Ramen house boom

Houses in the Sacramento area are overpriced by 14.9 percent, according to the May issue of Barron's financial magazine. How quickly we forget about the housing boom—and catastrophic bust. But since that disaster, there has been a palatable boom in ramen houses—and another such eatery recently popped up in Midtown. Less than a block away, the same owner of Ryujin Ramen House opened Raijin Ramen House (1901 S Street) in early July, and plant murderers will be happy to see the vegetarian Yasai ramen on both menus. Make sure to request it vegan so you don't get the egg noodles in your huge bowl of miso-based broth; raw corn; and strips of cabbage, carrot and mushroom. Although it lacks the flavor complexity of Shoki Ramen House's vegan broth, it's still lovely, especially when upgraded with additional garlic paste. Adding a few drops of sesame oil and chili sauce to leftovers the next day was a delicious decision. You can't spell “Sacramento” without “ramen,” and the Yasai is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.