Sacramento CA.

My wife Elexa and I recently traveled to Sacramento CA.

Elexa is the one who spurred the trip in the first place. She needed to attend a work conference so, essentially I was a plus one.

The question I got asked the day before leaving was “did you plan anything?” and “how long are you going to be there?”

Honestly, the answers were “no” and “I’m not exactly sure.”

Let me explain.

I find the best way for me to travel is to do some research, have a collection of ideas and then to just let the trip happen .

This ties in with what I think of vacation, spontaneity and adventure. Not relaxation, well not the type of relaxation where you sit around.

Why? You may ask dear reader. Well call it the thirst for adventure or the inability to sit still for long periods of time. It’s probably a combo.

Well Sacramento was the turning over of a new leaf, if you will permit me to use this age-old idiom.

Get ready for this.

I planned nothing and leaned into spontaneity and relaxation.

Upon landing we headed out of the airport to possibly catch a train, bus, Uber, Lyft or any combo. Again we were flying by the seat of our pants which was freeing, I might add.

A quick Apple Maps search with our hotel’s location landed us on a bus that dropped us off within a couple blocks of our hotel for the cost of one dollar per person.

Wow, what a deal.

At the hotel we were betting on that the reception would hold our luggage while we explored the city. This well-known ask has served us time and time again.

To our surprise we were able to get into our room about six hours early.

That never happens.

So dear reader, we dropped our bags and hit the pavement. What can I say old habits are hard to break.

Given the opportunity to sit, lay, and chill in a stylish temperature-controlled hotel room we still chose adventure.

Elexa routed us to a market. In my mind’s eye I saw a long bustling hallway with multiple stores selling trinkets and touristy paraphernalia.

Unfortunately when we arrived nineteen minutes later we found a collection of two stores and one counter-service establishment.

That was it. It was a bust for my wife and myself.

So, on to the next which was the Arden Mall. I had bought a brand new pair of shoes the day before and my feet were killing me.

I know rookie mistake, but here I was desperate to find something, anything more comfortable.

On the way we became familiar with the Sacramento transit system. My feet thanked me for the ability to sit down.

Elexa had a scheduled meeting so, we took a quick break in a coffee shop.

So, the funny thing once we arrived at the Arden Mall, my feet began feeling better. In the interest of saving money I ditched the idea of purchasing new shoes. I realized that my current one-day-old shoes just needed to be broken in.

Back at the hotel, we took some time for ourselves and freshened up.

With dinner imminent and our stomachs growling we began scouring the web for that amazing meal.

One contestant jumped out to us, a gastropub named Binchoyaki Izakaya Dining.

And, we knew it was a pub first. Upon viewing their website their menu included two full pages of assorted alcoholic drinks with no listed food.

Now, you don’t know me yet, but you soon will.

I gave up alcohol which is a personal decision. Like many things in life there are a multitude of reasons that lead to one. Though the main one is I just despise being hungover.

So why pick this place, well the photos of food looked amazing and the ratings were raving. Raving good.

Upon entering, a low bar was front and center. A single row of varying sized jars held what I eventually confirmed to be pickled vegetables and fermenting fruits in alcohol. Think plum wine.

Beyond this lay a rectangular grill wrapped in aluminum foil. Two men worked in tandem. One cutting meat and skewering it on sticks while the other expertly cooked the flavor into it.

Even though the place had many open tables our hostess informed us it was the bar or back outside into the shaded seating. Every table was already reserved. We chose the low sitting bar.

Why not?

It was dinner and a show in our opinion.

So what about the food?

Well, it was exceptional.

We started out with some Furikake Fries then moved onto a shredded cabbage salad.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say some of you would say, why would you get a salad at a Japanese barbecue restaurant?

I’ll tell you…

My wife and I usually only eat fish and vegetables, though I cannot say we are Pescatarian because that would just be a lie.

When we travel or every once in a great while we will eat out and consume some sort of meat.

So back to the meal.

The plate came out with finely shredded cabbage in a pyramid, topped by shredded carrots and sliced radish. Now most salads are green this one was a grayish color, not because it wasn’t fresh, but due to the black sesame dressing. Its salty umami flavor was drizzled on just enough to keep you coming back.

Though the real star of the show was the Osaka Niku Udon.

Now I’m quoting from the menu here. Its “thinly sliced rib eye and onions, greens, soft egg, scallions, naruto, dashi, [and] soy broth.”

This was the winner of the meal.

It had this savoriness that my wife and I had not experienced in a long time. The fats from the rib eye, the umami flavor from the dashi, and the sugar from the onions all orchestrated a symphony in our mouths.

With our bellies full and our spirits fed we made the twenty or so minute walk back to the hotel in the evening sun.

-Abe