Author: sac-eats

Memory Dump: 10 meals in 25 words or less

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”

NorCal’s Newest Growth Industry, Chop-Shops

According to people who know stuff about things, we NorCal folks are a bit plagued by a rash of auto thefts. A recent study found the top ten cities in which your car is most likely to get stolen.

Good news: Sacramento wasn’t in the top ten.

Bad news: almost every surrounding city except Plymouth, was.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Modesto has the highest rate of car thefts in any American city. Stockton comes in at #6. SF Bay area comes in at #7, and Fresno rounds out the list at #10. What can we take from these statistics? I say if you’re leaving Sacramento, take a train.

New Eats: Magpie, De Vere’s, and Hot Italian

Even with TVs, radios, and all other media trying their hardest to remind us constantly of the sour economy — I mean really Betty Crocker recipe book, is it necessary to try to come up with a “cheaper” carrot cake recipe for hard times? — there are always things to celebrate. In this case, we’re going to celebrate some good new eats.

Magpie Caterers Market and Cafe– Opened just last week in the barely finished new retail row at 14th and R, Magpie already has fans. Count me as one. Picking up where nearby neighbor Dad’s Sandwich Shop leaves off, Magpie goes for the slightly higher scale ingredients, preparations, and prices. The grilled ham and cheese is stuffed with imported camembert and shaved Niman Ranch ham, the roast beef with melted blue cheese and imported mustard. The salads feature elegantly tidy mixes of baby greens and baby breads prompting baby cooing noises from the customers who eat them. Whether you’re a dive devotee or a dining room diva, this place just flat out rocks. I mean really rocks, rocks like the Flintstones, rocks like granite, rocks like Rock of Ages being performed at Red Rock by Rockapella. Continue reading “New Eats: Magpie, De Vere’s, and Hot Italian”

Totally Awesome Comedy Weekend

Something told me that it was going to be a great comedy weekend coming up.  No, really.  I had a dream that George Carlin was performing on Crondall Drive and had a really crappy turnout, so he gave everyone in the audience free CDs, then we played the piano together and I made spaghetti. If that’s not a harbinger of comedy gold, I don’t know what is.

Friday-Saturday: Bobcat Goldthwait @ Laughs Unlimited, 8 and 10:30pm

If you haven’t checked out Goldthwait’s seminal 1987 album “Meat Bob” lately, then it’s time for a refresher.  No matter how manic and absolutely nutso the guy seems, his stand-up was actually insightful and witty. Don’t let all the Police Academy movies fool you, Bobcat’s got chops. Don’t expect the screaming freak-out routine however, he’s calmed a bit with age.

Saturday: Louis C. K. @ the Crest, 8pm

My favorite comedian working today, Louis C.K. is appropriately blunt yet fantastically absurd, a perfect recipe for the times we live in. Yeah, his short-lived sitcom didn’t exactly win any awards, but that puts the former Conan O’Brien writer in good company. Anyone remember the George Carlin show? At $32.50 a seat, even in a recession, the price is well worth it.

Friday: Special Guests @ The Sacramento Comedy Spot, 9pm Continue reading “Totally Awesome Comedy Weekend”

It’s OK to be Judgmental When We’re Talking beer

Judging a beer contest is a surprisingly solemn event. It turns out that it involves a lot more sitting and thinking than drinking and shouting. One spends most of his time writing thoughtful criticism or simply staring at the brew in front of him trying to figure out whether the beverage’s color is more copper-amber or reddish-auburn.

Last weekend, at the Gold Country Brewers Association annual Celebrewtion, I was lucky enough to serve as a judge for their homebrew competition. Over 70 beers by dozens of proud Sacramento-area homebrewers were turned over to be judged by a panel of almost 30 judges. The range of beers went from palest light golden lagers to  syrupy thick meads to ink black imperial stouts.

Each panel of three judges was given a flight of beers, typically about eight beers in total, to judge on aroma, appearance, flavor, and overall execution. Being a first-timer, I was grouped together with a more experienced judge who could show me the ropes. We started by looking over our list of beers and going through the general rules.  We were in the stouts and strong ales category which included barleywine, old ale, and Russian Imperial Stout. Continue reading “It’s OK to be Judgmental When We’re Talking beer”

Jesuit Hires First Female Principal in School History

Not only is new principal Brianna Latko the first female principal in Jesuit High School history, she’s also the first non-Jesuit, or lay person, to hold the post. As a JHS alum myself, I can say definitely that no matter what, one big change is coming: the new principal will probably smoke a lot less camel straights than did principals during my day, not because she’s a woman, only because it would be almost physically impopssible to smoke that much on what is now a smoke-free campus.

For a full review of Ms. Latko’s bon fides, as well as a strangely placed list of all the people that didn’t get the job, sorry Joe Potulny, check out the official press release here.

KXJZ gets real on “Tent City”

From a piece on Wednesday by Cap Radio, it turns out that the tent city is not a creation of a down economy:

“I’ve heard anywhere from 100 to 1200, and I’ve heard anything from 100 new tents a night to 50 new people a week.” 
 
Uh, no, says Zoulas.  He thinks there’s probably between a hundred and 130 people here at any given time.  And Zoulas says he doesn’t know of a single one of them here because of the down economy.

Dear, Where’s the Best Beer?

On this St. Patty’s day, it seems a logical time to roll out a few choices when you really, really want to get your beer on.  While none of these places are your traditional choices for a pint of Guinness and corned beef and cabbage, they’re rather perfect choices for brewed goodness the other 364 days a year.

Manderes– From the Gulf of Mexico to the Sprout of Brussels, Manderes has scoured the Earth for the best beers on the planet.  With the motto of “no crap on tap,” the small, two-year-old beer bar and restaurant in Folsom has excelled at marrying unique brews and delicious food. And with twenty beers on tap and almost 100 in the bottle, there’s something for just about every taste. Hungry? Try the short ribs, shellacked with a generous Russian imperial stout glaze, and pair it with a pint of Bear Republic’s Hop Rod Rye.

Burgers and Brew– The menu might be a bit limited, and the tap might not be all that impressive, but the arm-long list of beers in the bottle (mostly Belgian) is enough to keep the ardent hop-head coming back regularly. Don’t stray too far from the titular menu items of beer and burger however, or you’re likely to be disappointed.

The Shack– With an impressively eclectic tap that ranges from PBR to Belgian ales, and a bottle list that spans the globe featuring some of the best beers anywhere, The Shack has positioned itself as an incredible hangout for the brew connoisseur.  The new menu features bistro favorites like moules fritte and game hen for criminally low prices. It’s a win-win situation. Continue reading “Dear, Where’s the Best Beer?”

Breakfast-The Carmichael Way

I’m not a morning person — heck, I’m not even an early afternoon person — but I still get excited about a really good breakfast.

Lido Cafe-7739 Fair Oaks Blvd

The Lido is simply a great breakfast spot. Two little birdies told me so, their names are “sweet potato pancake” and “homemade cinnamon roll.” In another part of town, those might sound like streetwalker handles, but not in Carmichael son.  Those are two of the many standout delicacies waiting for you on the Lido menu. Add to that the spot-on service and the great coffee and you’ve got yourself gen-u-wine breakfast perfection. Other than the fact that the owners of Lido didn’t call me personally years ago to tell me how good their grub was, I can’t find fault.

El Palmar-2452 Mission Ave

I’ve talked about neighborhood favorite El Palmar before. Well, it’s still good, and the new, more expansive digs on El Camino can accommodate the ceaseless business.  But we’re here to talk about breakfast, and El Palmar serves one of my favorites. No, senor, it’s not a breakfast burrito, that silly California hybrid. It’s just one word that says breakfast delight: MACHACA.  Machaca con huevos, that is: a scrumptious mix of scrambled eggs and spiced, shredded beef that trumps any omelette anywhere by anyone.  Some rice and beans on the side and a michelada to drink makes for el desayuno perfecto. Continue reading “Breakfast-The Carmichael Way”

Did Someone Say BANJO-RAMA?

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!  At the Carmichael Elks Lodge, come and see your favorite dixieland banjo players strum it up.  According to the website, the event runs from 11:40am to 5:30pm (banjo players are very specific with timeliness). 

If you’ve never attended a Banjo-Rama before, then you owe it to yourself to probably not come to this one.  Honestly, this is the 42nd annual Banjo-Rama, and if you haven’t come out for one of the 41 previous events, you’re not coming this year.  I know that: you know that: let’s stop pretending that you care about my banjo obsession. 

There, I’ve said my piece.  You can all go about your business.