I have just had my first experience at Totugas, the Ernesto’s owned sandwich shop on 18th and Capitol, next door to Zocalo. It is, in one word, “Tortastic.” The slow simmered pork and dense breads turned lunch time into food coma time and the mesmerizing Animal Planet gorilla special showing on the giant flatscreen only made the day more enjoyable.
Downside: only place to sit inside is on a series of tiny stools that belly up to a narrow, wall-mounted bar.
Upside: Gut-warming food that is served until at least 2am, so a great choice for lunch or late-night.
Tortugas
18th and Capitol, Sacramento
Food**** Ambience* Service**
Author: sac-eats
Run for the Foothills, It’s Country French Cuisine
(NOTE: The Eats clan will be moving from our current digs in a few months to a new family abode off the greater Eastern & El Camino corridor. So, gone are the days of long, detail filled ramblings about all the eateries in the Fair Oaks Blvd sphere of influence. You can now look forward to long, intricate musings on the joy that is the Plaza Hof Brau.)
 Anyway, back to our story. Mike Dunne over at the Bee has spent plenty of words praising a little French joint up in the foothills called “Zachary Jacques.” I won’t spend much time, therefore, totally agreeing with him and talking about the wonderful food, great service and charming atmosphere that make the hour long drive totally and completely worth it. I’ll instead talk about how to use Zachary Jacques in a recipe to create a perfect birthday in the foothills.
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Jerry’s Tumbleweed Inn
I saw a brief mention of Jerry’s Tumbleweed Inn in the Bee a few weeks ago as having one of the best burgers in town. Then my uncle asked me if I had heard of the place, being a bit of a burger hound himself. I thought it my duty to head to the distant land of Rancho Cordova and check it out.
To say that Jerry’s is rough around the edges assumes that a) Jerry’s has edges and b) the word “rough” includes the possibility of getting a pool cue lodged up your poop chute due to a poorly timed comment about the Raiders. Nevertheless, the burgers are well worth braving the elements as I quickly found out.
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Fins
Ok, admittedly “Fins” sounds like the name of some aquatic strip bar, but it’s truly a gem in the the Sacramento foodscape. (Did I just coin a phrase?) Fins has been around for years, with one location in Fair Oaks; however, not too many people were willing to hoof it out to the exburbs to buy fresh fish. ( I checked Google and it looks like “foodscape” has already been used. As well as “exburbs.” Dammit!) So Fins owners, Ed and Darcy Jayousi, decided to expand, opening two new locations that would increase their “fishpire” across the wide Sacramento “foodaspora.” (I’m really trying here.)
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Made in China-Call To Readers
I’ve become quite disenchanted with the state of Chinese food in the Capitol region. I’m stuck wandering between my two favorite places, Chinois and the Mandarin. The Mandarin is steady, predictable and delicious and Chinois is hit and miss depending on what you order. Every other Chinese joint in town either offers cheap, greasy, floavorless fare in unappetizing surroundings or skips all pretenses and goes straight to buffet. What am I missing? Where, oh faithful reader, should I go to experience fine Chinese cuisine and not grease noodles with grade D meat chunks thrown in? Where is the fine hot and sour soup, the glazed duck and top rate general’s chicken? And if anyone says “P.F. Chang’s” I will punch him in the throat.
I Don’t Want to Toot My Own Horn…
but I will totally toot my own horn here. It looks like some of the local “amateur” food writers (for “some,” read “mostly me”) have gotten the attention of the 2nd stream media and prompted a spread in October’s issue of “Sacramento” magazine. Yes, that’s me, in the very large picture, uh huh, totally me, media whore.
It’s only a matter of time before we get a series of certifications on the doors of local eateries reading “Sacrag Certified: Sac-eats says…” We’re working on it.
Italian Roundup
If you don’t like Italian food, you’re probably not an American. Whether it’s pizza or pasta, raviolis or rigatoni, Italian food is tops in most Americans’ food preferences. Italian food restaurants are in every city and every state, offering high carb goodness that can’t be beat. Beware, though, the Italian restaurant that fools you with inferior sauces and horrible, soggy pastas. A simple moustache and overweight accordion player will not make up for tough meat and lousy service. My favorite Italian joint, Bravo, recently closed its doors, leaving me in search of a new haunt. What I came up with is a few hits and a lot of misses:
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Entertainment Classification
The Sky Bar, never high on anyone’s list of entertainment destinations, has been labeling itself as “Sacramento’s Home to Jazz,” for quite a while. A quick peek at their website tells a different story, however. Proudly listed on their homepage is the music calendar for this week: Wed-Salsa, Thurs-DJ (top 40 & R&B), Fri-Salsa & 80’s, Sat-Live Salsa, Sun-Freestyle open mic. Wow, I am blown away at how they can pack their musical calendar with so much jazz. It’s really incredible. As long as you count Top 40, R&B and salsa as jazz, then the Sky Bar certainly is Sacramento’s “home to jazz.” Or maybe they’re just big fat liars.
Calling the Sky Bar the “Home to jazz” is like calling Pollock Pines “Chocolate City.” Nice try Sky Bar; if you’re going to change your music, go ahead and change your slogan.
Daytrippin’
According to the spot-on meteorologists at channel 10, the weather is getting cooler. Can’t you feel those chilly breezes in your bones? Does your breath steam in the air yet? Of course not, because weather people are morons and should be given approximately 30 seconds of the news broadcast to give a five day forecast and then shut their traps.
Nevertheless, the weather will, even according to Al Gore, eventually cool off, which makes it perfect weather for daytripping. If you’re tired of Apple Hill, El Dorado/Amador/Sea of Tranquility wine tasting or cities with UC campuses, then I’ve got an idea for you, CHICO! Yes, that’s right, CHICO! (from now on all CHICO! references will be capitalized and exclamation pointed)
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Like You Need Another Sushi Recommendation
There’s this place on the corner of Alta Arden and Fulton. It’s been there for many years. You’ve passed it a dozen times in your life, to and from Arden Fair, or when your mom would drag you to Gemco. You remember Gemco, you in your corduroy jumper and bowl haircut trying to convince your mother that you really really needed that new He-Man with the spring loaded sword arm.
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The Sac Rag 