TASTE
Ramen is a nostalgic dish for Binchoyaki co-owner Tokiko Sawada , who grew up eating it in Japan and Los Angeles .
because the noodles continue to cook in the hot broth . Ngo said he ’ s never agreed with that approach , because he views ramen as a “ casual , non-serious food ” as well as a craft .
Kodaiko settled on multilayered packaging , which separates the broth , toppings and noodles . They also have an option to buy uncooked noodles and boil them at home , which they recommend for those who have the time . When the shutdown came , they also offered family cook-at-home ramen kits , as well as groceries like toilet paper and eggs , in those dark days we ’ d maybe all like to forget .
Abe says that the pandemic put their takeout “ on the map ” and that on the weekends they have to shut down the option at times because the kitchen can ’ t handle the demand . “ That ’ s been a part of ( the pandemic ) that has been a positive ,” he says .
Nostalgia in a bowl
Tokiko Sawada , the general manager and co-owner of Binchoyaki , sounds wearied but not beaten by the pandemic , and is candid about hopes that small restaurants have more help coming from the government on the horizon , because “ now is harder than before .”
Binchoyaki is an izakaya , a term which denotes a bar that offers small dishes and snacks , in this case focusing on charcoalgrilled dishes — but ramen has grown to be one of their more popular menu items .
“ A lot of people in our culture , after drinking , as a closer we eat a noodle dish . And in Japan , ramen shops are usually open from lunch , and a lot of places until late night . We do a lot of business with ramen ,” Sawada says .
She grew up splitting her time between Japan and Los Angeles and had a particular fondness for ramen at a bygone shop in L . A .’ s Little Tokyo . “ It was such a treat for my mom to take us there , and I would always eat their pork and bean sprouts ramen . That ’ s why we have the buta moyashi ramen ,” topped with pork , bean sprouts and chili oil , she says . “ It ’ s nostalgic for me .”
Binchoyaki makes multiple broths from scratch and offers different styles , such as Okinawan ramen with thick-cut noodles and ginger , and seasonal soups . Their most popular seasonal special is duck ramen , which they only offer during the winter .
Most of their ramen offerings have gone up a few bucks since they opened in 2018 , which Sawada attributes to rising labor and import costs . “ Because of the pandemic , it feels like it has gone up much faster ,” she adds . Although they are farm-to-fork when it comes to meat and produce , they do use a lot of imported Japanese ingredients , such as condiments and soy sauce .
Sawada outlines the economics of pricing Binchoyaki ’ s ramen , which ranges in price from $ 13- $ 23 a bowl . “ It ’ s not that we ’ re trying to buy a mansion and buy expensive cars . It ’ s just the cost itself to make real ramen from scratch .”
Becky Grunewald is a downtown Sacramento resident who has been writing about food and culture in Sacramento for 15 years . She ’ s written for Sacramento News & Review , Eater , The Sacramento Bee and more .
Check out more photos of the Capital Region ’ s tastiest dishes : Follow @ comstocksmag on Instagram .
36 comstocksmag . com | April 2022