![\"Chef-owner](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Juju.JPG\" "\\"Chef-owner")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Chef-owner Mark Helm, formerly of East Sacramento\u2019s Juno\u2019s Kitchen, has taken over Juju Kitchen & Cocktails at 1501 L St. and expects to be open for service on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.<\/p>\n
Sean Timberlake<\/p>\n
stimberlake@sacbee.com<\/p>\n
Last month, East Sacramentans were distressed by an announcement by the owners of local lunch joint and sourdough bakery Juno\u2019s Kitchen that it would be closing<\/a> after 15 years in business. However, the story didn\u2019t end there.<\/p>\n Not long after, the owners of downtown\u2019s Juju Kitchen & Cocktails announced that Juno\u2019s chef-owner Mark Helm would be taking over<\/a> operations as of May 4. Two days later, a social media post from Juno\u2019s announced that the owner of La Costa Cafe in Boulevard Park would be moving into the Juno\u2019s space<\/a> with a new concept called Nene\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to cook again, instead of just making sandwiches,\u201d Helm said. \u201cThe opportunity came up to get Juju, and we took it. As time neared the end of Juno\u2019s, and we started to get really depressed, and we\u2019re thinking, you know, wow, are we doing the right thing here? But we just followed through with it, and here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think it stemmed from just reflecting on things, and then watching these old fashioned videos of these chefs making coq au vin and stuff. And I was like, man, I really want to do that again.\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Helm had hoped to get started at Juju yesterday, but operational difficulties during the transition interfered. If all goes well, Juju will be up and running this afternoon.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lot different opening a restaurant, I\u2019m finding out, than it was 15 years ago,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A major part of that is bureaucracy. An example is when he had to chase down one necessary permit.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were like, you know, you have to go to American River Drive. I get there, and then they\u2019re like, nope, you got to go down to 78th Street. Okay, I get there, and they\u2019re like, nope, it\u2019s moved to this building here on I Street. Then I go to I Street, and they\u2019re like, no, it\u2019s somewhere else. Like a whole day is wasted on just trying to get to the right place,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Helm dropped a sample menu, which was shared on Juju\u2019s social media<\/a> on April 21. He will be carrying over some customer favorites from Juno\u2019s, most notably the panko-crusted eggplant sandwich.<\/p>\n He will continue to make sourdough bread, but probably not at the scale he did at Juno\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mixer here is not working. I wasn\u2019t aware of that, and I haven\u2019t brought mine down yet, and there really isn\u2019t a lot of space,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The biggest challenge is simply adapting to a new space.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so used to, you know, for 15 years, and I turn around and I know where everything is, and here I\u2019m searching. And, you know, it\u2019s just unfamiliar,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we\u2019re getting there.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, chef-owner of La Costa Cafe Ignacio Ortega seeks to expand on his heritage, going beyond the cafe\u2019s ceviches and aguachiles to create \u201celevated modern Mexican\u201d dishes inspired by some popular spots in Mexico, specifically La Once Mil, with taquerias in the trendy Roma Norte and Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhoods<\/a> of Mexico City.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re inspired by their open-face enchiladas, and we\u2019ll use housemade tortillas with similar ingredients and our own mole, salsa verde, salsa roja. They\u2019re crispy on one side with protein on top, like thinly sliced Angus ribeye,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Nene\u2019s will also serve breakfast burritos and a torta de chilaquiles, with salsa-simmered tortilla chips served on a soft bolillo bun. You can add a chicken Milanesa for a more substantial sandwich.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/img-25-11-14-4EC66.jpg\")