A vegan-friendly October is in store for the Sacramento area

The following is from City of Treats, a food and drink newsletter by Abridged senior food editor Benjy Egel. Want it sent directly to your inbox? Sign up here.

Thursday marks the start of the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge, now in its 16th year bringing plant-based dishes to the masses. More than 50 local restaurants (most in city limits, but some in the surrounding area such as Elk Grove and West Sacramento) will introduce speciality menu items devoid of animal products for the month, which customers are encouraged to review online. The most popular items get awards, and some stay on menus long after the challenge has finished.

It’s a health-focused note for a month that famously leads up to a candy smorgasbord. I can’t really do my job as anything but an omnivore, but Michael Pollan’s seven-word mantra continues to ring in my head: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

There are plenty of lovely vegan recipes old and new — I made one from 1982 this past weekend, and Zoe Barrie will publish another for our Cooking in Season series this Friday. And it’s never been easier to eat out while adhering to the diet. Even last week, Buddha Belly Burger reopened its Midtown Sacramento doors for the first time since February.

Today’s City of Treats also includes a Roseville sushi restaurant with high-end or more budget-friendly options, depending on what kind of night out you’re looking for. A trio of notable closures hit the local scene, but three new restaurants emerged, too.

Let’s dig in.

Benjy’s Bites

Roku Japanese Cuisine | 4200 Thrive Drive, Suite 100, Roseville | 916-773-2272

Roku Japanese Cuisine has earned a reputation as arguably Placer County’s best sushi joint since opening in July 2023. A dry aging refrigerator full of bluefin tuna, blackthroat seaperch and golden-eye snapper greets customers as they walk into the Freedom Point shopping center restaurant near Topgolf. Roku is Japanese for “six,” and regulars sometimes splurge on a half-dozen premium nigiri for $66. But more affordable sashimi and nigiri platters fall within $38-$45 for 12-15 pieces, presented with real wasabi under the fog of dry ice.

Start with the tempura gindara ($13) appetizer, three curled pieces of buttery black cod judiciously fried and served over chipotle aioli. For rolls, my favorite was the autumn of Canada ($20) with shrimp tempura, crab mix and shiso in a soy wrap and seared salmon, chili-garlic sauce and a lemon sliver on top. And while the brightly-lit sushi bar doesn’t seem like much of a soup setting, the spicy gyuniku ramen ($21) stands out for fermented Japanese giant red mustard greens, a chili-infused shoyu broth and four thin slices of prime short rib braised in a peanut-five spice marinade.

Egel’s Nest

I’ve been dog sitting on-and-off for my parents over the past couple of weeks, seeing the Japanese eggplants in their front yard slowly stretch and swell. Mollie Katzen’s classic vegetarian cookbook “The Enchanted Broccoli Forest” must have a few recipes, I reasoned, and indeed it did. That it was a Romanian eggplant salad felt ever more fitting, given that I made it a day after the West Coast’s largest Romanian festival in Roseville.

I sautéed minced onions and garlic in a Dutch oven, added in cubed eggplant and mixed in a tahini sauce — not traditionally Romanian to my knowledge, but covering the dish in a creamy, savory flavor. After letting that cook down for about 20 minutes, I moved it over to a Pyrex container, stirred in lime juice and dill and set it in the fridge to chill. Topped with parsley before serving, Katzen recommended serving it on crackers or pita, but I dug right in with a spoon.

In the news

Natachi Mez grew up in Elk Grove and returned for what she thought would be a short visit in 2020. She’s stayed ever since, drawn back in thanks to calming nature trails, a strong food scene and local gems like an empowering independent bookstore. Here’s her guide to a great day in Elk Grove, from morning through night.

Starbucks shut down five Sacramento County coffee shops and one in Roseville last week, part of 250 closures across the U.S. The affected shops are in Midtown Sacramento, North Natomas, South Sacramento and Arden Arcade.

Azul Mexican Food & Tequila Bar closed Saturday after 19 years in Midtown Sacramento’s MARRS Building. Brothers and Jalisco natives Carlos and Jose Ulloa served down-home dishes such as tortilla soup and carne asada plates in an urban setting, and at one point owned the pizzeria next door.

The Davis Beer Shoppe lasted nearly as long (15 years) as Azul in Downtown Davis, but closed as well last Wednesday. Taylor Ramos’ bar and bottle shop was a revelation for craft beer enthusiasts in the early 2010s, regularly stocking choice brews from around California and overseas.

Happening this week

• Kaway Cafe is in its soft opening phase at 726 Merchant St. across from Downtown Commons. It serves coffee and matcha drinks for now, with Filipino-inspired bites and bowls coming soon.
• Amber Hazel Vietnamese Kitchen just opened in Downtown Sacramento as well, at 1714 15th St. on the ground floor of the 1430 Q Apartments building. Look for familiar favorites such as phở, bò lúc lắc (shaking beef) and cơm tấm (broken rice).
• Armaan’s Halal Chinese Restaurant celebrated its grand opening Saturday at 7725 Stockton Blvd., Suite J in South Sacramento. The sister restaurant to New Shanghai Halal Chinese Restaurant in Citrus Heights, its expansive menu includes eight variations of both fried rice and chow mein.