We’ve spent so much time reading this year about restaurants closing, shutting down, and otherwise disappearing from the face of the Earth, that we’ve forgotten some of the more positive stories of the year.  So, in a spirit of happy-fun-time, let’s reminisce about all the brave souls who actually opened a business this year and are still in business at year’s end.  Here’s to the entrepreneurs!

Capitol Dawg- 20th and Capitol-happy hour pricing and one of the only places in town that you can get a deep-fried dog.

Cosmo Cafe- 10th and K- a sleek eatery attached to the charming Cosmopolitan Cabaret.  It’s still getting its sealegs, but the Paragary name is popular enough to mean that you need a reservation on most nights.

Tre- Howe and Hurley- The Haines brothers continue the expansion of their restaurant empire, this time with a mega-lounge.  Strangely enough, the food at Tre is probably the best food coming out of any of the Haines’ kitchens.  Will people go to a night club to eat though?  With food this good, they just might.

Table 260- 9th and J- upscale soulfood downtown.

Grange at the Citizen Hotel- 9th & J- as far as hotel restaurants go, this one is similar in that it’s also in a hotel. Continue reading “Ac-cen-tu-ate the Positive 2008: Restaurant Openings!” »

Being the childhood home of Runnergirl as well as an historical and interesting place, Auburn has long held a special place in my heart.  However, it’s really only in the last few years that I’ve taken the time to really investigate the good vittles up there.  Sure there’s gold in them thar hills, but there’s also some pretty damn good sustenance to be had for the intelligent traveler.  Here’s a trio of options ranging from snowbum casual to trustfund-bum elegant. 

Ikeda’s- The iconic fruit stand cum pie stand cum burger stand is still standing strong.  This is great grub whether you’re on your way up the hill or down it.  Great burgers, great sandwiches, great pies, great fruit, even great salsas.  Don’t believe me?  Try the apple salsa.  Sure it’s more sacrilegious than insisting that God be your co-pilot (rather than letting him drive of course–what, you think you’re a better driver than God?) but the chopped apple, jalapeno, and onion mixture is fantastic, especially with homemade flour tortilla chips (by homemade I mean you have to make them, they’re not sold at Ikeda’s).  Continue reading “Auburn Restaurant Roundup: Beer, Burgers, and Bit of Fine Dining” »

Those of you that have passed by the Howe Avenue or Arden Way editions of the Steve’s Pizza franchise have surely assumed they went the way of the dodo. The SP Web site indicates they are “Closed temporarily for renovations” which seemed fishy to me. Emails were sent and responses received and from all accounts both locations will be back up and running in the new year. Howe Avenue in January and Arden Way “in the next 90 days.”

This was good news to me. I hope it is to you as well.

I remember fondly going out to an annual breakfast with my dad, The Game Guy, Sr., one special Saturday in December for pancakes and then to a little mall full of non-chain stores to visit Santa Claus- who was the embodiment of ol’ St. Nick if I ever knew one.  One of the benefits of being at such a mall was the total lack of crowds which allowed our Kris Kingle to be take his time and actually engage in a conversation with me.  After I got done visiting with Santa, my dad and I would then go Christmas shopping for my mom (it wasn’t until many years later that I realized the Saturday alone was probably the greatest gift my Dad and I could have given her).

By the time my sister came along, we kept up this tradition for at least 10 years.  And for 10 years, the same Santa Claus.  No foolin’- it was the same guy every year, and after a few years, he started to remember my dad (something about the Scotch my dad would bring for him probably was the trigger).

So as I looking towards my first Christmas as a dad, I can’t wait to start this tradition with my own son, Game Boy.  Naturally this begs the question: where, dear readers, is the best place in Sacramento for a pancake breakfast (please don’t say Pancake Circus) and an awesome Santa? My first thought was to search out non-chain-based malls to capture the Santa experience of my youth, but then quickly realized that meant Florin Mall which instantly terrified me.  So, any other suggestions?

The Greenhouse is fine organic dining. The Greenhouse is casual comfort food. The Greenhouse is a brewpub. Somehow, all of these statements are true.

Let’s start with the brewpub aspect of The Greenhouse. Brewmaster Kevin Pratt has put together an absolutely stunning lineup of organic beers. Brewed mostly in the English tradition, each beer a textbook example of its type. The brown ale is a perfect brown ale, the blonde a crisp brew, and the stout a rich, creamy, decadent beer made beautifully in the British vein.

I don’t wish to in any way sound conditional in my praise for these beers. They are absolutely brilliant. In a recent visit, I was joined by a group of self-proclaimed beer snobs and all in attendance were either mightily impressed or simply blown away. Kevin is doing some fine work up in Roseville, and The Greenhouse should be a destination for the beer alone. Bring a growler. Continue reading “Roseville Restaurant Report Part I: The Greenhouse” »

I’m on a roll lately.  Unfortunately, it’s a roll of shitty meals.  We’re not talking average, moderate, unremarkable meals, but ranging instead from rotten to atrocious.  And it’s not like I’ve been eating at shady unlicensed joints hoping to find a gem in amongst the filth.  We’re talking about long-standing, reputable places here that have failed, and failed huge.

Meal #1- 33rd Street Bistro- Last week I attended a private event at 33rd Street and couldn’t have been more ticked off at the food situation.  There were six tables at the event, and only food enough for three or four of them. And what food there was was sad, limp, underseasoned chicken parts, a green salad, and roasted vegetables. It was depressing and tasteless. I had to go to Del Taco after I left just to have something for my bile to work on other than my continued rage at the Haines brothers. Continue reading “Three Rather Off-putting Meals” »

The folks at Morton’s were gracious and generous enough to invite me to a free preview lunch last week, and I was stupid and dull enough to find myself out of town on the day of the event.  Thankfully, a friend and local eating enthusiast Paul Somerhausen from Sacramento Epicureans took up the mantle and went in my place.  Here’s his report:

I was lucky enough to get to sample the new location of Morton’s Downtown. They are now located at the base of a new office building on the corners of 6th and Capitol, and it is a major improvement to the previous location. The old restaurant had the feel of an old Chicago mobsters hang out, and was about as easy to find. This new place is wide open, with big tall windows that leave plenty of light in. Also, the soft tones of wood, the huge temperature controlled wine room, and the big hanging lamps adorn this establishment and make it feel bright and welcoming.
Continue reading “Morton’s Ready to Open in New Digs” »

If you haven’t driven down Arden Way in a while then you may not have seen the protest going on in front of Leatherby’s.  Why protest delicious ice cream, you ask?  Well, it appears that the Leatherby family and business donated almost $20,000 to the Yes on 8 cause.  The Leatherby’s, an immense Catholic family, are seeing some blowback from their financial support of a proposition that some see as an issue of opinion, and others see as an issue of basic human rights. Continue reading “Gay Marriage, Boycotts, Banana Splits” »

Not exactly what I wanted to see on my burrito bag… “Beef”

Though I suppose it could have said “Beef?”

Reader Eric emails some potential bad news:

Our much beloved Mamma Susanna’s Italian Ristorante in River Park is changing owners in mid Dec. New chef, new staff members, but apparently, the current owners are cross-training the new owners and “it won’t change too much.” I’ve got to be positive about this, but it’s my favorite restaurant, it’s in my neighborhood, and I’m resisting change!

Eric also reports the servers seemed “unenthusiastic” about the change. I think you should stay positive, Eric, it doesn’t seem like they would go through with cross-training if they weren’t serious about keeping things copacetic, but that could also be a clever ploy: “Sure sure, cross training, let’s do this.” And then they open an oyster bar. Is this helping, Eric?

Me, I haven’t been to that location since it it was Paradise Pizza. But it looks cute!