Ramen House Raijin at 19th & S, opened two weekends ago.

The restaurant is the most recent effort by Sai Wong, who recently switched concepts for that location from Izakaya Daikoku.

Wong also owns nearby Ryujin Ramen House, located a half block away in the Safeway parking lot. He previously owned sushi restaurant Akebono in Land Park, but recently sold the business.

I ate at Raijin last weekend and found it to be surprisingly busy for a new restaurant without much publicity surrounding its opening.

They continued to serve okonomiyaki ($10), a savory Japanese pancake, but had new styles of ramen not served at Wong's other restaurants including a Spicy Champon ($10). This is what Wikipedia says about this style of ramen:

Champon, also known as Chanpon, is a noodle dish that is a regional cuisine of Nagasaki, Japan. Due to the inspiration from Chinese cuisine, it is also a form of Japanese Chinese cuisine. Champon is made by frying pork, seafood and vegetables with lard; a soup made with chicken and pig bones is added. Ramen noodles made especially for champon are added and then boiled. Unlike other ramen dishes, only one pan is needed as the noodles are boiled in the soup.

If you're a ramen aficionado, I'd definitely recommend checking the place out.

Ramen House Raijin is located at 1901 S Street.

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Small-Batch Food Stars - It must be something in the water. After all, how else do you explain the large and constantly expanding number of food entrepreneurs in Sacramento? The region is an incubator for all manner of homegrown food businesses, from small-batch whiskey distillers to artisanal beef jerky producers. Just call us the Silicon Valley of delicious startups. Meet our makers. Featuring Amador Distillery, Gold River Distillery, The Good Stuff preserved fruit, Tule's Cookies, Midtown Jerky, Ocean Beach Foods. Co curry and Fork Lifter Food Truck.  Marybeth Bizjak in Sac Mag.

The Chef’s Table - The Rocklin-based eatery is expanding. Earlier this month, it acquired the space next door that currently houses Kona Café, which owners Erick Johnson and Jon Irwin plan to turn into a new breakfast and bar area for the cozy eatery by fall. In Sactown Mag. (Fifth Item.)

Metro Kitchen + Drinkery - Metro Kitchen + Drinkery is putting a new spin on the juice “bar” in their space by serving mimosas, hard ciders, kombucha and healthful cocktails like the Mary Verde, made with Han Vodka and the drinkery's Leaves + Juice (which includes kale, spinach, bok choy, cucumber and lemon), as well as their cold-pressed juices. In Sactown Mag. (Third Item.)

Summer Food Events - What will you eat this summer? - The great thing about Sacramento is that we have food events all year long.  Our name of Farm-to-Fork Capitol is appropriate with everything from Baconfest to the Banana Festival. In fact, sometimes competition is fierce for your attention and your dollar. We are also blessed to be in the middle of so many destinations. With Napa, Tahoe, Reno, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Monterey/Carmel, and Yosemite so close by, there are events to select from throughout Northern California. Below is the Foodie Calendar through September's Farm-to-Fork Festival. The ones with comments are my favorites that I return to year after year. Catherine Enfield on Munchie Musings.

Temple Coffee to Open in Davis - Temple Coffee will open its Davis doors on Saturday, Aug. 15, at the southwest corner of Third and G streets. Wendy Weitzel in the Davis Enterprise.

Every city has a local magazine that suggests easy day or weekend trips. We have Sactown Mag and Sac Mag that ably fill that spot locally. But it's always interesting to know what outsiders think are the highlight of your town.

San Francisco magazine recently ran a story on what to do in Sac. Here's some of what they suggested:

Ruhstaller: Celebrated local brewery, Rushtaller (SIC), has a a taproom and beer lab to test out new craft brew recipes downtown (available by appointment) where you can sample their specialty beers and limited releases made from local hops and barley, like their cold-brewed Kenyan coffee-infused ale.

Temple Coffee: The third wave coffee buzz has hit Sacramento hard, with nearly a half-dozen new shrines to caffeine opening over the past few years. If you only hit one, make it Temple Coffee Roasters, the Blue Bottle of the Central Valley.

Grange: A modern restaurant and bar packed with locals (a rarity for hotel restaurants), who come for the dinners that source ingredients from the Sacramento region’s bounty of farms and brave but familiar dishes like ahi tuna with sweet breads and pork served three ways (loin, smoked belly, chicharron) with apricot.

Read the entire story in San Francisco Magazine.

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The Chef's Table buys Rocklin coffee shop - The managing partners of The Chef's Table in Rocklin have purchased a coffee shop next to the restaurant, which they plan to incorporate into their existing business. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Coconuts for the cure: The Alchemist, Liquidology - I have a new addiction and it is the juice at Liquidology in East Sac. The shop is located dangerously close to my work, the juices are smartly packaged and with an arrangement of both mainstay and special seasonal products available, it feels like every time I have the need to juice they've got me creatively covered. Garrett McCord in Sac News & Review.

The Rind - This well-loved cheese bar in midtown is building a side and front patio (pictured below) that will seat about 24 people total. Tori Masucci Cummins & Jessica Rine in Sactown Mag. (Fifth Item.)

Days after the opening of Insight Coffee Roasters' Fremont Cafe, Orchid Thai is now soft open at the new complex at 16th & P.

Orchid Thai plans to have their grand opening on Sunday, May 24. According to their Facebook page, they've been open to the public since Wednesday, May 13.

When I walked by Sunday evening and poked my head in, it looked like the restaurant construction was complete and the establishment was fully functional, with a large bar featuring 10 beers on tap.

One of the diners, who had recently moved into the neighborhood, raved about the cuisine and said it compared favorably to Thai Canteen, located just a block away. (She did note that Thai Canteen is fast casual and Orchid Thai is more of a sit down establishment, so it may be an unfair comparison.)

I stopped by after dinner, so I wasn't able to give the place a try, but I hope to this weekend.

Orchid Thai describes itself on its Facebook Page as "Downtown's newest Thai restaurant that not only serves delicious traditional Thai cuisine but also some of the most creative craft cocktails."

This is the second Orchid Thai location, with the first being in Lincoln.

The Downtown Orchid Thai is located at 1609 16th St., and can be found online at http://www.orchidthai916.com.

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Here's when midtown Noodles & Co. will open - More carbohydrates are coming to midtown Sacramento. Noodles & Co. will open its restaurant in the Legado de Ravel mixed-use project on May 18, the Colorado-based company announced. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Drug, alcohol abuse common in restaurant industry - But the recent survey takes on local significance with John Puckett. He’s worked in Sacramento-area restaurants since the age of 12 and came to a point where he had to face his substance abuse issues. Puckett’s now 49, a cook at Oak Park Brewery, says he’s nearly 14 years sober. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Monk’s Cellar: Almost a monk's dream - So it comes down to this: Quality beer (the brewmasters have experience at Sacramento Brewing Co., Lodi Beer Co. and Sacramento Brewing Services) and a dark and beautiful ambiance (lots of brick and wood) are the best reason to visit Monk’s Cellar. Four stars for the brew and ambiance, three for the food. Jonathan Mendick in Sac News & Review.

Local coffee hotspot Temple Coffee to open fourth location at 22th & K, on what may become the best block for coffee in the Sacramento area.

Temple's newest location will be adjacent to The Trade, a workplace, office and coffee shop at 2220 K Street, that will serve Blue Bottle Coffee and pastries from Freeport Bakery.

There's been a little noise on Twitter accusing Temple Coffee of pulling a Starbucks. I don't think that's an apt comparison. First, there's ample evidence that there's a multiplying effect to having eateries near each other. Two local examples are the R Street corridor and J Street where Red Rabbit, Centro and Bar West thrive. Second, Temple's not a giant. They're entrepreneurs trying to make it like everybody else. It's more likely that they found a venue that worked for them, as opposed to targeting a cafe inside a co-working space that hasn't even opened yet.

When it opens, Temple Coffee's newest location will be at 2200 K Street.

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Drink me: Enlightenment, Temple Coffee - But instead of taking my usual black coffee to assuage the bitterness, I choose the path of Enlightenment. A smooth, yet rich drink made from green tea, honey and steamed soy milk, the floral sweetness of the Enlightenment ($4.65) is soft enough to ease the morning tension. Anthony Siino in Sac News & Review.

Dining review: No thumbs up for food at Studio Movie Grill - Studio Movie Grill is a chain with 20-plus restaurant/theater properties in Texas, Florida, Arizona and beyond. The idea on paper seems appealing, especially if you’re into multitasking. But the food simply isn’t good enough to become an integral part of the experience. But I highly recommend seeing movies here. You can reserve your seats, pay in advance, arrive when you like and, best of all, you are under no obligation to order any food. Blair Antony Robertson in the Sac Bee.

Police Investigate Natomas Business Break Ins - Three restaurants in the Park Place II shopping center on the 4700 block of Natomas Boulevard were among those hit on Feb. 17, 2015. The break ins were first discovered when the owner of Sushi Elite arrived and found the restaurant’s glass door shattered. Doors were broken as well at Teriyaki Time and Maharaja’s. On Natomas Buzz.

Lobster food truck from 'Shark Tank' coming to Sacramento - A food truck that got national attention on "Shark Tank" is setting up shop in Sacramento. Cousins Maine Lobster Sacramento is expected to kick off business in mid-April, courtesy of local franchisees Paul Sharkey and Vickie Sharkey. Offering items ranging from lobster rolls to lobster tacos, the food truck will be available for a variety of events. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Try It: Pushkin's Bakery - We reveled in some seriously tasty sweet treats recently at Pushkin’s Bakery, a cheery, family-owned establishment on 29th Street that offers wheat/gluten- and dairy-free desserts. On a sparklingly sunny Sunday, we dug into the bakery’s crumbly, powdered sugar-covered (and vegan) Russian tea cake, a scrumptious gooey-on-the-inside, crusty-on-the-outside chocolate crinkle cookie, and a pop-in-your-mouth mini lemon poppyseed pound cake that Pushkin’s calls, simply, an “Awesome.” Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Temple Coffee will add a location in Davis, its fourth overall, reports Wendy Weitzel in the Davis Enterprise.

It’s official. Temple Fine Coffee and Tea officials signed a lease Monday to be the anchor tenant of the new building going in at Third and G streets...

While the coffeehouse will take about two-thirds of the ground floor, Ruebner still needs to fill the remainder of the building. Temple’s reputation should be a draw, he said. Roughly 800 square feet of retail space is left fronting Third Street, as well as 2,500 of office space upstairs, which could be divided.

Now they can focus on construction, he said, which could be complete in the spring. An optimistic timeline would have Temple opening in May or June.

In the same story, Weitzel reports that Old Soul appears to be having issues with its Davis location.

Meanwhile, the owners for another popular Sacramento coffeehouse, Old Soul Co., are mum on what appear to be stalled lease negotiations for a new café at the former Little Prague space on G Street. It would be less than a block away from Temple. Broker Jim Gray of Cassidy/Turley Commercial Real Estate Services said Thursday, “Wish I had good news. But at this moment I have no news.”

Read the entire story in the Davis Enterprise.

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Winters Brew: Berryessa Brewing Co. reaps the benefits of committed regulars but may soon face growing pains - On hot summer weekends, a 20-barrel brewery west of Winters overflows with patrons. They flood the taproom and crowd around shaded picnic tables, sipping beer while soaking in live music. A few kids play baseball in the gravel lot. Others pull wooden blocks from an oversized Jenga set by the food truck. Some are locals, but many come from Davis, Sacramento and beyond to get a taste of whatever Berryessa Brewing Co. has on tap for the week. This scene is nothing new to brewmaster Chris Miller. The place has been packed every weekend since he opened the taproom two years ago and began selling his signature brews on-site. For this reason, Miller is a hard man to catch. Russell Nichols in Comstocks Mag.

Granola Girl launching nutrition-packed food truck in November - The words “food truck” and “healthy” rarely go together. Yet locally-grown business Granola Girl is going the mobile route, bringing good eats to Sacramento yogis and juice cleansers in mid-November. Among the truck offerings: granola bowls with homemade almond milk; superfood smoothies; veggie and fruit juice; and plant-based sandwiches. It’s not a de facto vegan, gluten-free truck, but a lot of the options are vegan and gluten-free. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Rubio’s New Sustainable Shrimp Tacos - While I’ve always been a fan of Rubio’s shrimp tacos, I recently made a lifestyle change that prohibits me from eating non-sustainable meat. As you can imagine, this modification eliminated many of my favorite quick lunch/dinner stops. However, I was thoroughly impressed upon walking into Rubio’s and learning that the brand is diligently working to expand its menu with innovative recipes, ranging from sustainable shrimp tacos to Atlantic salmon burritos, sustainable tilapia items and much more. Stephanie Rudy on Sac Foodies.

Bank of the West Tower lands Bay Area cafe - Specialty's Café and Bakery will open a restaurant in the first floor of the Bank of the West Tower on Capitol Mall, filling that spot for the first time in the high-rise's 5-year history. When the Bay Area-based restaurant opens next spring, customers will find fresh sandwiches, salads, baked goods and Peet's coffee. The 5,600 square-foot restaurant will offer seated service as well as orders to go. Ben van der Meer in Sac Biz Journal.

Sun & Soil Juice Co. adding pop-up shop - A locally owned juice shop is adding a pop-up location in the 16 Powerhouse project that's under construction in midtown Sacramento. Sun & Soil Juice Co. will have a pop-up juice store inside Insight Coffee Roasters at 16 Powerhouse, co-owner Molly Brown confirmed Monday. She owns the business with Chris Ryan of Insight Coffee and Tatiana Kaiser. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Chef, a movie starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman and many otheres, opened earlier this month and features Chef Carl Casper (played by Jon Favreau) who decides to quit his fancy LA restaurant gig and opens a food truck.

Last week, the Ms. Munchie-run Sac Food Trucks gave away tickets to a free screening and a couple of very prominent local food trucks shared their mini reviews of the movie.

Just got done with the special premiere of #ChefMovie in #ElkGrove, really relatable movie

— Bacon Mania Sac (@baconmaniasac) May 22, 2014

Just finished watching the sneak preview of @Chefthefilm#chefmovie Didn't want it to end! A must see for Food Truck fans!!

— Fuzion Eatz (@FuzionEatz) May 22, 2014

#chefthemovie was such a great story very touching, definitely related to it. http://t.co/fefizKm9j1

— The Diner Truck (@PapaDalesDiner) May 22, 2014

And it's not just food trucks owners that like the movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, it's earned a lofty 87% rating.

I was planning on watching it when it came out on iTunes, but maybe I'll make it into a Date Nite and watch it in a theater soon. You can check out the trailer above.

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Can I get a steaming cup of scorn? - The parody of the “third-wave” coffeehouse experience goes something like this: You step to the counter while some know-it-all hipster who can’t wait to get off work for band practice takes your order. Ask for a drink like some Starbucks simpleton and expect plenty of eye rolls...But are the third-wave coffeehouses in Sacramento havens of elitism? Or can uncompromising enthusiasm take on a more magnanimous form, as it has with our area’s craft brewers? To find out, The Nosh Pit conducted a little experiment with three third-wave coffeehouses by placing Starbucks-like orders. Here’s what happened. Featuring Naked Lounge, Chocolate Fish and Temple. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

The Kitchen: Theater of food - Granted, I’ve had better food at significantly lower prices. I’ve been more surprised, more excited by flavor combinations and technique at upscale restaurants in other cities for less than $100 pretax. But if you’re considering splurging at The Kitchen, it’s not because of wagyu, anyway. It’s because of the show. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Need a Fun, Crowd-Pleasing Dessert? Try Freeport Bakery’s Cookies - I dispatched my family to Freeport Bakery, Land Park’s beloved bastion of sweetness. They returned with a beautiful array of cookies, which turned out to be the undeniable hit of our dinner party. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.

Sac Bee restaurant critic Blair A. Robertson wrote in 2009 that East Sac's Orphan  'badly needs to adopt the idea of flavor.'

He's revisited the place, and has given it a re-review.

While Orphan has, indeed, grown up into a reliably good restaurant with polished service and consistent cooking, it also faces stiffer competition than it did during those early, awkward days...

For lunch, you can still order breakfast items or go in the sandwich direction. We loved the health-conscious “zen breakfast” featuring grilled tofu, egg whites and steamed spinach, a dish that takes a balanced and simple approach to flavor.

The burrito with chicken was substantial and nicely assembled, including seasoned black beans and an overall eating experience of heft and rich flavor. Orphan makes three dishes featuring scrambled eggs, including an avocado scramble that had large slices of creamy avocado, scallions, tomatoes and melted Monterrey Jack cheese.

Read the entire review in the Sac Bee.

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Sacramento’s Temple tops Coffee Review’s best of 2013 list - Sacramento’s becoming better known as a beer town, but it’s already on the map as far as coffee is concerned. Respected online coffee publication Coffee Review released its Top 30 Coffees of 2013 today, with Sacramento’s Temple Coffee and Tea of Sacramento earning the No. 1 slot for it’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffee. Tim Swanson in the Sac Bee.

Craving Dessert? Three Sweets To Seek Out - ’Tis the season be gluttonous, and I’ve been devouring desserts with abandon. Three I tried recently have been real standouts. Featuring The Firehouse's vanilla creme brulee, Shady Lady Saloon's warm almond pear cake and The Waterboy's apple crostada. Kira O'Donnell in Sac Mag.