Taste: The region's latest food, drink & restaurant news for January 7

This week, Sactown has the scoop on a new bar and grill opening in a historic building near Elk Grove, Shoki Ramen house reopening near Land Park, and a gourmet hot dog joint expanding to Natomas.
Hood Supply Company
This new bar and grill opened east of Elk Grove in the town of Hood on Dec. 11, the result of a renovation project by husband-and-wife team Mark and Vonne Matney. The restaurant, housed in a building that dates back to 1910, features a dimly-lit dining room and 20-seater horseshoe-shaped bar and a menu of thoughtful takes on classics by Patrick Hocking, formerly of River City Brewery Co. Try the smoked bacon wrapped filet mignon served with wild mushroom wine sauce and vegetables topped with bleu cheese; beer battered fish tacos with Southwest-style hummus, red pepper and sesame cream; and a signature sirloin burger—an eight-ounce handmade patty topped with smoked bacon on a garlic ciabatta roll. Don’t forget your dancing shoes on Friday and Saturday nights, when the venue’s stage heats up with live music. 10761 Hood Franklin Rd. Hood. 544-3697. hoodsupplycompany.com
Shoki Ramen House
After its original location on 24th St. closed its doors at the end of 2014, a new outpost of Shoki is slated to open at the end of January at 21st and Broadway in the building that formerly housed Trails Restaurant. Ramen fans can expect the restaurant to continue serving up its “bowl of dreams”—ramen uniquely made sans animal fat with house-made tare sauce and local, organic ingredients. According to co-owner Kathy Ueyama, the new location’s menu will be jazzed up with homemade Japanese fusion appetizers, weekend specials and a build-your-own-ramen feature. Guests seated in the dining room or at the bar can watch chefs prepare fresh ramen in the open kitchen, a floor plan that stays true to the restaurant’s predecessor. The new Shoki will also offer a specialty beer created by Ruhstaller Brewery exclusively for the ramen house’s new outpost. 2530 21st St. shokiramenhouse.com
Umai Savory Hot Dogs
This Roseville Asian fusion hot dog restaurant is expanding to Natomas with a new location slated to open in February. What originally began in San Jose in 1992 with his father Loi’s cart, has grown into owner Louie Tran’s passion for crafting 27 gourmet hot dog selections on buns that are baked fresh daily. Tran tops the gluten- and MSG-free hot dogs with locally sourced ingredients and homemade sauces, and his father’s first four Japanese-inspired creations are still on the menu, including the Kyoto Fire, a hot link smothered in battered fried onions, Yum Yum and unagi sauces, habanero peppers, sliced jalapeños and furikake seasoning. Tran continues to developing new combinations and can often be found in the Roseville shop offering guests test samples like a recent curry-flavored link. After opening the Natomas location, he has plans to expand to downtown and midtown Sacramento and Arden-Arcade. 3620 N Freeway Blvd. umaihotdogs.com
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