Food Stuff

Sacramento’s original Japantown, a thriving neighborhood located on several blocks near Third and J Streets, was wiped out by wartime internment, redevelopment “slum clearance” and the construction of I-5. After World War II, Japantown was re-established in the Southside neighborhood, where some of the older businesses remain. June’s Café, established in 1955, features Japanese-American meals that are filling, tasty and cheap. The menu is posted high on the wall behind the Formica counter, with any item available for breakfast or lunch. The Loco Moko ($6) starts with a bowl of hot miso soup and a side of peppery, homemade macaroni salad, followed by a large hamburger steak with gravy and two eggs over a platter of steamed rice. Other choices include fried rice (with eggs), sukiyaki, teriyaki, katsu and chop suey. June’s is a tiny bastion of stability in a community that has seen a lot of change. 921 V Street; (916) 447-2264; open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.