Recently there have been many restaurants closing in Sacramento for different reasons, most due to the down economy. Somewhat new to the scene is Blue Prynt Restaurant and Bar located at 815 11th street in the downtown area of Sacramento. Blue Prynt occupies the space formerly known as Sofia, one of the culinary casualties of our area. While this restaurant has its own entrance it is unfortunately connected to a Best Western Motel. Upon entering I was excited to see the grand transformation that had taken place. I noticed new paint, furniture and light fixtures. The carpets seemed the same but I could be mistaken. I don’t judge restaurants by how beautiful or tacky they look (not 100% any

In search of a place to watch some of the last championship NFL games, the wife and I set out to Bisla’s Sports Lounge. It was incredible that I wanted to leave the house at all knowing The Steeler’s weren’t in the championships but I suppose life goes on. We have frequented Bisla’s on days when the bar has been less busy which seems to be the case when there is not a professional sporting event taking place. Bisla’s was empty when we arrived for the first game but as we suspected, the crowd poured in as the day went on.  Sports bars are generally known for having rowdy crowds, mediocre food and nonexistent service. I am happy to say this does not describe Bisla’s. This is a conclusion re

French pastries arrived on the corner of Ninth and K streets Dec. 8 when Estelle’s Patisserie opened without fanfare to gauge the market before adjusting and doing a grand opening sometime in January. “The customers have been so supportive,” said owner Esther Son, whose first name translates to Estelle in French. “I’ve owned other businesses, and this group down here is just so dynamic and supportive.” The staff of about 12 starts baking as early as 3 a.m., and the bakery offers about 35 items – from fruit tarts, puff pastries and croissants to soups, sandwiches and baguettes. Cream-filled puff pastries, raspberry and blueberry tarts, buttery croissants and Madeleines in various flavors

A Watercolors and Hiking event will be held in Locke, Calif. on Thursday, September 15, 2011 starting at 10:00 a.m. The hike will be led by Martha Esch. Bring the kids and the grandparents; everyone is welcome!  Well-behaved dogs on leashes, okay. This is a mostly level 1.5 mile hike apart from one 20 foot long, somewhat steep, narrow path up a levee hill and some optional off-path routes along the way that are prickly and narrow. Locke artist and art teacher, Martha Esch, will demonstrate easy techniques to painting a quick, lovely, loose watercolor postcard of scenic spots along the hike. Next, participants will begin using watercolor kits, blank postcards and brushes that will be pas

Sacramento families can jump-start their children's summer fun at the neighborhood Kids' Safety Fair taking place Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event will be held on the lawn of Bethany Presbyterian Church, 5625 24th Street in Sacramento (corner of Fruitridge Road and 24th Street). Among the free activities offered are a bounce-house, face-painting, crafts, music and helpful information from local family and safety resources. A free hotdog lunch will be served. A map and directions, plus a downloadable print-friendly flyer, are available. The safety fair is presented as a community service of Bethany Presbyterian Church volunteers. Bethany Presbyterian Church is th

A “wicked” new presence is fast approaching the Sacramento food truck scene and bringing with it a broom-wielding, raven-haired witch, mounted LED television screens and towering, East Coast-inspired sandwiches. The Wicked ’Wich, as owners Tom Boerner, Chuck Hewitt and Chris Jarosz have dubbed their sandwich shop on wheels, has been in the planning stages for more than a year now and is finally ready to hit the streets. Each wicked sandwich, which includes a customer’s choice of meat, cheese, mild and spicy “potions” (condiments) and locally sourced produce, will be topped with crisp French fries and a heap of non-mayonnaise-based, house-made coleslaw that Jarosz described as “tangy, yet

Several days ago I gave in to my curiosity about the restaurant I always drive by, Espanol Italian Dinners. I have always wondered why a restaurant with a name like Espanol would serve Italian food but, tis not mine to judge. When you walk into Espanol which has been at its current location for over 40 years you can quite literally feel the transformation from modern day to yesteryear. The furniture, artwork and cash register which oddly resembles a slot machine appear as they would in an old gangster film. As we looked around the crowd was mature and tame. It seemed clear that this concept was brought to life in an era when dining out meant something very different. While we at no point

Sacramento has its share of fine brew pubs such as Rubicon, Brew It Up and Pyramid but what about a place with no beer of its own name? Perhaps a ridiculous selection of fine beers from all over the world? We found this and more when we happened upon the shack in East Sacramento. Walking into The Shack you find a small but welcoming room where the staff is busy, the guests are smiling and the beer selection is endless. The Shack reminds me of a beach bar you might find in Santa Cruz or even San Diego. A very laid back neighborhood joint with lot’s going on. You can find every style of beer here from light pilsners to hoppy IPA’s and rich malty stouts and porters. By the bottle or on tap,

Sacramento landmark Jim-Denny’s went up for sale Monday. The Lane family has decided to sell the historic white and red diner after five years so Patsy Lane, the heart and soul behind the counter, can retire to Montana. The restaurant has served breakfasts and burgers for 76 years – first at 16th and J streets, where Jim Van Nort initially opened the restaurant. Van Nort moved the business to 816 12th St. after returning from WWII. The Lanes struggled with the decision even before the diner was featured on the Travel Channel show Man v. Food in late September. Lane just turned 60, and she's ready to take it a little easier, said her daughter, Joanna Lane, part owner along with her mothe

Z Spot Cafe & Grill, a lunch spot across from the federal courthouse at Fifth and I streets, has mysteriously closed. The cafe and its outside courtyard at 500 I St. were empty Tuesday. Tables and chairs were gone, and the floor and counters were dirty and empty. Cash registers and other equipment, along with food, had been cleared out, possibly overnight. A drink dispenser was the only piece of equipment left on the restaurant's front counter. Confused customers stopped by during the day to try to figure out what had happened. A woman named Lisa who works at the nearby Hall of Justice, 813 Sixth St., said she wasn't able to reach the cafe by phone. "I called today to order a hamburger

 For the last week, I've been living the life of Riley. Jess' aunt and uncle took her little cousins on vacation to Hawaii.  We've been housesitting their place in Land Park. Riley lives in a three-bedroom house in the suburbs, he's got a cat and a dog.  And this week, so do I.                 I thought I'd share with you some of the people and places that I've experienced during my week as a Sacramento suburbanite. A Suburban Cowboy, if you will.  While I'm not ready to trade in my 'Vette for a minivan a la Steve Sanders, BH 90210, Episode 7, Season 10 (a part of me died that day. Also, no one's gonna mistake my 1990 Honda Accord for a Corvette with plates that read I8A-4RE), I found th

It's been a while since I've had time to dine out much less write about it however this article is long overdue. I visited Serritella's Italian Restaurant on Fair Oaks Boulevard tonight and rediscovered why I enjoy dining out. This restaurant has been around for the better part of 40 years which is an achievement in itself in this market. Our young but knowledgeable server Bianca had all the steps of service down to a science. The decor was contemporary Italian with artwork reflecting the world of French and Italian wines. I was a bit concerned when noticing how sleepy the dining room was but decided to give everything a fair chance. I love this place. While some of the menu items may se

Today I had but one objective which was to find a superior slice of pizza to sit down and enjoy without going broke in the process. You should know I was born and raised in New York so this was not going to be a simple task. I decided to try Giovanni’s Old World New York Pizzeria. My first impression was that the restaurant is enormous. The size of the restaurant drew attention to the fact I was the only one in the place. Normally I wouldn’t stay at a completely empty restaurant but they deserved an impartial review as much as any place. Let’s start with the positives. The lunch special which is offered from 11-4PM consists of two slices of pizza and a soda for $5.99. Draft beer is avail

I was looking for a place to enjoy Monday night football and a decent Happy Hour and stumbled upon La Casa Restaurante. Usually a good Happy Hour for me consists of great drink specials but I was really hungry and decided I wanted to get my grub on. La Casa offers Happy Hour all day on game days which is absolutely unheard of. Glasses of wine range from $3 - $4, well cocktails are $3, domestic draft beers are $2 and all others are $3. House Margaritas are $3 as well. Appetizers are half price and differ in price between $3 and $6. This place is somewhat unassuming and honestly I have driven by it many times since it does not face the street. The family owned business has only been in tow

I visited one of my favorite brew pubs on Thursday evening with my wife and son. Brew It Up which is located on the corner of 14th and H Street in downtown Sacramento. While wine is my first love, I am an absolute freak for hops. If you are not familiar with Brew It Up, let me bring you up to speed. Owner Michael Costello opened the original location in Davis 13 years ago. The first spot was more of a place for locals to do some home brewing. Along the way Mr. Costello decided to go the route of a full service restaurant and move the operation to Sacramento. This establishment is truly one of a kind in the area as it covers all of the bases. You can come in for a beer, glass of wine or a

Bill Taylor knows a thing or two about quality meat. Taylor, owner of the iconic Willie's Burgers, recently opened Iron Steaks located in Land Park Sacramento neighborhood.  "We wanted good quality that you can find at the best steakhouses, but price it reasonably," said Taylor.  Meals are served in family-style portions to share.  A sample dinner can include crab cakes, seared Ahi crusted with toasted almonds for appetizers, a 48 oz. porterhouse (which serves up to 6) served on a cast iron platter for an entrée, and green beans and sautéed mushrooms with demi-glaze for sides.  Each entrée is served with coleslaw and beignets, a type of fried dough.  "A typical evening meal with three

The vibe at Fremont park was laid-back and friendly during the new Hot Lunch series presented by Hot Italian and The Sacramento Press. Dozens of people sat scattered through the park on blankets and in lawn chairs, bobbing to the live music and chowing down on the food that was delivered from Hot Italian, just across 16th Street. Most people in attendance were on their lunch breaks some were just walking their dogs and got pulled in by the delicious smells and intriguing sounds. Attendee Melissa Olsen said, "I'm here on my lunch hour, and I think this is a good morale booster for all of the state employees in this hard time, to have somewhere near the end of the week to just unwind and l

Over ninety friends of Access Sacramento were invited to have lunch on April 17th with Amy Goodman, Co-Host of “Democracy Now!” and noted journalist. The luncheon was a fundraiser for Access Sacramento and was held at California Stage Theatre (25th and R Street). Amy was joined by award-winning Investigative Journalist and brother, David Goodman. The two were present in Sacramento promote their new book Standing up to the Madness.  Standing up to the Madness tells the stories of ordinary people who in many cases, risk their lives fighting for what they believe in. It inspires citizens to join the fight in taking the media back and telling stories that would otherwise not be heard. Inte

Bon Air is right on the corner of 26th and J Streets. You might miss it, because it looks just like a teeny little corner market where you would go to buy a pack of cigarettes or Brillo pads or candy bars – not the location of a deli so good I moved down the street to be closer to it. On the side of the building there's a giant mural of a really parched guy chugging what looks like a bottle of Snapple, which is pretty cool. If you or your friends like to take pictures and be photographers, you can't really beat a thirsty giant leering behind you while you pose. Inside this unassuming building, some of the best sandwiches in downtown Sacramento await you. Maybe you like your sandwiches wi