Author: kissmekate

Thank you, George Bush

As we got on Highway 80, at the West El Camino exit, we were startled to see all the cars at a dead stop. Especially so since they were neatly lined up just after our exit – with the open highway about 50 feet in front of them. Aha! we then spotted the culprit : a row of parked police cars — flashing lights and all — were blocking the road. We were stuck (or so I thought) since there was no room/movement for us to merge on to 80 (not like we wanted to get on 80 at that point) and the police didn’t appear to be in a negotiating mood.

We turned on the radio and learned that President Bush was in the vicinity, they were clearing the highway for him (so he wouldn’t be stuck in traffic? or for his safety? Call me logical, but wouldn’t his entourage be safer/unidentified without being the only ones on the road?).
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How do you pick your favorite watering hole?

Got together with some pals for post-work drinks at Bandera. While it had been about a year since I had last clinked glasses there, it seemed pretty much the same. The big rectangular bar is ideal for people watching. Or flirting. Not so great for finding a seat when it’s crowded, but that makes customer interaction all the more likely.

I asked the bartender who she thought made up Bandera’s clientele. She told me an interesting tale:

Several years ago it was the college crowd who monopolized the bar/restaurant, which wasn’t the demographic Bandera was going for. So, they started to close the bar at early, to discourage the late night/early morning, age-21-ish crowds. They also started requiring entree orders to sit at the tables – including the ones in the bar area (and they still do that) to get rid of hanging-outters in favor of actual restaurant patrons.
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K-Bar is ka-put

Rumor has it that Paragary’s K-Bar is closed as of today. First, I must admit I’ve never been to K-Bar. I know it was the it-spot for the nightlife crowd when it first opened, and also heard it was a quality place for post-work cocktails. Hmmm. It also had a decent location smack-dab in the middle of the downtown/midtown area. So, any theories on why it closed?

Did it suck?
Or are Sac-town cocktailers all about the new hotspots?

Best of Sacramento: Bring in the cows

Whew! Last night’s “Best of Sacramento” party wore me out. First, don’t expect a comprehensive recap. It would be impossible for one person – even me – to cover all the ground necessary to properly review the event. Which gets to my point: Sacramento’s “event of the year” has become more like the state fair than the swanky fundraiser it’s billed as.

OK, so there are no farm animals or carnival rides, but there’s enough people and lines and you’re going to be thirsty.
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Bridges (?) on the River

“Bridges on the River” certainly sounds nicer than “Overpasses on the River” – but if the sight of an old highway’s underbelly doesn’t fit into your idea of a delightful culinary experience, I suggest you pick your table strategically. If you’re headed to the bar (and my focus at sacrag is bar experiences, not full-blown restaurant reviews), then you’re pretty much safe from the view of Highway 80, unless you’re by the big window at the far end.

Bridges has a good wine list, full bar and a fabulous food offerings. I hear the froglegs are the best appetizer, but my fellow cocktailers were too chicken (yeah, pun intended) to try them. Bridges is a converted mansion – each room is different, and the bar is no exception. Its warm, casual atmosphere is quite a contrast from the elegant foyer entrance and upscale manicured grounds.

Bridges’ location (way out on Garden Highway) probably limits its potential patronage – especially those looking for just drinks and apps. I do hope that more Sacramentans discover that Bridges is a great find, not too far from downtown. And especially that my fellow Natomas-dwellers realize an escape from stripmall eatery hell is not that far from home.

Kinda cool at 55 Degrees

Capitol Mall’s new venue for politico, lawyer and banker types was named 55 Degrees to reference the best temperature for wine storage. After visiting there a couple times, I think the name is more apropos for its room temperature. Truth be told, I’m always cold in restaurants, and 55 Degrees is not any colder than the rest – but all the modernist touches give it a cool, almost sterile, environment.

The restaurant is walled by glass, and nearly everything inside has right angles – even the appetizer plates. It’s quite a contrast from the still popular Il Fornaio just across the street. Unlike Ilfo’s large bar area with lots of tables and even a couple little sofas, 55’s cocktail area is comprised only of the actual bar – a very square bar. So, 55’s bar is fine for two people, not so fine for larger groups or socializing. It is a full bar, but the stock of hard stuff pales in comparison to the wonderful wine list.

I like 55 quite a bit – the appetizers are delectable! the service is fabulous! – and am sure I will end up there with my boyfriend for many post-work cocktails (mostly because he works in that building). But if I’m doing downtown drinks with the girls, we’re headed to Il Fornaio.

Mason’s: So Far, the Best

Mason’s is where it’s AT! (And that’s saying a lot since I rarely end sentences with prepositions.) I checked out Mason’s, it’s my new fave. Design: uber-modern. People: probably too early to tell, but I spied mostly polished, semi-hoity-toity types. Service: impeccable (one of my friends found it annoyingly constant, though). Bar menu: lengthy and of the best quality. And let’s not forget about location. I don’t mean geographic, I mean proximity – to other bar venues.

Several years ago, most of Sac’s good bars were isolated. Meaning you’d have to DRIVE in order to bar hop. (I am not really a fan of bar hopping for its own sake, rather I like to have the option to go next door if my original destination is too crowded. Or empty. Or boring.) I remember the Centro/Blue Cue/Harlow’s corner was convenient …
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Three’s a crowd at Lucca

I frequented Lucca quite a bit when it first opened – always have high hopes for a new mid- or downtown opening. Aside from the minor missteps of a fresh venue finding its footing, Lucca showed great promise. The bar has the makings of a great Sac hangout: solid wine list, full bar, yummy appetizers (love the escargot) and a good location. And in my book, it gets extra points for offering more than one sparkling wine by the glass/split. The post-work crowd is usually professionals, with some hip midtowners thrown in, so big thumbs up on the atmosphere.

Sadly, the bar is too small for kissmekate’s ideal …
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