After being standard in Japan for greater than a century, ramen has develop into extra accessible in America. And this week, in Vacaville.
Ramen 101 within the Nut Tree Plaza had its comfortable opening Wednesday. The chain originated out of the East Bay, with the Vacaville location being its newest.
Supervisor Lee Wind stated a number of clients from Vacaville at an East Bay location have requested if there have been plans to open a Ramen 101 of their neck of the woods.
“Vacaville clients come to Harmony to order the ramen,” he stated. “They stated, ‘Why don’t you guys come on and open in Vacaville, and possibly you’ll find a greater location across the Nut Tree space?’”
When an area opened up within the former web site of Westhaven Photo voltaic, Wind went for it.
Ramen 101 was based by Xiang “Benny” Lin, a Japanese native who grew to become well-versed in ramen recipes earlier than transferring to California. He spent 25 years perfecting the craft, together with two coaching underneath a Japanese chef.
“He just about introduced all of the Japanese substances to open a Ramen 101,” he stated.
Lin opened his first Ramen 101 in San Leandro in 2017 and extra places in Antioch, Harmony, Dublin, Emeryville, Livermore and Pleasanton. Lately, it has expanded outdoors of its East Bay headquarters into cities resembling Elk Grove, Rocklin and Sacramento. The Vacaville location is its first in Solano County.
Wind stated Lin selected the title as a result of it displays the quantity of places he finally needs to open.
“Benny has a dream,” he stated. “He needs to open 101.”
Ramen can finest be described as a layer of wheat noodles with varied meats, greens and eggs serving as toppings and soup broth serving as a base. Ramen 101 has many various varieties to strive. Wind stated the preferred embody the tonkotsu ramen — that includes roasted pork, boiled egg, Kikurage mushrooms, bamboo shoots and fish cake; black garlic ramen — with black garlic and roasted pork; and the rooster and seafood forms of ramen.
Ramen is distinguished from different soups by its thick, creamy and infrequently spicy sauces, however Wind says Ramen 101 has dialed again the creaminess a bit.
“From 1 to 10, (genuine ramen) is gonna be 8 or 9,” he stated. “We lowered the creamy degree for the shopper, so our broth degree is just about degree 6 creamy. Even the children, they will drink all of the soup as properly.”
Tonkotsu Ramen that has roasted pork, boiled egg, kikurage mushroom, bamboo shoots, recent inexperienced onion, sprouts, and fish cake is among the featured dishes at Ramen 101 a brand new restaurant that just lately opened within the Nut Tree Plaza Procuring Middle.
Most of Ramen 101’s dishes use a pork broth, however there may be additionally a vegetable ramen with vegetable broth topped with tofu, bean sprouts, inexperienced onions, corn and bamboo shoots, making it appropriate for vegetarians.
However it’s not simply ramen on the Ramen 101 menu. The restaurant additionally provides Hawaiian barbecue. Dishes embody two scoops of rice, one scoop of macaroni salad and greens and a meat entree resembling Kalbi quick ribs, rooster katsu, teriyaki rooster and barbecue beef.
Since Ramen 101’s comfortable opening, Wind stated he has gotten a variety of optimistic suggestions on the meals, service and the void that was stuffed.
“We’ve had” clients who’ve stated, ‘Lastly, we opened in Vacaville’ in order that they don’t need to go all the way in which to Harmony to get a ramen,” he stated.
Wind hopes to ship selection to Vacaville residents.
“I hope we will convey totally different Asian meals into town,” he stated. “They’ll strive one thing totally different, not on a regular basis salad or burgers.”
Wind particularly thinks the ramen can be a giant hit in winter.
“Lots of people wish to get one thing sizzling,” he stated.
Ramen 101 is situated at 1637 E. Monte Vista Ave., No. 103, subsequent to Panera Bread within the Nut Tree Plaza. Present hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. day by day. The restaurant is open for dine-in and takeout. For extra info, name 359-4251.