Category: Food

Revolution Grand Opening!

Revolution Wines will be celebrating all weekend in their new location at 28th and S. Their previous spot, an industrial space behind a hair salon, was too small for their growing winery and their penchant for serving appetizers while local musicians played. Revolution retained its urban flavor in the comfortable and funky new bistro, tasting room and winery.

All weekend, new releases of Malbec Port, Verdelho Blanco Port and Rio Tinto (a Touriga/Tannat blend) will be paired with selections from their kitchen along with cellar tours, barrel tasting and specials on award-winning wines. All day Sunday, Gina will be serving her famous Chicken and Dumpling Soup just in time for a wet weekend.

Go wish Revolution Wines good luck and prosperity on their winemaking adventure.

Happy Anniversary, Sierra Nevada!

One of the four Anniversary beers is a collaboration between Ken Grossman (Sierra Nevada) and Fritz Maytag (Anchor Brewing)Founded in 1980 by home brewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company helped create the modern microbrewery industry. Thirty years later, it remains near the top of this industry in both sales and accolades, still lead by Grossman and still brewing its flagship beer that launched a thousand microbreweries.

Their proximity to Sacramento makes this celebration particularly sweet. If you are a lover of local beer, you have loved Sierra Nevada Pale Ale at some point in your life. No matter what craphole in California I was stuck in, I could almost always find it, and I was damn relieved it was there. I still love it today.

This year, Sierra Nevada collaborated with other pioneers of craft beer and brewed four celebratory anniversary beers. Throughout the area, there are several opportunities to try these and other extraordinary beers in the Sierra Nevada portfolio.
Continue reading “Happy Anniversary, Sierra Nevada!”

Cupcakes vs. Frozen Yogurt

http://www.icingonthecupcake.com/
Icing on the Cupcake - 1121 Alhambra Blvd.

Not sure I get the cupcake thing, but I’m noticing more and more of them popping up all over Sacramento. The only business that seems to be outgrowing cakes in a cup is self-serve frozen yogurt. I’m all for economic recovery and seeing a “Grand Opening” sign is much more comforting than a “For Lease” sign, but I’m curious as to who is eating all of these cupcakes. It seems like a niche business at best.

Speaking of, I did try out Tops Yogurt the other day and was put off by the policy that the employee must fill your free sample cup. Granted, I’ve long wondered when these places would start doing this to control inventory (the obvious scene of the high school crowd coming and filling up on sample after sample comes to mind) but it’s tough when you’re not trying to abuse it.

Is it easier to get a commercial loan if you are opening a cupcake or frozen yogurt shop?

Enjoy a (La)Tour of Fine Wine

Brew It Up! is offering a vertical tasting of Georges de Latour Private Reserve.

I don’t do Napa Cabs.

However, many of you do. Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley is widely recognized as one of the gold standards for California wines, and the Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) Georges de Latour Private Reserve is a highly regarded example of this varietal, a benchmark in fine winemaking for the past 80 years.

Brew It Up! is offering a special opportunity to enjoy a vertical tasting and to add some bottles to your library, both for a bargain.
Continue reading “Enjoy a (La)Tour of Fine Wine”

Rubicon benefits SABA on Wednesday

Rubicon continues its support of local charities with their latest installment of 501c Wednesdays benefiting SABA, the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates. A portion of purchases all day tomorrow go to promote safe and fun cycling.

If you haven’t visited Rubicon yet during Hoptoberfest, tomorrow would be a great day to warm up for the grand Hoptoberfest celebration on October 30 and 31, which will feature more than 20 of the hoppiest beers you can find in California.

Temple Posts New High Score

Coffee Review recently scored Temple Coffee’s Guatemala Hunapu Antigua Bourbon 97/100, which is the highest score for any coffee in North America this year.

The Bee reports that Temple Coffee got some proof that their coffee is the finest in the land. Coffee Review recently scored Temple’s Guatemala Hunapu Antigua Bourbon 97/100, which is the highest score for any coffee in North America this year. They are already sold out of their current offering, but squirreled some aside to share with locals on Saturday from 8-11am at both locations.

Congrats to roaster Ed Whitman and Temple Coffee on this fandabulous feat!

Man v. Food: Sacramento

Fans of the show “Man v. Food” on the Travel Channel will be treated to a Sacramento edition on Wednesday, September 29th at 9:00 p.m. E/P.

In the Golden State capital, Adam gets a true taste of Sactown when he visits the California State Fair. Adam experiences everything from rodeos, to roller coasters, to monster trucks at this annual gathering, but he’s really there for the main attraction: the food! At the fair, Adam tries the most delicious mobile meals Sacramento has to offer: he falls in serious soulful love with deep fried catfish on a stick, and stops by the Sweet Cheeks stand for everything he’s ever wanted for dessert–deep fried! Adam also has the best of two worlds with the Twister Dog at Tornado Potato.

After the fair, Adam visits Jim Denny’s, a Sac City institution known for having the best breakfast in town. With “The Works”, Adam tries a two pound omelet that combines everything on the menu. Finally, Adam takes on the Knucklehead Challenge at Parker’s Hot Dogs. In 100 attempts, only one person has completed this five pound platter in the twenty minute allotted time-slot. This challenge is made up of 5-half pound hot dogs on a 16 inch bun smothered in four pounds of chili, nacho cheese, veggies, tortilla strips, and fries.

Food News and Rumors

A few items have come across my plate recently and I thought I’d share.

Dan Aykroyd in Sacramento selling vodka– Wednesday, Sep 29 at the BevMo on Adren Way, Dan Aykroyd, legendary star of screen and …screen, will be signing bottles of his new vodka called Crystal Head. Creepily bottled in skull-shaped vessels, this very drinkable vodka is a pet project of the man who once shilled for bass blenders and bags of glass as children’s playthings on SNL. Check out the strange and awkward and strangely awkward video below for more info on this product. Feel free to offer your ideas for signature cocktails you can make with Elwood’s daddy juice.

Bistro 33 to undergo popular makeover– Goodbye Bistro 33 Midtown. The Haines brothers’ hippest spot has temporarily shut its doors to become Spin Burger Bar. Taking a hint from Mason Wong, whose transformation of his signature eponymous restaurant to Cafeteria 15L has turned out to be a great business decision, and Rick Mahan, whose One Speed has brought in more business than his upscale Waterboy, the Haines boys will be transforming an underperforming asset into a more casual, more economical eatery with — taking a big cue from Mahan — a cycling theme. In my favorite quote of the decade, Fred Haines said, “the ultra lounge thing is dead and we’re rolling with the changes.” (Kudos to Chris Macias at the Bee for getting that wonderful phrase to be uttered) Continue reading “Food News and Rumors”