kitty burrito

Just in time for this week’s News & Review, I’d like to react to last week’s cover piece on burritos written by Ben Russell. Russell really seems to know how to turn a phrase, and the piece is actually incredibly informative. For example it confirmed my preference for Guerrero’s tortillas as the best tortillas at your local supermarket (or your massive soulless food chain, whatever your preference), and it taught me that the word for people from the state of Jalisco in Mexico is Jaliscenes.

Continue reading “SN&R “on” best burritos” »

Our 7th (!) wedding anniversary was yesterday, and we made a weekend of it by celebrating with dinner out on Friday. Now since we have three little kids we don’t exactly eat out often, so when we do we run into that age-old diner’s dilemma: stick with a restaurant you know and love, or take a chance on something new. With the usual, you are very likely to be pleased, and with something new, you can only rely on word of mouth (or word of Yelp) recommendations. And there’s no accounting for taste, especially with the more adventurous kinds of food. We usually err on the side of the classic you know and love. It’s not that we’re not adventurous eaters–not Anthody Bourdain rancid shark, pig anus adventurous, but we can step out of our comfort zone when it seems like a winner.

This year we opted for a favorite we hadn’t visited in a while: Three Sisters.

Continue reading “Two date night dinners” »

This weekend, you could put on a sombrero and drink a Corona Light like a guero. Or, you could go to the best Mexican restaurant in town and enjoy the widest selection of premium tequila in the area. It is up to you, hombre.

El Patron at 66th and Folsom is one of our few establishments serving gourmet Mexican cuisine, and they will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend. With more than 40 brands and 100 different 100% agave tequilas, you owe it to yourself to enjoy a taste of real cultura Mexicana. Check out the schedule of events.

Continue reading “El Patron Cinco de Mayo Festival” »

Before I get into the disappointment that is Lucy’s Taqueria, I’d like to discuss a matter of some import: namely, what is a “taqueria” exactly?  Many terms are tossed around when naming Mexican restaurants and Mexican businesses of all sorts, so I wanted to give you a quick reference guide that might help you navigate the Spanish language businesses in your area.  Oh, come on, no need to thank me, I’m just happy to be here.

Here’s a quick list of some of the more common nomenclature used in Spanish language businesses for your reference (NOTE:  if any native Spanish speakers wish to correct me or add some nuance to these definitions, please, please, please let me know.  Your help is appreciated.):

Mercado-  store, but esp. grocery store

Carniceria- meat market, typically selling raw meats and prepared foods

Taqueria- originally referred to street vendors who specialized in Mexican food like tacos or burritos, but now indicates a small, informal, short-order style restaurant serving a variety of Mexican fare

Cocina- lit. kitchen, fig. used in the name of many restaurants to give that “homey” feel

Cantina- termed used liberally by white people who open Mexican restaurants chains who focus more on the margaritas than they do on the food Continue reading “Lucy’s Taqueria” »

I had the good fortune to catch the last night of Presenting Mexico, a three-day tasting from Chef Ramiro Alarcon at El Patron Bar and Grill.

For $20, we had a brief culinary discussion and a hearty sampling of dishes from 8 different Mexican states. My favorite was the Michoacan Pescado Blanco de Pasquero, a white fish baked in egg, served with a smoky red pepper sauce with Sopa de Melon, cold melon soup. Everything that I tried, from the Guerrero inspired Chiles Campanos, marinated green chiles stuffed with queso fresco, to the Sinaloa Sopa Verde, a traditional green soup with fish and clam, was a reminder that Sacramento is sorely lacking for high quality, adventurous Mexican dining that offers atypical dishes and new flavors.

Tequila tastings were also provided by Trago tequila. Unfortunately, they ran out of the Reposado, but their Plata has a fruity aftertaste with little raw alcohol burn. Their Anejo is aged a year in bourbon barrels, imparting a deep, sweet carmel flavor on top of the fruit. Both were excellent and presented in tall rectangular bottles with great angles, sure to stand out at a bar and scream “Taste me and look classy, I’m expensive but worth it!.” The bar featured at least 30 other 100% agave tequilas, including great brands such as Chinaco, Don Julio (including the 1942 reserve!) and Centenario.

El Patron Bar and Grill
6601 Folsom Blvd
(916) 455-8945

I’m not the only one who doesn’t think Mid-town Taqueria, the aforementioned taco joint recently risen out of the ashes of Sidewalk Pizza on 38th and Jay, is actually located in midtown, right? By most people’s reckoning midtown is bordered on the East by either biz 80 or Alhambra, and maybe even by 28th, putting Mid-town Taqueria and Sidewalk before it in East Sacramento. Anyway, it is definitely a taqueria so at least they got it half right.

Continue reading “Mid-town Taqueria: 1 out of 2 ain’t bad” »

There are many things that West Sacramento is known for: river views, the port…westness. Now you can add one more thing to that list. West Sac is a haven for great, unpretentious Mexican fare. On almost every street corner there is a family run taco shop or burrito barn just waiting to treat you to cross-border delicacies with minimal flair.  Here’s a quick rundown of some joints you can try: Continue reading “West Sacramento: Mexican Mashup” »

Out walking the neighborhood, my wife and I noticed that soul/BBQ restaurant The Cobbler was gone, replaced by a new Mexican joint called “Cantina el 7 Copas.” Does that mean “Seven of Cups” restaurant? Like it’s Tarot-themed?

We never got around to eating at The Cobbler, but with that and the bad news (for me) about Sidewalk, it’s almost time to ask: Are tacos becoming the next crepes?

UPDATE: 7:12 pm - My wife informs me that I misinterpreted her IM earlier, and that the change is official at the location formerly known as Sidewalk Pizza. It’s a tacqueria. Sniff. Mmmm, tacos…

I had recently seen what I assumed was a facelift in process at Sidewalk Pizza on Jay street. My wife passed by the spot earlier today and reports that actually what’s going on is that the location is changing over to a Mexican restaurant. Pizza is one of those things — like burgers — that one person can be in love with, and the next guy absolutely hates. Sidewalk on Jay was one of my absolute favorite pies. I’m sad to see it go.

Interesting discussion about this at Yelp… speculation that it was going to be part of the La Fiesta/La Favorita enterprise, accusations of blindsiding the staff. It never seemed like business was very good at Sidewalk but it always seemed like a good location for eats. Plus as my wife just pointed out, it’s hard to complain about another Mexican joint.

When one thinks of culinary excellence, one thinks of Auburn Blvd.  One just can’t help it.  It is inevitable that one be drawn by the fine wafting odors of Sacramento’s “street of dreams” when hunger rattles one’s belly. Be it Taco Bell, Mountain Mike’s Pizza or the unnamed restaurant in the bowels of the Clarion Hotel, gastronomic greatness exudes from every street corner.

I kid, of course. Auburn Blvd is simply an asphalt ribbon of sleaze with a few gems floating in the muck, and lucky is one who finds the gem without getting a little bit of the sleaze on him.  One of those gems is La Rosa Blanca, a speck of a place wedged among a pawn shop a ubiquitous flophouse style motel and the Deseret Thrift Store (RULDS2?). Continue reading “A White Rose By Any Other Name is “La Rosa Blanca”” »