Kuji Brings Korean/Hawaiian Flavors to Woodland

Woodland isn't a town known for its Asian cuisine, but that has really changed in recent years. Japanese and Thai restaurants have really made a nice impact to the Woodland food scene. Kuji brings some Korean and Hawaiian flavors into the mix with their menu full of unique dishes. 

Food -
The entire menu at Kuji has me hooked as it brings flavors and food items that I really love. From kalbi (Korean short ribs) to spam masubi (a type of Hawaiian sushi), there is certainly a huge variety for any sort of taste you're craving.

For meat lovers, the Korean path is worth taking. Korean marinated meats are the stuff of legend. I had some on the top of my cold noodle dish called bibimkooksoo. Cold noodles may be shocking to some, but it is a seriously fun way to have it. And the sauce that they provided with it just set the entire dish into orbit. The orange sauce didn't bring the fire and heat, but instead gave the entire dish a bit of tangy sweetness that paired perfectly with the rest of the ingredients.

Korean restaurants usually come with a bevy of side dishes presented on little plates. Each Korean restaurant has their own unique offerings in this area. Kuji isn't a traditional sit down Korean place, but they do serve up a trio of sides when you order a lunch plate. These come with kimchee, potato salad, and pickled veggies. The kimchee is nicely seasoned and vinegary. It's not over the top though - which I appreciate. This and rice are awesome. The potato salad is creamy and offers a milder experience. And the pickled veggies are a nice appetizer to get the meal going.

Along with the food items on the menu, you can also order milk tea! Milk tea is something that Woodland just doesn't really have, so it is awesome that Kuji offers it on the menu. And this is the real deal milk tea too. The one I had tonight was a smooth balance of flavors with fresh boba. The boba was so fresh that it was still warm! I think boba lovers will enjoy the kind that they have here.

If what I had on my visit to Kuji is any indication, the rest of the menu items are bound to be good. In talking with the owner, there was a ton of passion put into creating the food on the menu. This passion really translates to the dishes that Kuji serves its customers.

Service/Atmosphere - 
Kuji isn't a huge restaurant. It's one of those places where you order your food first at the counter and then find a place to sit. I didn't have any issues getting seated during the dinner hour, but if the restaurant gets hit with a large crowd, finding a seat could be difficult. Many of the tables seat two people with only one or two that accommodate more. Sitting at the counter is also an option as they have counter seating available.

The staff at Kuji is very friendly, so feel free to talk to them about the restaurant and the food. I found that they are more than happy to make a recommendation so that you get the food you really want to eat during your visit.

Price -
Kuji's prices fall into the mid-range category as this restaurant isn't for the super budget friendly, but it doesn't blow out your bank account either. You can probably get a nice filling meal for around ten to twelve dollars. Add a few dollars to that if you want to spice up your order with an extra side or dish.

During my visit I spent thirty bucks for both me and my guest. It was enough to eat and drink and I left feeling full, but not over stuffed.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
My recommendation is any marinated beef or pork product! Korean style beef and pork are so flavorful! It's a must-have if you go to a Korean place. If you're looking to try their milk tea, I recommend getting it as part of a combo as it lowers the price from $4.50 to $3.

Bottom Line - 
Kuji is a restaurant that is a definite visit if you live in Woodland. I'm so happy that Woodland has a place like this! Kuji is a solid choice for lunch or dinner with tasty at a reasonable price.

Letter Grade

A

Me and my cold noodles.

Korean grilled chicken.

Sides.

Marinated meat.

Ming Dynasty has Dim Sum on Broadway

Sacramento has recently gained many new excellent Asian restaurants, but few have been able to offer a really good dim sum experience. Ming Dynasty does dim sum... and does it very well! I might go as far as to say this is the very best dim sum you can get in Sacramento.

Food -
There is a lot to like about the dim sum and menu items at Ming Dynasty. The food tastes fresh and doesn't leave you with that lethargic feeling you usually get after eating dim sum. And that's because Ming Dynasty's offerings aren't that greasy. Your typical dim sum restaurant serves up plate after plate of shiny, grease-laden dim sum. The dim sum here at Ming Dynasty seems to lack that - which is AWESOME! I actually think this is the single biggest reason why the food at Ming Dynasty tops other places. Whatever they do in their food preparation... they are doing it right!

All of the usual dim sum staples are available at Ming Dynasty. Savory favorites like BBQ pork buns, chicken feet, pork spare ribs, taro cakes, har gow and siu mai are all there. Typically the items come on a little plate or basket of three pieces. If you have a bigger party you can always double the order or get the server to cut the food in half.

On the sweeter side, there are tons of options. The ever popular egg tarts can be had traditionally or Portuguese style, which is a bit sweeter. Though the egg tarts are quite delicious, my favorite sweet item at Ming Dynasty are the fried donuts coated with sugar. If you've never had these you've got to give them a try! They are like a warm and soft cruller donut (but like 100 times better). Also recommended are the coconut jello squares and the mango pudding. You can't go wrong with any of these items.

If you're big on sharing cute pictures of food on social media. You'll probably want to get some of the red bean buns that look like little animals. I have a picture of them at the top of this post. Making sweet baos like this has been trendy for a few years now, so if you wanna show off how nice your food looks, this is the way to do it!

If you're a person who hasn't had dim sum before, you may not know that you have the option of ordering menu items. Aside from the food carts going around, you can always get food from the kitchen. Typically people like to order noodle dishes to round out their dim sum meal. Common dishes are chow mien, chow fun, and Singapore style noodles. There are numerous variations of these three main types of noodles, and everybody has their personal favorites. You're going to have to give each a try before you can make a judgement on which kind you like the best.

Service/Atmosphere - 
Ming Dynasty provides better than average service when it comes to your standard Asian restaurant. The ladies who push around the dim sum carts are nice and accommodating and the managers who walk around seem to be on top of things - so it's never too difficult to flag someone down to get some food.

As with all dim sum places, you do have to patient for the carts as they make their way around the restaurant. You'll often see a cart with something you want on it stalled out serving a group a few tables down. But that's just how dim sum is - unless you're at one of those places that have you order dim sum off a check-off menu.

I found Ming Dynasty to be well run and decently clean. The restaurant is a little older and isn't the prettiest place, but the dining area is serviceable and good enough. I don't see the owners putting in extra money to get the restaurant looking stylish and modern and time soon (or ever).

Price -
Dim sum isn't typically the cheapest option when it comes to brunch or lunch. And that's because you can go a little nuts when picking items off a food cart. Each item adds up, and if you're not careful, you can get a pretty large bill. When it comes to prices, I'd say Ming Dynasty is average for a dim sum place. The menu items are around ten to twelve dollars with the dim sum being priced depending on the category of the item. For a party of 4, I wouldn't be too shocked to pay fifty or sixty dollars plus for the meal.

If you're looking for a nice deal, Ming Dynasty does have some special items displayed on placards at the tables. These dishes are pretty good and begin as low as seven dollars. If you're looking for something more budget friendly but that can still fill you up, this might be your ticket!

Special Tips and Recommendations -
Chinese folks tend to get pretty crazy when it comes to having dim sum. Be mindful of the time when coming for food as the wait can be up to 30 minutes long when it's busy at lunch. Though the restaurant can be quite packed, I have found Ming Dynasty to over-quote the wait times, so just make sure you wait nearby as you may get called for a table sooner than you think.

As for dish recommendations, I really like their rice wrapped in lotus leaves - also called lo mai gai. These little wraps have sticky rice in them with meat and a hard egg yolk. This item in particular stands out to me because Ming Dynasty has somehow prepared it with a less greasy taste. I mentioned above how Ming Dynasty's dishes have a lighter feel to them. Well, this one definitely embodies that sentiment.

In terms of a menu item, give the Hong Kong style noodles a try if you've never done so before. You get a combination of soft noodles and crunchy noodles all on the same dish. It's really fun to eat!

Bottom Line - 
I've been searching for good dim sum in Sacramento for a while, and Ming Dynasty has really answered the call. This may be the very best place to get dim sum in Sacramento - I'd say go there and give it a try and let me know if you agree!

Letter Grade

A

Crispy taro item.

Soft noodles with beef.

Siu mai.

Egg tarts.

Noodle dish off the menu.

T-Kumi Ramen in Davis

Yay! Another ramen place in Davis! I LOVE Yakitori Yuchan, but T-Kumi is another wonderful place for ramen! They also have milk teas, rice bowls, and other appetizers to satisfy any cravings you may have. **Introduction changed due to some taking offense to the wording used in the initial introduction. Anyways, hope you enjoy the review and my personal regular guy nothing special opinion!

Food -
T-Kumi has a sign out that asks its patrons to be patient with the time it takes for them to get the food out to you because each dish is made fresh when ordered. They claim that 'fresh is the best'! And for the most part, it's true of the food here at T-Kumi. I found that the items here are a step above the average Asian food place you find in Davis (except for Yakitori Yuchan - that place is quality city!). For whatever reason, restaurants have taken the lower quality, lower price approach to dining in this college town. I guess that caters to the poor college student, but nowadays getting delicious food that doesn't suck is becoming more and more a priority than just filling yourself up with garbage. People's standard have gone up!

The highest quality item on the menu by far is the ramen. And it should be since they claim to be a ramen place first and foremost. I found the ramen to be very good, but not in the upper echelons of great ramen. All the ingredients were great, but I think it needed just a little more complexity to the flavor to get it to where it needed to go. One that that was at a high level was the pork slices though. Oh man... they were extremely tender and had flavor for days. Get the other ingredients to match that level of quality and T-Kumi's ramen could be my favorite ever!

The next best thing at T-Kumi was actually the lemon tea drink I ordered. I was a bit skeptical about getting it because often times I don't like the way boba cafes make this type of beverage. They usually turn out too sweet or too tart or too watered down. It was not so with the drink here. The lemon flavor was perfectly smooth. I think it's because they actually add some passion fruit juice to balance out the flavor. So smart!

The two most disappointing items I had during my visit were the rice bowl and crispy tofu. The crispy tofu wasn't that crispy actually... and ordering it with medium spice levels didn't really provide any heat at all. The tofu was a bit clunky and large rather than delicately fried little cubes of amazingness. I probably wouldn't get them again unless they improve it. And as for the rice bowl... well... that was a regrettable purchase. It turns out the chicken was cooked burnt with a very dry texture. I thought it was edible, but my wife absolutely did not. And to add insult to injury, the broccoli was quite stiff.

So when it comes to food at T-Kumi, I'd recommend just getting the ramen. The other items may be ok, but I think the majority of the effort is in the ramen - so that's the best bet.

Service/Atmosphere - 
I found the servers at T-Kumi to be friendly even though they had to deal with long lines of people wanting to get food. I think they did their best to keep things moving at a good pace. So I didn't have any issues with the servers there.

In terms of atmosphere, the restaurant is nicely decorated. I appreciate the effort put into some furnishings as this has not always been the case with restaurants that open in Davis. My only wish is that there was more space in the restaurant. With the amount of people wanting to come in for food, there simply isn't enough tables to seat everyone. On my visit I ended up sitting at a table right next to the long line to the register. I could deal with it, but the situation certainly wasn't ideal.

And one big flaw for me was that T-Kumi didn't have any high chairs for babies. I'm sure college students were the main focus of the owners, but seating for babies is pretty much a must-have for any restaurant. It's an easy fix, so I hope they are able to bring some in sooner rather than later.

Price -
The prices at T-Kumi aren't too bad. Ramen ranges from about ten to twelve bucks. If you'd like to have more noodles, the option is there for another buck at the time of this review. Drinks are around the four dollar range with appetizers at six to seven and rice bowls around ten. I found the pricing to be rather fair for the quality and amount of food given.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
If you want to come to T-Kumi, first of all... make sure to look up when you arrive at the address! The restaurant is located on the SECOND FLOOR on the RIGHT SIDE of the business area. And be sure to come earlier than peak eating times. I arrived at T-Kumi right before 12 and the line wasn't bad. A couple minutes later the line went to the door and there were no tables left to sit at! So be mindful of the time you choose to go to this restaurant.

As for a food recommendation, of course I recommend the ramen. Make sure you get the pork slices as they are very, very flavorful!

Bottom Line - 
Other than Yakitori Yuchan, T-Kumi has some of the best ramen you can get in Davis. They also have a lot of other fun menu items that I'm sure will peak your interest. I can already tell that this restaurant will be very popular to those in Davis, so make sure you beat the rush and get here early.

Letter Grade

A-

The restaurant is located on the 2nd level.

Apparently the food is FRESH.

Lemon tropical tea is smoooooooth.

The rice bowls could use some improvement.

Just get the ramen. You'll be happy!

Burger Lounge at DOCO

Situated at the new DOCO shopping area in the heart of Sacramento is the Burger Lounge. The Burger Lounge is a trendy hamburger restaurant that serves up grass fed hamburgers amongst other high quality items on the menu. 

Food -
The food at Burger Lounge is of a higher quality that your general burger place. You can tell that greater care is put into each item. The menu is relatively small so it makes it easier really get things right.

For their burgers, you can select between 1/3 lb and 1/4 lb sizes. I have found that the 1/3 lb burger is substantially larger than the 1/4 lb one, and the 1/3 lb one really isn't that large either, so if you're coming here go for the 1/3 lb patty. Their 'lounge' style burger comes with 1000 island dressing on it - which I absolutely adore as a Big Mac lover - so I recommend that one if you're the same as me. Otherwise, get the classic burger - it's really the traditional style we all know and love. There's also chicken (both crispy or grilled) and fish burgers options on the menu. Both of them sound great... but if you're going to a place called Burger Lounge... I'd just go for the burger!

For sides you can get a salad, fries, or onion rings. And I would say ANY of these choices are great. The salad is actually surprisingly substantial and filled with delicious ingredients. My wife chose the salad and it was one of the best side salads I'd seen at a burger restaurant. It definitely isn't the handful of mix greens with a slop of dressing some places put on. This salad was well-dressed and well-made. In terms of fries and onion rings - the choice is yours on which you prefer, but Burger Lounge does let you get both for an up-charge on their meal combo. It's well worth it as both the fries and onion rings are excellent here.

The fountain drinks are not something I'd generally talk about at a restaurant, but the ones at Burger Lounge are worth mentioning. Each of the offerings here (besides Diet Coke of all things) are unique sodas, iced teas, and lemonades. They have Shirley Temple on tap! What?!?!?! This is the very first time I've seen that offered like this. The drinks come in unique combinations of flavors and will surprise you with their one of a kind tastes.

Service/Atmosphere - 
Being new, Burger Lounge has a very modern and clean atmosphere. I love the wood tones mixed with the green plants and color scheme. It's a nice restaurant to eat in. As for service, the cashiers at the front were very welcoming as we walked up to order food.

The wait time for the food is a little longer than you'd expect. It wasn't terrible, but I did feel that the time was creeping up as I was waiting. I'm not sure if it is the prep time of the food or because the restaurant is busy that the food took a bit longer - but make sure you expect a little time before you get to eat. This happened both times I came here... so if you're in a big rush... you may want to consider other options.

Price -
This is no McDonalds or In n' Out. The prices here are a good deal higher than most burger restaurants. My combo meal with burger, side, and drink was well over ten dollars. I guess their grass fed beef isn't cheap so they have to make their prices reflect that. Also, don't expect to get stuffed to the gills either with the food. You're paying this price for a satisfying meal, but you might feel the need for a little extra afterwards.

Special Tips and Recommendations -
You may be hesitant to come to Burger Lounge or the DOCO area because of parking, but DOCO makes it really easy for anyone who comes as they have a nice parking lot for patrons right next to it. The parking is only for those who are going to the mall area and not for events at the Golden 1 Center. The best thing is that you can get parking validation when you eat at Burger Lounge so don't worry about the cost of parking. It's on them!

Bottom Line - 
I would come here any day of the week to have one of their 1/3 lb lounge burgers. They are just that good! Just make sure you are willing to pay around $15 for the meal. It's a premium burger joint so they charge premium prices. But I guess you get what you pay for!

Letter Grade

A

Eat in and the food comes on fancy white plates.

The half and half fries and onion rings.

Close up of the 1/3 lb burger.