Advertisement Basement ramen bar set to open in downtown Sacramento Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A new ramen joint is opening in the heart of downtown Sacramento.Kodaiko Ramen & Bar is the brainchild of chefs Takumi Abe and Billy Ngo and is a sister restaurant to Kru and Fish Face Poke Bar. It’s set to open by Monday. For Abe, opening a ramen restaurant has been a long time coming. “We’re not jumping on a ramen bandwagon. This has been a dream of mine since I was a kid," said Abe, whose father is from Japan. Nearly a decade ago, Abe even sold his car and briefly lived in Japan to soak up everything he could about making ramen. Kodaiko Ramen & Bar is located in a basement space at 718 K St. The restaurant has a hip and modern feel and is decorated with murals and colorful collages of posters. Near the Golden 1 Center and Downtown Commons, it’s one of several new restaurants in the area.Abe and Ngo say Kodaiko Ramen & Bar's menu will feature two types of broth bases. The first is tonkotsu, a rich pork broth blended with a lighter fish broth and sauce made from dried fish bones, plus other aromatics. The second broth, which is 100% vegan, will be made from mushrooms and a cashew cream. "One thing that is so inspiring about ramen is that there are no rules," Abe said. In addition to ramen dishes, Kodaiko will also serve rice bowls and side dishes with a twist on traditional Japanese fare. All the food is made in-house, with the exception of the noodles (which Abe and Ngo plan on making in the future). As the restaurant's name suggests, alcohol is also served at Kodaiko. In addition to beer and wine, patrons can also unwind with some sake and chuhai. For Abe, Kodaiko Ramen & Bar is also a way to honor his late brother-in-law Ali Youssefi, who worked to transform downtown Sacramento spaces. Youssefi is also the reason Ngo and Abe even met. "We want to keep Ali’s spirit alive through this, and this is one way that we’re honoring him," said Abe of the restaurant.