Bento Box: Asian Dining in Midtown/Downtown Sacramento Staying Open Late

The recent recession cost Jonathan Kim his job in the building maintenance industry, but it also opened the door for him to follow a dream he’d had for years – owning a restaurant.

A fish and chips restaurant in South Sacramento was short-lived, but five years ago, he opened the first location of Bento Box near Sacramento State, and he came up with a winning formula.

He’s now expanding Bento Box to the Midtown/downtown area with its third location, and he said it will be open longer and seat more people than the previous two – one at 65th Street and Folsom Boulevard and the other in Loehmann’s Plaza in East Sacramento.

Most dishes will be served in bento boxes – plastic boxes with built-in dividers. Kim said that bento is Japanese for lunch, and they originated as a way to keep foods such as salad, rice and meat separated until they were ready to be eaten.

“Our most popular is the teriyaki – chicken, beef, all of it,” Kim said, adding that sushi and Korean fare is also on the menu.

Though Kim is from Korea, he has lived in the United States for 39 years, and he said Bento Box – set to open in late October – is a place where multiple cuisines from Asia – including Chinese, Japanese and Korean – can be found.

One of the items Kim said he expects to be a favorite at the new location is dol sot bi bim bap, a dish of rice, vegetables, a fried egg and beef, chicken or fish served in a heated stone dish similar to a stir fry.

“People really love that,” he said. “And they can order it vegetarian, too.”

Plates run from about $7 to $12, with the dol sot bi bim bap costing $9.

A full bar will be available, with beer, wine, sake and cocktails.

The restaurant is located in a downtown entertainment district at 16th and K streets, Kim said he plans to stay open until 4 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights to draw people leaving nearby clubs and bars.

Kim is offering a 10 percent discount to government employees.

Real estate broker Daniel Mueller of Turton Commercial Real Estate is working with Kim, and he said the restaurant, which is about 6,000 square feet and will seat approximately 230, has an outside patio that is covered and heated, and there will be a quick-service window where people can pick up a cup of coffee or crepes in the mornings.

There will be faux trees and potted trees inside the restaurant to make use of the building’s high ceilings and give the feel of an urban oasis, Mueller said.

Inside the restaurant, faux trees a well as potted trees will be designed to make use of the building’s high ceilings and give the feel of an urban oasis, Mueller said. Additionally, a waterfall will be constructed, and water will meander about 25 feet before sinking into a large lit bento box.

“It’s going to feel like a bit of nature in downtown,” Mueller said. “The waterfall is going to be exotic, and it’s going to focus on nature with an Asian twist.”

The restaurant will open at 7 a.m. every day with a selection of coffees and crepes – both sweet and savory – with the full menu available after 10:30. It will close at midnight Sunday through Wednesday and start out being open until 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

“If there’s no revenue that late, it might close around 2 or 3 a.m.,” Mueller said.

Kim said he recognizes that there are other Asian eateries nearby, including Ma Jong’s Asian Diner, Mikuni and Sapporo Grill, but he said he hopes to complement them more than compete with them.

“I want to serve quality food for a reasonable price,” he said. “I hope people know that, and they come to Bento Box.”