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.

It’s that time of year again, Sacramentans. Time to vote for the Sacramento News & Review’s “Best of Sacramento.”

Now, in previous years, we at the ‘Rag have been more that solicitous in our asking for your vote for us for ”Best Local Blog.” And we will be no less solicitous this year.  But, to start off the voting season, I thought I’d throw a few food and entertainment related ideas your way to prime the pump if you will. Feel free to follow your conscience when voting, as always, but if you’re stumped, these choices probably deserve it as much as anyone:

Best Comedy Club- Sacramento Comedy Spot

Best Bakery- Backer Back in Town & Country is turning out some of the best European breads in town, ditto for Grateful Bread on Fair Oaks Blvd

Best Barbecue- Anything but Texas West. I vote for Big Joe’s BBQ in Citrus Heights Continue reading “It’s Voting Time” »

The newest burger at ‘Rag favorite Flaming Grill? Why, kangaroo of course. Kangaroo is low fat, dark, meaty, delicious, and full of all kinds of nutritional thingies that all strange meat claims to be full of. Hell, you can probably find some crackpot with a PhD to tell you that wombat meat delivers more X per serving than any other indigestible food.  But I digress.  The kangaroo burger is actually very good. Texture and flavor-wise I would say that it’s somewhere between a turkey burger and a lean beef burger. Highly recommended, but still not as good as FG’s ahi burger, which is the best in the state.

Gatsby’s, a ’30s diner (notice the apostrophe in front not between the numbers and “s”) whatever that is, recently opened on the corner of Alta Arden and Fulton. Check it out if you like a good tongue sandwich (I haven’t been there yet and couldn’t tell you if they sold tongue sandwiches or not).

David Berkley’s, purveyor of fine foods in the Pavilions shopping centre, is changing its name. As reported on this here fine ‘Rag a while ago, Mr. Berkley no longer owns the joint and will be removing his name from the masthead. The place, which checkout guy assures me will be unchanged, will simply be called “The Market at the Pavilions.” Talk about grabbing you by the short one’s, heh? That’s a name to remember. The Market. It’s about as remarkable as that place I go to work out, “The Gym.” Ok, it’s a pretentious load of wind, but I thought y’all should know in case you get confused next time you pull up to the ‘Vilions (ok, this apostrophe thing is getting out of hand) and don’t see the familiar name up on the marquee.

I’m cleaning out my wallet.  It’s stuffed like a $10 panini with receipts from dinners and lunches collected from places all around the region, places about which I’ve had the best intention of writing incisive, clever reviews, reviews filled with heart and soul, wit and wisdom, reviews that would make men weep and ladies swoon, perfect little dollops of prose that would leave the faintest hint of ginger in the reader’s mouth .

I’m never going to write those reviews. So here’s the quick version on ten different joints with a totally arbitrary star rating for each.

The Counter- Sure it’s in Roseville. But it’s an incredible burger and freshly made ice cream shakes. Where’s the argument?  3.5 stars.

Cheffery’s- Sweet potato fries are heavenly. Wine pours are exceptionally heavy. What more do you need?  3 stars

Taste of Brazil- You get a ton of food for the $30 price per head. Only about half of it is good. Fantastic spot if you’re going low-carb. 2.5 stars. Continue reading “Memory Dump: 10 meals in 25 words or less” »

Maritime- Valentine’s Day prompted the return of Mrs. Eats and me to Maritime. Chef Song is still putting out absolutely exquisite food. V-day brought a set menu including ahi tartar, roasted duck on puff pastry, sea bass over risotto (my favorite) and filet en croute (filet mignon cooked in a pastry shell).  Desserts (Song’s true speciality if truth be told) were divine, coffee creme brulee and strawberries macerated with wine and served with a creme anglaise.

The big news about Maritime is not that the food is still good, or even that they’re still open.  The news is that they’re changing their name, changing their service, and changing their vibe. The new name is Ambiance, the new vibe is a little slick and a little less top crust, and the service is $45 a person fix price menu only.  I hope very much that this rebranding works.  Chef Song is a treasure, and we’d do well to keep him in town.

Enotria- With new chef Tony Brenes overseeing the small, two-man kitchen — the second of the two men being Chef de Cuisine and 11-year Enotria vet Christian Sieck — things are very, very good at Enotria. The short rib ravioli, a surprisingly light dish all considered, with a wispy ravioli pasta, stuffed plump with flavor-infused short rib, topped with a single piece of pecorino and a dot of rich, syrupy balsamic, is absolutely out of this universe.  Ask new wine director, the intense yet lovable Chad Seaburg, what to pair it with, and you’ll have yourself quite a nice evening. Continue reading “A Roundup of Really Good Meals” »

This weekend marks one year since the Flaming Grill started doling out hash on El Camino.  To commemorate the apolitical occasion — if that’s alright with you, Dan — all pints are $1 and $2, and discounts are being offered on almost all tasty treats.  Try the buffalo burger, or my favorite, the ahi burger.  Don’t forget the onion strings.

Here’s to the fine folks at Flaming Grill for continuing to grow and improve their business during these tough times.  I commend them for offering the neighborhood, the region, and nearby Catholic schoolgirls sustenance for one whole year.

Drop by and say congratulations.

Flaming Grill- 2319 El Camino Ave, Sacramento

The Flaming Grill, everyone’s favorite burger joint to be located across the street from a catholic girls school, has finally gotten a beer and wine license. What does that mean to you and me? Well, it means later hours for one. Look for the ‘Grill to be open until at least 9pm on most nights. Right now the taps are pouring the likes of MGD and Pyramid, but look for more craft brews in the future. Really, what would go better with their killer ahi sandwich than a nice Trumer Pils?
Flaming Grill- 2319 El Camino Ave, Sacramento

Dad’s Kitchen is finally open for business. The new restaurant from the owners of Dad’s Sandwich Shop opened its doors a few weeks ago and reports are already coming in that the food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner lives up to expectations. The taps are flowing too, adding a lovely, hoppy bite the lineup of sandwiches, salads, and (during dinner hours) entrees. So grab and “Angry Road Man” with a pint of “Monkey Knife Fight” and see if the funny names make the items any more fun to order.
Dad’s Kitchen- 2968 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento

Tuli Bistro- the restaurant that has been nothing but a promise for almost a year will finally open its doors on Tuesday, December 11. The new joint will be housed in a block of new buildings at the corner of 21st and S. If good things come to those who wait, then Tuli should be effing fantastic. Neighbors and interested parties have been waiting for Tuli to open for quite a while, so expectations are high. It would have been embarrassing had Tuli been beaten in the race to open by the philosophically indifferent…

Ju Hachi- at the former site of Taka’s (18th and S). Work progresses in a Zen-like fashion at the once and future sushi joint. (Or does it? That’s so Zen.) One of the simplest exercises in Zen is to dig a hole then fill it up. Maybe you get the same effect by opening a sushi restaurant then closing it down, then repeating. (Can you tell I’ve been watching “Life” on NBC?) Of course, what’s more Zen than burgers… Continue reading “Updates on Updates for the Hungry” »

Some quick notes about eats to brighten your Thursday:

Gaylord Indian Restaurant, despite its lengthy resume including outlets in Beverly Hills, Milan, Atlantis, and the Sea of Tranquility, doesn’t appear to be doing so well.  The newish joint on 14th and O appears to be patronized mostly by empty chairs during the lunch and early dinner hours when I’ve walked by.  Also, a former employee of the ‘Lord told me that, even though he had severed the employer/employee relationship weeks ago, he hasn’t seen a dime of his last paycheck.  Hmmm, empty chairs and unwillingness to pay back wages, not a good recipe for business success, or nan. Continue reading “The Flaming Gaylord and the Crying of Lot 33″ »