Looks like C-Webb and his Center Court restaurant cum sports bar in Natomas have thrown in the towel. I’m sure a weak economy, crappy local sports teams, and C-Webb’s waning star power didn’t help the sinking franchise.  However, according to Sacbee.com commenters (and we know how reliable they are) it really closed because too many black people went there. PersonallyI’m more likely to fall on the side of the argument stating that folks with0ut jobs don’t like spending money on cheesesteaks and jalapeno poppers.

Also in Arden/Arcade, one of the whiter parts of town, Cheffrey’s: An American Bistro, closed up shop recently.  Owners of the best sweet potato fries in town and a key lime pie that would make your face contort into sweet/soury puckers of joy, Cheffrey’s shut down  operations last month.  The owners’ catering business, Refer-a-Chef, is still up and running however.

I’ll keep this brief. If you like Barbera as much as I do (for a previous article on Barbera, click here), Easton Wines in Amador Co. is selling a case, a g-damned case, of their 2003, g-damn 2003!, Barbera at $129. That’s less than m’f'ing $11 a bottle for those of you that went to fundamentalist Christian schools. Jesus Christ and all the saints and Mary and Joseph and all the myrrh you can shake a stick at, that’s an insane deal.

A) This is probably one of the best Barberas made in California. B) It’s stupid cheap. And C) See A and B.

It’s a beautiful time of year to head up to Plymouth in Amador County. Drive on up with one of your many days off in the next few months and grab yourself one of the best wine steals this year. For maps, product info and events, check out Terre Rouge/Easton Wines at terrerougewines.com.

Moving from its humble digs on Broadway, the Sacramento Comedy Spot — the city’s premier destination for improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy – opens Friday at its new location in the Marrs Building on 20th and J in the heart of midtown. The Spot has been putting on some of Sacramento’s best improvised and sketch comedy shows for almost a decade. If you like shows like Saturday Night Live, and Who’s Line is it Anyway?, this is the comedy club for you. Friday’s shows feature the Anti-Cooperation League, Sacramento’s longest running long-form improv group, at 9pm and Throwdown, a competitive improv and stand-up battle, at 10:30pm. Tickets are only $8 per show and are nearly sold out. Shows run Saturday and Sunday as well starting at 8pm.

Check the Sacramento Comedy Spot’s website for information on show times, tickets, and a schedule of classes where you can learn how perform improv, write sketches, and put together a stand-up act worthy of the club circuit. www.saccomedyspot.com

If you’re a cooking or eating enthusiast in Sacramento, Taylor’s Market has probably been on your radar for a while. Known for its absolutely top-notch selection of produce, meats, and wine, Taylor’s has wowed the locals in Land Park and surrounding neighborhoods for years. So, if Taylor’s new restaurant — cleverly called Taylor’s Kitchen (turns out that “Taylor’s Market Restaurant Kitchen Counter Bistro Cafe” was already taken) — didn’t cut the Mendocino mustard, it’d be a shock to almost everyone who cares about these things.

Thankfully, very few people have been disappointed (other than those insufferables who just love to hate on restaurants), so all is good in the fragile environmnet of Land Park. Continue reading “Taylor’s Kitchen” »

If you haven’t had your fill of all things German yet this October, stop on by Sam’s Hof Brau for some true Teutonic fare. I love Sam’s; I love everything it stands for; I love the the AARP crowd that hangs there; I love the velvet wallpaper; I love the pictures of fat women on antique bicycles, I love the giant turkey legs smothered in gravy. For more than 50 years, Sam’s has been serving ridiculously hearty foods from its Watt and El Camino location, and this month you can sample some of their best German specials. Friday through Sunday, enjoy German style short ribs, bratwurst and braised red cabbage, German pot roast, knockwurst, Bavarian style chicken, and kielbasa. Make a special trip on Saturdays for Sam’s arousingly good German potato salad and wash it down with a mug of Warfsteiner from the cozy bar. The best news is that every dish is under $10. So get your oom-pa on and celebrate Oktoberfest by eating wurst until you burst.

If it’s October, that means Oktoberfest! Enjoy the brewed bounty of the season from brewers like Rubicon, Hoppy and Pyramid this Thursday with an Oktoberfest Bike Crawl. Bring your cruiser or 10-speed, rent a bike for the occasion for only $15, or ride in style in a pedicab sampling fall’s best beers and free appetizers. At each location there will be prizes, giveaways, and drink specials. And remember, it’s a furlough Friday this week, so you state workers can really let your hair down. Pre-party starts around 5pm, with the crawl starting at 6. Meet-up is at 1013, 12th Street. Cost is $20. Check out www.grubcrawl.usa.com for more info.

Alternatively, hit up Sacramento Brewing Company, Flaming Grill, and Sam’s Hof Brau, for some hardcore suburban Oktober’ing if you happen to be closer to that neighborhood.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Gee, I really like Lodi wine, but I don’t really like going to Lodi”? Well, then I’ve got the event for you. On October 11, Lodi wines will be featured at the Treasure Island Wine Fest. (that’s right, Treasure Island, that little spit of land holding the Bay Bridge together) From 1-5pm, you’re invited to enjoy the gorgeous views of the bay and beautiful wines from your neighbors down the road. It also happens to be the last day of Fleet Week, and you’ll probably be able to catch of glimpse of the Blue Angels in the sky as well as a host of seamen in their crisp whites.
Over 200 wines will be featured at the event. Tickets are $55 online and $65 at the door (parking is free). Check out www.tiwinefest.com for tickets and more details.

Ok, maybe you’re not quite as obsessed with trivia as I am. Not too many folks consider Ken Jennings, all-time JEOPARDY! champion, a personal hero. But to me, anyone who can house that much info in a human brain is impressive beyond category.

So if you’re looking to test your wits against other folks and looking for a good meal while you do it, it’s hard to beat the area’s trivia nights and pub quizzes. Here’s a list of some of the most popular knowledge nights with a few suggestions on meal pairing to go with your brain teasers.

Streets of London- Probably the longest running pub quiz in town, the Sunday night quiz at Streets of London is also one of the most challenging. Quizmaster Ken Koch, the grand daddy of local quiz purveyors, can be jovial, bombastic, or even downright surly, but he’s always fair. It’s a written quiz, so don’t even try to shout out the answer or you will receive a tongue lashing to remember.
To keep your stomach from grumbling and keep the brain fed, try Street’s fish and chips. It’s one of the best in town. Or for the more adventurous, go for the Scotch egg, a hard boiled egg rolled in ground sausage and deep fried. I’m told it’s an acquired taste.
Where: Streets of London, 1804 J St., Sacramento
When: Fridays, 9PM (also held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at their Folsom and West Sacramento locations respectively, both at 8:30) Continue reading “Smart Eats- Grub and Trivia Nights” »

One of the best things about the state fair is the deep fried edible glory that accompanies it.  It’s like junk food Christmas. However, there are so many options throughout Cal Expo that you’re just as likely to waste those precious calories that you’ve been hoarding all summer on just average junk instead of on incredible junk.  Hopefully this little list will help you from stepping into a grease and candy filled pothole with your dining choices.

Best Meal: BBQ Beef sandwich at “Buns on the Run” – Still the best food seller at the fair, this little trailer on the east side of the park, just across from the petting zoo with the word “Sausage” emblazoned on it’s sign doles out the best meal on the grounds. The bbq beef is sweet and succulent, the roll is incredible, a deep fried masterpiece of dough science, and the homemade potato chips on the side are just awesome. Also, this place does a damn fine boneless rib sandwich.

Best Deep Fried Delicacy: Deep Fried Oreos at Chicken Charlie’s- Charlie’s has been setting the standard in deep fried audaciousness for years now. I was a huge fan of the fried Elvis — a battered and fried peanut butter and banana sandwich — but it was taken off the men after the piping hot pb sent 158 people to the local burn unit. Now, I go for the Oreos with chocolate sauce. The small cookies have a great filling to breading ratio and they manage to stay fairly crispy inside the batter shell. However, if you’re really daring and haven’t eaten this year , try the deep fried White Castle Hamburger.

Best Sweet Treat: Country Fair Cinnamon Rolls- Two stands, one located in the county exhibit building, the other on the east side of the consumer pavilion (aka crap hut) , dole out some of the best cinnamon rolls in the world. The syrupy white frosting and tender cinnamon ladened dough is on par with the finest Austrian pastry. It’s only improved by asking for extra “gunk,” which is the cinnamon, sugar and butter on the bottom of the pan scraped up and sprinkled on top of your roll. Continue reading “Your State Fair Dining Guide-Part 1″ »

According to News 10 (and probably several other sources I was too lazy to find) the ADA lawsuit against burger favorite Squeeze Inn has been dropped.

Here’s the strange thing about this whole ADA system: no changes were made to the building, and someone else can come along and sue instead. Of course, if someone else does sue, they’ll be subject to the withering criticism of animal fat lovers everywhere.  I’d go over there today to celebrate, but I’m saving my arterial blockage for the STATE FAIR WHICH STARTS TOMORROW!!!!

I LOVE YOU POPPY!!!!!!!!