Just a quick note about “Sacramento” magazine’s recently published list of best restaurants in town: A) Please note that this is mostly a reader’s list of “bests,” and therefore represents the eating habits of sacmag’s demographic, namely upper class women over the age of 35. (In much the same way that SNR’s lists always slant towards bars and restaurants within a 4 block walk from their midtown offices) B) The editor’s, bless their hearts, have tried to pepper the list with “editor’s picks” spread around the “greater Sacramento area.” C) While this list identifies a number of chains as bests (Ruth’s Chris, BJ’s Brewhouse and Mimi’s Cafe), the number of chains referneced actually is down from previous years which means that either local restauranteurs are doing a better job getting the word out, or that the sacmag readership is getting more adventurous in their tastes. D) Texas West BBQ is NOT the best BBQ in Sacramento, it’s not even the 5th best. It’s not good. Try JR’s, Everett & Jones and Sandra Dee’s. Texas West is simply the only BBQ in town in affluent areas and therefore always gets the nod from sacmag’s readers. Do not be fooled.
Category: Food
Don’t Like the Heat? Try 58°.
I am not a “wine snob.” I am not even a “wine connoisseur.” (so much so that I had to spellcheck “connoisseur” (and lookup the symbol for ° (which I’ve now assigned to a shortcut key (ctrl+D, if you’re ever using my computer)))) What I am is a “wine drinker.” This is not a specialized classification nor a advanced designation. I just know that there are some wines that I like and some that I’m not a big fan of; which is why, 58° is such a wonderful place. Without knowing much of anything about wines, you can go there, taste a variety of different mashups and not break the bank. They thoughtfully offer wine by the glass (6oz.), the taste (3oz.) or by the bottle (750ml).
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Something’s Fishy Here
Somewhere between the mega-chains and the mom ‘n pops lies a gray area of eateries. They have multiple locations and standardized menus, but they lack the corporate consistency and allow for variations between outlets. They are…duh,duh,duh…the regional chains!
That’s right, I’m talking about Piatti, Bandera, California Cafe and, my personal favorite, Scott’s Seafood. (Sorry, did I just blow your mind? You didn’t know that Bandera was part of the “Los Altos Grille” chain? Well wake up and smell the jalapeno cornbread sucker!)
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Saturday Night Charity Event and Fish Fry*
Just a plug here, but it’s for a good cause:
–Saturday, July 8- Red Ribbon Comedy Event-The Sacramento Comedy Spot presents an evening of sketch & improv comedy to benefit the AIDS Walk-SF
-All proceeds go towards AIDS Walk
-Featuring the Free Hooch Comedy Troupe
-8PM @ the Clarion Hotel- 2600 Auburn Blvd
Tix are $10 @ the door or presale at http://www.saccomedyspot.com
*there will be no fish fry.
Tale of Two Sushi’s
Just ate at Taro’s this week, the hip Mikuni outlet at Arden Fair. It lived up to expectations, and those expectations were that it would be almost exactly like the other Mikuni outlets. I was not mistaken. Except for a few quirky menu additions, including a few dessert options that I’ll have to try on my next visit, and a few high-priced rolls that include such items as CA caviar, beluga and a 2 karat diamond, the menu is fairly familiar and pretty accessible. I had a fantastic sea steak salad and tuna ngiri with chopped jalapenos. My one complaint was that even though the main dining area had plenty of open tables, the hostess insisted on sitting us at a high-top bar table where the setting sun was coming through the windows like some Buck Rogers death laser.
Good food, fun ambience, mediocre service.
Taka’s sushi on 18th and S has closed and is looking for a new location. According to the Bee, arguments with the landlord peaked and they shut the whole operation down for the time being. If you ask me, it probably also had something to do with the comically large amount of roe that was included with almost every signature roll.
We’ll probably be seeing Taka’s reopen closer to midtown, but some might say that area is a little super-saturated with sushi already.
The Dispossessed
Eddie Fong closed his restaurant on Monday, and his regulars are bereft. All week long they’ve been wandering around town looking for a place to have breakfast, but there’s no place like Eddie’s, never has been and never will be again.
I was an Eddie’s regular, once removed. In truth, my brother was the Eddie’s guy, and I was allowed a pass into the inner circle because of him. Without that pass, Eddie’s could be a rather intimidating place to eat. Eddie ran a restaurant with good food (heavenly corned beef on Thursdays, best in town) and an attitude that was all his own. If you didn’t like anything about him or his place, he had no hesitation whatsoever about swearing at you until your ears hurt and then throwing you out. (Banishment to the Tower Cafe across Broadway was considered akin to being sent to hell for any Eddie’s regular.)
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Bistro 33 (Lofty Aspirations)
Great things are supposed to come from the corner of 16th and J. Just like Zeus was born of Hera’s thigh (or is it the other way around) all things hip, stylish and lofty are born from the revamped corner project. Bistro 33 was to be no exception to the rule as expectations ran high. Most Sacramentans are familiar with if not very fond of the 33rd St Bistro on Folsom and 33rd, and this new child of that restaurant enterprise was to equal and maybe even outshine its parent. (Similar to Prometheus outshining the other gods by inventing fire or something like that.)
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Fallen Icon
Word on the street is that “Icon,” the pseudo-hip eatery on 15th and R St, will be closing its doors soon. In its place will be a sports bar and restaurant. I’m sure the menu will include wings, burgers, chicken fingers and club sandwiches among other choices.
While Icon was never my favorite restaurant, it was a pretty neat spot that made one hell of a French Dip. Also, I heard many rumors from men and women alike that the servers were quite flirty and worth going back for. Good luck to whoever takes over the spot as Sammy Chu’s and now Icon have fallen. Could it be that being located next to Empire is actually NOT a good thing for a restaurant? We’ll see.
Proper Hydration
As the mercury rises, it’s important to ward off heatstroke, and apparently the staff at Danielle’s Creperie have taken note of this.
A coworker and I just returned from a lunch meeting there and had no fewer than three employees topping off our water and iced tea with virtually every sip we took. Danielle’s, located at the busy Arden Town Center at Fair Oaks and Watt, runs a tight ship for their busy lunchtime crowd. Tables are turned quickly; however, the diner is never made to feel rushed. The food is always of top quality — I recommend the smoked salmon salad and splitting the raspberry chocolate crepe with your guest for dessert. (Danielle’s is also in the Entertainment Book.)
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La Fiesta stunts your growth
Still restoring the caloric depletion from last weekend’s training, when I found myself starving in Midtown, I heeded the numerous recommendations of fellow ‘raggers and headed to La Fiesta.
I was impressed with the efficient line and process flow, as a young lady took orders prior to our paying while her coworkers (all in matching futbol jerseys) rung up orders, prepared the food, and served up meals in a matter of seconds.
La Fiesta prices their specials so when tax is added in, it’s a flat dollar amount — in my case, $7 for two soft tacos and a beverage — thereby expediting the lunch process that much more. The Type-A process-driven side of me was most pleased.
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The Sac Rag 