visit to Chada Thai Cuisine, and she said that they don't use fish sauce in their curries.

That opened up a whole new world for me, so I ordered the Panang Curry, which consists of tofu, coconut milk, green beans, bell peppers, carrots, basil, and kaffir leaves, served with white rice.  It was fabulous!  The coconut milk made it taste so rich and so sweet that I almost felt as though I was eating dessert.  I probably shouldn't admit this, but I kept eating long after I was full just because I enjoyed the taste so much.  The server didn't ask which level of spice I wanted (medium, hot, or Thai hot), so I assume my dish had medium spice.  At any rate, whichever level of spice I had added just the right kick to my meal.

I should also mention the soup I was served before the curry.  It was a coconut milk soup with tofu and bamboo shoots, and it was also quite delicious.

Another excellent dish I've had at Chada Thai Cuisine is the Pad Ma Kua, which is grilled eggplant sauteed with soy sauce, garlic, basil, bell peppers, onions, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms. 

The Chada Thai Cuisine menu includes several different sauteed dishes and curries, all of which can be made with tofu.  A vegan could eat there for a long time without ordering the same item twice!

Chada Thai Cuisine is located at 1624 Broadway.  Their phone number is 916-444-8909, and their website address is www.chadathaisacramento.com.  They are open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and for dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  On Saturday and Sunday, they are open from noon until 9:30 p.m.

La Trattoria Bohemia

For years, I drove past La Trattoria Bohemia, a charming little restaurant on J Street in East Sacramento, on my way to or from somewhere else.  I always thought I'd like to check it out, but somehow, I was never near the restaurant at mealtime.  One day several years ago, my son and I finally decided to stop in for lunch and we were both very glad we did.

La Trattoria Bohemia offers both Italian and Czech cuisine.  I knew I wouldn't be able to eat the schnitzels and the goulashes on the Czech side of the menu, but there's always something for me on an Italian menu.  As it turns out, La Trattoria Bohemia has several vegan menu options.

My favorite dishes are the Insalata Pomodoro, a nice big salad made of tomatoes, avocado, and fresh basil, and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  There are times when that feels like a meal in itself, but if I need something more, I order their pasta (either spaghetti or penne) with  aglio-olio, a simple olive oil and garlic sauce.  And if I feel like having dessert after that, La Trattoria Bohemia offers the Artisan Trio Sorbetto, three scoops of Italian sorbet.  

They also make excellent pizza, which I have ordered on occasion with vegetarian toppings and no cheese.  Other vegan menu options include brusceta, mixed green salad (if dressed with vinaigrette or oil and vinegar), pasta with tomato sauce, and various side dishes, including avocado, applesauce, asparagus, and their delicious roasted rosemary potatoes.  The vegetarian panini can also be made vegan if ordered without the cheese and pesto sauce.

La Trattoria Bohemia has a nice selection of wines from Italy and the Czech Republic, as well as domestic wines.  And I'm not a beer drinker, but their selection of beers from the Czech Republic looks quite impressive.

La Trattoria Bohemia is located at 3649 J Street.  Their phone number is 916-455-7803, and their website address is http://www.latrattoriabohemia.com/index.php.  They are open from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  The restaurant is closed on Monday.

Sacramento Vegan Is Taking the Weekend Off

Blogging will resume on Monday.