Dining out as a vegetarian or vegan can be difficult. For those with dietary restrictions, modifying menu items or asking for substitutions becomes a normal part of ordering at restaurants. Many restaurants have menus that accommodate those with food allergies or whose diets are restricted, but the best way to be sure you are not eating foods you are allergic to or you choose not to is to ask. Shoki Ramen House is a popular destination for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters alike. The Sacramento Press recently spoke with a vegan who frequents Shoki Ramen House regularly. His experience prompted The Sacramento Press to do some research and create a guide to Shoki Ramen House for vegans

Though many find comfort in the familiar, there’s also an enjoyable thrill that only a bit of change can provide. Big Idea Theatre’s “King of Shadows,” which opened Thursday, finds a great balance using a familiar plot in a modern-day setting for an interesting theatrical experience. I parked at the front of the building which faced closed business doors and a large locked gate. I was convinced that somehow this was the wrong location. As I frantically called around for someone to give me directions, I saw just behind me a small sign designating the location as Big Idea Theatre. As I turned into the alley and parking lot area of the business, I was pleasantly surprised by the small art-f

“If you missed the opportunity to see Johnny Cash perform live before he passed, seeing the Cash Prophets is the next best thing,” said Cash Prophets manager and longtime friend Michael Perry. Cash fans throughout Sacramento can soon make their own judgements, as the Cash Prophets will be returning for their fourth performance at Blue Lamp at 1400 Alhambra Blvd. Saturday The Cash Prophets is a tribute band to famed American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. The three-piece band is made of father Bobby Dickson, lead singer and rhythm guitar, and his two sons, Nate Dickson, upright bass, and Bobby Dickson Jr., guitar. Perry, a big fan of Johnny Cash, said he met the band members three years

Freshii opened a new location in downtown Sacramento on April 11, and owner Eric Heffel said they are happy to be in the area. According to Heffel, there are about 12,000 daytime office workers and 3,000 residents in the surrounding area and only one restaurant within walking distance to choose from. “Freshii can now provide all of those people another choice,” Heffel said. Located at 400 Q St., on the corner of 3rd and Q streets at the CalPERS building, the newest Freshii location is providing a variety of items to patrons in the area including, but not limited to, frozen yogurt, freshly made wraps, soups and salads, and a variety of snacks and drinks. Menu prices range from $1.

Wednesday evening, the Department of Parks and Recreation presented plans to expand Old Sacramento’s excursion train and further explore the underground ruins to provide visitors a more exciting learning experience of the Gold Rush, commerce and river transportation. The preliminary general plan for Old Sacramento State Historic Park would span 20 years. The project is currently set to develop the Front Street area between J and I streets. Capital District Superintendent of Capital District State Museums and Historic Parks Catherine Taylor explained that the project will educate visitors on the Gold Rush era. The underground ruins will feature active archaeological digs and exhibits and

Olympians from all over northern California joined Sacramento River Cats fans Monday afternoon at Raley Field to celebrate Olympic Day and see the final game in the four-game series against the Fresno Grizzlies. While the Cats claimed the first run of the day, the Grizzlies soon came back with two homers of their own in the top of the fifth. By the second half, it appeared the Cats might be in for another loss, but the team turned its offensive game on high, scoring once to tie during the eighth and once more at the bottom of the ninth for the big win and a final score of 3-2. The game started off slowly. Though Cats first baseman Chris Carter gave the Grizzlies a scare in the second, tr

It is every journalist’s duty to provide the facts as they are, but does bias still manage to exist in journalism? This was the question posed by Clare Noonan, editor of 11 East Bay Patch.com sites and speaker at Tuesday’s workshop at The Sacramento Press. While both Noonan and almost all 14 participants answered yes, Noonan said there were ways to pinpoint personal opinion as a reader and avoid it as a writer. In order to provide objectivity, Noonan said that writers should make sure that facts are accurate and that the reporting is fair. Referencing a University of Michigan website, Noonan listed five areas where bias can occur: word choice, omissions, limiting debate, story framing a

About 250 formally and historically dressed guests gathered at the L Street Dock on Front Street in support of the preservation and exploration of Sacramento’s historical legacy Friday evening. Under the guidance of the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, party-goers traveled through the 1850s, 1960s and back to the present on the Empress Hornblower along the Sacramento River for the hour-long cruise Casino Royale on the River: Where Old Sacramento Meets Monte Carlo. This was the second year HOSF had hosted the event to raise funds for its educational and interpretive programs, including the historical exhibitions in the Sacramento History Museum on I Street. Last year the event was held

Though coming high off an 11-4 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers Saturday evening, the Sacramento River Cats were unable to repeat the strong lead needed to keep the visitors from getting their third win in the fourth and final game, losing 4-0. The sun was shining brightly Sunday afternoon and with the slight breeze, the 80-some-degree weather felt pleasant, especially when compared to the recent gray and rainy fits. Fans wore smiles and seemed to be enjoying themselves, as were a number of dogs out that day for Raley Field’s Bark in the Ballpark event, some of whom pranced in a pre-game dog parade around the field. Post-parade, River Cats pitcher A.J. Griffin made his first start at the

Despite reports of the city’s proposals to lay off more than 350 jobs, including 80 sworn police officers, during Tuesday’s press conference, Mayor Kevin Johnson said that avoiding such layoffs will be a priority. Throughout the conference, Johnson said he wanted Sacramento to remain a full-service city and that he hopes to alleviate any distrust between police officers and the city by playing a more active role in addressing the interests of both parties. “We’re trying to preserve as many jobs as we can and keep public safety at the top of our priorities,” he added. “We’re about to pass and adopt a budget in about three weeks or so, and we do not want to be in a position where our comm

After two long years of tilling, sowing and watering the fields, Documentary Foundation, a local film organization, will finally be able to reap the rewards of its labor, making its debut at the prestigious Silverdocs Film Festival in Washington, D.C., on June 19. Producer of the film and Managing Director for Documentary Foundation Keith Ochwat said he and Creative Director Christopher Rufo grew up in Sacramento.  When they got into film after college, they realized that the city had a lot to offer and they wanted to contribute to that as much as possible, especially with the next generation. As a result, the nonprofit Documentary Foundation was born in 2007.   Based in Midtown, its mis

Family and friends followed the smoke and scent of carnitas cooking on the grill up and down a windy dirt path, sharing their love of wine on the normally private lands of Berryessa Gap for the Sixth Annual Springtime in the Vineyards event on Saturday. Despite the gray skies and even a light sprinkle, about 250 visitors, some with lawn chairs and blankets in tow, made the trek to enjoy three newly released wines: 2010 sauvignon blanc, 2010 Sunset Rose of Primitivo and 2008 petit sirah. The wines were paired with live bluegrass music by Doc Holler and a self-catered and, thus, essentially home-cooked meal, which included carnitas, corn salad, shrimp and strawberry-pineapple fruit skewers,

Floods in 1986 and 1997, as well as a levee break in 2004, costing lives and billions in damage, contributed to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declaring a state of emergency due to the threat of major flooding in northern California and San Joaquin Valley in 2006, and current work on Folsom Dam is helping alleviate that threat. The construction of an auxiliary spillway at the Folsom Dam will provide the Sacramento region a greater level of flood protection than it has now. More specifically, it will provide a 200-year level of protection, meaning a one-in-200 chance for flooding in any given year. Friday morning, 25 state and federal workers and even a few spectators gathered at the Folsom D

Monday evening, 40 guests were welcomed into Red Lotus Kitchen and Bar by friendly staff and the smell of hops-smoked chicken wafting through the restaurant. These individuals gathered together for the fourth in a series of ongoing dinners known as the Slow Beer Movement. Hosted by Red Lotus and Formoli’s Bistro, the dinners are meant to highlight local food and, of course, beer. In the past, foreign beer, such as the Belgian brew Duvel Green, had been featured, but recently the event founders felt that finding a place closer to home would coincide better with their practice of supporting local food. That evening, each of the five courses and even the dessert was paired with a beer from A

The streets of downtown and Old Sacramento were filled to the brim for the 19th Annual Pacific Rim Street Fest Sunday. According to Event chair Merlayna Yee-Chin, thanks to the beautiful weather, she was expecting to reach participant numbers of at least 40,000. Yee-Chin has been involved with the event since the very beginning, which started 19 years ago as Frank Fat’s dream for people in the community to understand the large and growing Asian population in Sacramento. “When we first started, people didn’t know or even really understand what it was, but that has changed over time,” Yee-Chin said. “This is an event that now takes about nine to 10 months to plan.” This year’s spice-theme

Tuli Bistro owners Adam Pechal and Ulrike “Ulli” Lesk Petersen previewed the space and menu of their second restaurant, RESTAURANT THIR13EN, on Friday. The restaurant is located on the bottom floor of the Sterling Hotel at 1300 H St., where the restaurant Chanterelle was until it closed last January. All evening invited guests were provided teasers of THIR13EN’s menu, which included oyster shooters, sous vide quail wings, seared scallops, Kurabuta pork belly and seared sirloin with potato puree. Each guest was also provided a drink ticket to sample offerings from their full bar, such as wine from Berryessa Gap Vineyards, international beer taps and a number of signature cocktails. Peters

Japanese couple Kathy and Yasushi Ueyama officially opened their second location of Shoki Ramen House on R and 12th streets May 3. The new location has an outdoor patio and enclosed parking and can hold roughly twice as many customers as the 24th Street location. The menu will remain the same at the new location providing a variety of made-from-scratch ramen, including shuyo, shio and tan tan men spicy ramen. Yasushi has 20 years of cooking and restaurant experience under his belt. Born and raised in Japan, he owned four restaurants during the time the couple lived in Kobe, Kathy Ueyama said. According to Kathy Ueyama, the couple moved back to Sacramento in 2001, and though Yasushi con

The original Squeeze Inn on Power Inn Road was made famous by Food Network’s Guy Fieri, who raved about their infamous cheese “skirt,” the restaurant’s twist on the classic cheeseburger.  Since then it has opened up restaurants in Roseville and Galt. Tuesday morning, the Squeeze Inn’s fourth location – at 1350 Harbor Blvd. in West Sacramento – officially opened its doors at 10 a.m. The newest addition to the Squeeze Inn line is the biggest location so far, seating up to 80 people, according to West Sacramento Squeeze Inn’s publicist, Heather Atherton. The Squeeze Inn has been a regular on the burger scene in Sacramento for at least 30 years according to co-owner Dave Chambers. “We’ve a

On Sunday, author of “Sacramento’s Southside Park” and board member of the Sacramento Old City Association (SOCA) William Burg led a walking tour of Southside Park and the surrounding area. “The tours stemmed from Jane’s Walk USA, a national organization that began in 2007 using neighborhood walking tours as a way to help people get in touch with their environment,” said Kay Knepprath, event coordinator and fellow board member of SOCA. This is the event’s second year in Sacramento. The tour of Southside Park was one in a series of five tours that occurred throughout Sacramento on Saturday and Sunday. While the morning was a bit gray and chilly, a group of about 20 gathered together just

The City Council approved $30,915 for the design phase of H Street Bridge Repairs Project Tuesday, which will be done by Dokken Engineering. H Street Bridge is located where H and J streets come together on the west side of the bridge. The bridge turns into Fair Oaks Boulevard and connects the areas of downtown and East Sacramento. Assistant Civil Engineer for the Department of Transportation Josh Werner said the bridge was built in 1932, and improvements were last done in 1991 to 1992 to widen the bridge and reconstruct the bridge approach on the east side. Department of Transportation Engineering Services Manager Nicholas Theocharides said that while the work being done is nothing maj