Imagine huge burgers, each smothered in a fried "skirt" of melted cheese with a side of hot, thick fries. If this sounds familiar, you probably know that I'm talking about the Squeeze Inn in Sacramento. The Squeeze Inn is a tiny restaurant known for its burgers that have so much cheese you have to experience it to believe it. The restaurant has been in its original location for about 30 years, taking orders from customers who literally waited in lines out the door. The popularity of the Squeeze Inn is not just known to Sacramento locals, but also caught the eye of Food Network star Guy Fieri and was featured on his show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." Even with the restaurant's great pop

K Street Mall is getting some activity after work began again on a mermaid bar and two other nightlife venues. San Francisco nightclub owner George Karpaty originally hoped to open Dive Bar, a dance club named District 30 and a gourmet pizza restaurant, Pizza Rock, near 10th and K streets by late 2009. The $6 million-plus project was delayed at least in part by opposition, including a lawsuit to stop it that was thrown out of court last summer. Saying he wanted to move forward, Karpaty declined to discuss the reasons the project on the blighted mall was thrown off schedule. But, he said, he now expects to open all three sites by late summer. "We had some delays. But we're coming," he sa

Two thirty-somethings who grew up in Sacramento's restaurant scene are teaming up to open a French-influenced restaurant next month. Simon's Bar & Cafe co-owner Alan Chan is opening his second restaurant, Bistro Michel, at 1501 14th St. The bistro will be managed by Richard Macias, who's worked in restaurants all over Sacramento. The two became friends after Macias got a job bartending at Simon's. Chan, 36 and Macias, 35, plan to open a restaurant that is "simple and classy and not overbearing," offering primarily American food cooked with French techniques and priced for most people, Macias said. They got fired up about French food while in France a few years ago to celebrate a friend'

Sacramento restaurateur Ernesto Jimenez was excited, yet afraid to take on the challenge of creating a restaurant in a 6,000-square-foot corner space in the old Arnold Brothers Motor Cars building. He already was the owner of the colorful Mexican restaurant Ernesto's when he and partners bought the 77-year-old building in 2001. And he'd been dreaming about his next restaurant for years. He wanted it to be something special. "It was a beautiful old building, so the restaurant had to match the exterior," he said. "I didn't want it to be just another restaurant. It had to be something beyond that." His visits to the new space at 18th Street and Capitol Avenue told him there was a lot of wo

Mason's New American Restaurant, the high dining that gave Downtown Sacramento a "big city" feel, will be closing its doors Feb. 15 to renovate and reopen as Cafeteria 15L. Co-owner of Mason's, Mason Wong, said that Cafeteria 15L will feature American comfort cuisine, what he sees as the next big trend in the food industry. Public relations manager Jennifer Bulotti said Wong has watched the development of the comfort food trend as it has grown in cities like San Francisco, New York, Portland and many others. "He’s seen this as a trend that appeals to a lot of people, and the draw toward comfort food dining is working in other similar cities," Bulotti said. The decision to transform Mas

Amarin Thai Cuisine, one of Sacramento's earliest Thai restaurants, has gone dark after the owners closed last week. On Jan. 19, the family-run restaurant shut its doors at the corner of I and 12th streets, just a few blocks from government buildings housing thousands of state, city, county and federal employees. Downtown workers made up the bulk of Amarin's customers during weekday lunches. "That was our favorite," said downtown resident Gloria Burt, an art show curator for Sacramento's Central Library. "The food was really, really good. We're unhappy it's gone." Like many other businesses in the central city, Amarin was hurt by the recession and state employee furloughs. But a loss of

Small business owners in Sacramento plan to hold on tight in 2010 for what appears to be another tough year. Several said they're doing their best just to keep their businesses going as the recession continues to waterboard the local economy. The owners of a local chain of taquerias said they will do what it takes to keep their heads above water for the next year. "That's been my theme since 2008: survival mode," said José Cortéz, who co-owns 10 La Fiesta Taqueria and La Favorita Taqueria restaurants in the Sacramento region. He and his family, including his mother and a brother who manages one La Fiesta, come from the Mexican state of Jalisco. The restaurants serve food of the Los Altos

Most musicians have day jobs. Now two musicians own theirs. Cooks Mick "The Deli Lama" Stevenson and Dennis "DJ" Rogers have kept the original Dad's Sandwich Shop going strong at 1310 S St. after assuming ownership three months ago. Dad's Kitchen at 2968 Freeport Blvd. near Curtis Park closed after its owners, Alison and Sam "Dad" England, weren't able to find a buyer. Diners may not even know a change of ownership took place, because Rogers and Stevenson had largely been running the restaurant, which operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, they said. Rogers, 26, also plays guitar in the hardcore punk band Killing The Dream, and 37-year-old Stevenson is in three bands: a pu

Sacramentans can support sustainability, the environment and decreased use of pesticides at a local fundraiser being held next week. Pesticide Watch and Slow Food Sacramento are teaming up to host the event, Sustainable Sacramento, on Thursday, Jan. 21. The event will laud local sustainability leaders and raise money for Pesticide Watch, a statewide organization based in Sacramento. "The commitment and expertise, the money and time that's required to step out and do things differently than the easy, conventional approach to raising and distributing food is something that should be recognized," said Charity Kenyon, membership director for Slow Food Sacramento. The event will honor Harves

Chris Nestor knows people are in need of a little comfort right now. The chef behind INK decided the time is right for a restaurant which may be able to provide that. On Jan. 12, he will open House Kitchen & Bar at 555 Capitol Mall. Opening first for lunch, House will serve re-imagined American comfort food in a warm setting, with dinner prices that won't go above $17. The concept is a response to the times, with many people facing continuing economic challenges, said Nestor. "Everybody has changed their mindset about what they want to pay when dining out," Nestor said. "Times are different right now. Meals are different right now. People's needs are different. So I just think it's a ne

The fifth annual Dine Downtown week is back January 8 through January 17 with 35-featured restaurants. Dine Downtown is the perfect opportunity to sample the best Downtown restaurants like The Firehouse, Biba Restaurant, Bistro 33, and Ella Dining Room & Bar on a budget. How it works: Each Dine Downtown restaurant will offer a prix-fixe three-course dinner menu for $30 per person that typically includes your choice of an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. All you have to do is ask for the Dine Downtown menu once you’re seated. Restaurants like Morgan’s at the Sheraton Grand Hotel and The Pilothouse Restaurant also offer special wine pairings to complement each dish. Plan ahead: Take a

I was out and about the day before Christmas Eve and as usual looking for something to eat when I came across Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar. The restaurant stands on a decent piece of midtown real estate with a good amount of foot traffic through the neighborhood. Upon walking in you are immediately facing the bar. Since there is no podium or hostess we sat ourselves and our server Jo Beth promptly came by with menus. One of the first things I noticed was the extremely bright lights which took so much away from what would have otherwise been a very welcoming room. I’ve been in emergency rooms more dimly lit. The crowd was quiet and average at the bar most likely due to the fact it was s

Downtown Sacramento's newest restaurant, 5th and H Café opened Monday. Chef and owner Anthony Palombo and a small staff are servi,ng pastries and beverages on the first day of business. The full menu will be offered Tuesday, he said. Palombo said he owes much thanks to his whole family for all their help with opening the café. Brother-in-law Brian Donnaley and father-in-law Bob Donnaley helped extensively with painting and installing kitchen equipment, he said. His mother and grandmother taught him how to cook growing up. His mother-in-law Phyllis Donnaley, who once owned a deli, has provided a lot of help with the new business. She gave the café its first dollar Monday. Tucked into a

Grange Restaurant’s Executive Chef Michael Tuohy and “Hunter Angler Gardener Cook” food writer Hank Shaw go beak-to-beak this Thursday, Nov. 12, in a chef's challenge benefitting the California Waterfowl Association. Appropriately named the "Duck Off," a panel of judges, including California Waterfowl Association President Bob McLandress, Corti Borthers Darrell Corti and The Sacramento Bee Rick Kushman and Niesha Lofing, will name the winner at Grange during the afternoon competition where Tuohy and Shaw use wild duck to create the most delectable dishes. That evening, patrons are invited to celebrate with a five-course prix fixe menu ($65 plus tax and gratuity) inspired by the earlier c

East Sacramento has a new hangout: The Corner Restaurant & Bar, which opened its doors for business last Friday.     "I want this to be a place people want to come and hang out at," said owner Joel Thompson. "As cliche as it sounds, I hope The Corner will be a place like the 'Cheers' bar 'where everyone knows your name.'"     The Corner is located down the street from Sacramento State University at the corner of 57th and J streets in the historic building that was home to the original Shakey's Pizza until the mid-1990s. The Thompson family opened the restaurant with the goal of creating a family-friendly place where students, parents and kids alike could enjoy reasonably priced food

A clean bill of health and an outpouring of customer support have prompted the reopening of a wildly popular downtown lunch spot, La Bonne Soupe Café. On Wednesday, owner Daniel Pont will resume serving the French onion soup Zagat rated as the best in the world only months ago, as well as the sandwiches and other food that earned his restaurant Zagat's top rating in Sacramento. The cafe passed a Sacramento County health reinspection Friday, nine days after a restaurant inspector closed it upon finding cockroaches. Pont, a renowned 70-year-old French chef, said Tuesday he's recovering from the stress and heartbreak that landed him in the hospital just before the first scheduled reinspect

Oktoberfest meets BikeCrawl Welcome to the 3rd "bicycle-themed" Grubcrawl. When: Thursday, October 15, promptly at 5:00 for the pre-party, we're off to the first spot at 6:00. Where: Bikes and Bites, 1013 12th street @ 12th & J, Downtown Sacramento. Starting off with the HOPPIEST Kick off party on the planet! HOPPY BREWING COMPANY has offered to help get thing hoppin’ before we even leave the starting line. HOPPY BREWING COMPANY will be bringing 4 of their nationally renowned brews for all the registered BikeCrawlers to sample. Not only that, HOPPY BREWING COMPANY has also offered to supply scrumptious snacks to compliment their excellent choices in brew. What a kick off! And all you

Traversing the Sacramento County area for a great burger at a great price can be a hard thing to do. Where Classic Burger formerly stood, owner, Steve of the Granite's family, has owned, operated and served up a huge menu of great eats, with "an east coast touch", going on one year now. This isn't your ordinary hamburger stand, Steve serves up a full diverse menu of Charbroiled Burgers, Italian Meatball Subs, Steak and Mushroom Cheesesteak Hoagies, Hot Pastrami on french roll, Grilled Chicago Dogs, Charbroiled Chicken Sandwiches, B.L.T, Chef Salads, Cold Cut Combo, Ham, Turkey, Italian Salami, Pepperoni and NY Buffalo Chicken Wings 10-50pc to name a few, including 92 other menu items to s

Freddie McGregor, the Grammy-nominated international reggae legend who has been performing since the '70s, is bringing his soulful rhythm to downtown Sacramento. The concert will be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Queen Sheba's Ethiopian Restaurant on 1704 Broadway. Originally from Clarendon, Jamaica, McGregor has sang, played and produced reggae music with many different styles throughout the years, including Rastafarian, lovers rock, ska and rocksteady. The height of his national recognition came in the early 1980s, when he released the hit song and album "Bobby Babylon." Other popular titles include "Big Ship," "Push Comes to Shove," "Just Don't Want to be Lonely" and "I was Born a Winner,

One would be hard-pressed to find somebody more passionate about preserving the environment than multi-professional bike enthusiast John Boyer. "I was mad as hell about the treatment of the planet since I was very small," he said. "I've always been an environmentalist at heart." Boyer Currently holds four occupations: a mechanic at Carmichael Cycle, an instructor at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, a long-time waiter at La Bohème and now founder of catering delivery business Edible Pedal. Yet despite his loaded work schedule, Boyer said he's able to find solace in his work because of the eco-friendly message it provides the community. "I bike everywhere," Boyer said. "When I was a child,