Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "restaurants"

The influence of Yelp on Sacramento restaurants

2011-11-21T00:35:30Z

With 2,624 Sacramento restaurants reviewed on Yelp, the capital city has thousands of restaurant-goers using Yelp to share their dining experiences with others. A recent study done by Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Michael Luca found that local restaurants increase revenue 5 to 9 percent per star they gain on Yelp.

The Sacramento Press wanted to see if this finding held true for restaurants in the central city. Comments and ratings on Yelp appear to make a big difference, but Sacramento restaurant owners and managers say they aren’t so sure.

Luca combined data on Seattle restaurant revenues that he collected from the Washington State Department of Revenue and Yelp ratings of the restaurants in his sample and found that no matter the type of restaurant, as long as it was not a chain, revenue increases correspond to ratings on Yelp.

Sacramento seems to have a mixed bag of restaurant owners and managers who agree and disagree with the findings of the study. Restaurants vary in both the attention they pay to their Yelp scores as well as the significance they believe the scores have on overall revenue and the quality of the reviews themselves.

“We email our customers who leave negative reviews on Yelp. It gives us an opportunity to rectify situations that do sometimes unfortunately happen,” said Mathew Parker, general manager of 58 Degrees & Holding Co. “We have had people sit in our restaurant and Yelp us at the same time. The good comes with the bad on Yelp.... I bet Yelp ratings do affect our revenue, but I am not exactly sure how.”

Sacramento restaurant owners and managers who avidly follow their Yelp scores tend to agree that not every comment and star rating is accurate but there can be helpful critiques that are worth looking at.

“When we first opened, we checked it every day,” said Ryan Pierini, general manager of BarWest. “We definitely pay attention to Yelp and it most often supports the feedback we already get from our customers in person. We do have to take some Yelp reviews with a grain of salt.”

BarWest has made some menu changes since first opening. Fries coming with burgers is one of those changes.

“The complaints on Yelp were consistent with the complaints we had heard in person about fries not coming on the side of burgers,” said Pierini. “Yelp helps support what we already know and so we can make changes.”

Now, burgers at BarWest include fries on the side.

Luca’s study found that, by 2009, Yelp had provided the broadest review coverage of Seattle’s restaurants, supplying reviews for 69 percent of all the city’s eating establishments.

“We know that people are aware of our score and that it affects their perception of the restaurant,” said Noe Hernandez, general manager of Zócalo. “We don’t see people coming in though and telling us that they came to Zócalo based on our ratings or a reviews that they read on Yelp.”

Some Sacramento restaurant owners and managers question if people choose a restaurant based on reviews at all or if customers just hear of a restaurant because they Yelped for places near them with good food.

“We follow our Yelp score, but we haven’t found that it affects our revenue. Rarely do I hear anything about the score of the restaurant, but I do hear about people finding out about us on Yelp,” said Aziz Bellarbi-Salah, manager at Aioli Bodega Española.

Different restaurants have expressed differing opinions on the importance of either star ratings overall or individual comments.

“We typically check up on comments when we look at Yelp, but we don’t pay too much attention to ratings. We pay more attention to individual comments and reviews and take that as constructive criticism,” said Michael Ng, general manager at OneSpeed.

Manager Mathew Parker of 58 Degrees & Holding Co. disagreed.

“The words and star ratings do not always match up,” Parker said. “People can post really inaccurate reviews that have nothing to do with a business and are just looking to complain. Yelp only shows a general trend of a restaurant through star ratings.”

Some Sacramento restaurant owners don’t believe that Yelp makes much of a difference in consumer choice and don’t spend any time looking at Yelp.

“We don’t pay attention to Yelp at all. We don’t really care about it,” said David English, owner and chef of The Press. “We may have guests come in because of Yelp, but how it correlates to revenue and if it makes any difference overall, I don’t know.”

Sacramento restaurant owners and managers are uncertain of the effects of Yelp ratings on revenue, but what does seem to be agreed upon is that Yelp is a force that is difficult to measure, and they are undecided about how important Yelp scores actually are. If Sacramento restaurant managers and owners pay attention to Yelp or not, Yelp is actively growing in both popularity and restaurant coverage.

The Sacramento Press took to the streets to find out when and how people are using Yelp, if they consider the reviews on Yelp to be trustworthy, and whether the website is as influential as some predict in shaping consumer decisions in Sacramento.

Kenny Truong, a 29-year-old Elk Grove resident who works for the California Department of Health Care Services, said that he mainly uses Yelp to identify restaurants before trying them out.

Though he’s never written a Yelp review, Truong said he’d be likely to if he had an extremely positive experience at a business or restaurant.

Truong said he tends to stay away from businesses that get consistently poor reviews, but otherwise his decision to try out a new place is not highly affected by the number of stars on a restaurant’s profile.

“Most of the time I give businesses the benefit of the doubt because people have different tastes,” Truong said.

Amanda Moore, 23, is a human resources administrative assistant in Midtown. While she said she often uses Yelp to find new restaurants, she has also written approximately 15 reviews on the website.

“I’m most likely to go on Yelp when I’m happy with a business or when I’m seriously dissatisfied,” Moore said.

Jonathan Williams said he was inspired to write his first Yelp review after a positive experience with a new veterinarian he found on the website.

Williams, a 56-year-old volunteer at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, said he uses Yelp frequently and tends to favor businesses with the most stars.

Williams said he likes to do a lot of research before trying out something new and has found Yelp to be a fairly accurate tool in the process. So far, he said, he’s never gone to a highly rated restaurant or busines and disliked it.

Consumers should be cautious when using information found on the Internet, Williams noted. But he also said he has found most Yelp reviews to be trustworthy.

Clark Paramo, a 22-year-old student at Sacramento City College, said he mainly uses Yelp to see what others have said about restaurants and businesses he’s been to.

“I like to read the funny negative reviews,” Paramo said.

Though he’s never written a review himself, Paramo said he does have friends who use their smartphones to access Yelp and post comments while sitting at a restaurant.

Paramo said he finds that the majority of reviews accurately reflect the quality of restaurants and businesses he’s been to.

Dean Goding, 44, of West Sacramento, said he became familiar with Yelp through his job. Goding works at Mike’s Bikes on I Street in Sacramento, and he said he often checks the website to see what customers are saying about the shop.

While he encourages customers to comment on their experience, Goding said he thinks that others might use Yelp to purposefully hurt rival businesses by posting negative reviews, which decreases the credibility of ratings.

Goding said he also uses Yelp to check out new restaurants and tends to avoid the poorly rated ones. He has never written a review, and he said he prefers to show his support for a businesses in person.

“If I like a place, I’ll go back,” Goding said.

Kelly Priley, 31, is a mother and skincare products saleswoman. She said that she has found Yelp reviews helpful for researching service companies such as spas and salons.

Priley said she uses Yelp both before and after trying out a business, but that ratings don’t necessarily deter her from going someplace new.

“I’m pretty optimistic and open to trying things,” Priley said. “Maybe I’d be prone to go sooner or be more excited about a place with a higher rating, but I mostly use Yelp as a reference.”

Priley said she has submitted a few reviews but prefers reading other people’s comments to writing comments herself. If she likes a business, Priley said, she’s more likely to tell friends and use word-of-mouth advertising to share the news.

Overall, Yelp appears to be a popular reference regardless if a user submits a review. Though some admit to having reservations about the accuracy of reviews posted on Yelp, the simple star rating system helps consumers to at least identify businesses that might be worth a visit.

Is Yelp an effective tool for restaurant hunters and a financial benefit to businesses alike? Do you use Yelp, and if so, does it influence your choices as a consumer? Please share your comments below.

Margaret Hoyer contributed to this article.

A Sign in the Window

2011-11-17T06:54:34Z

One walks down 16th Street on the “grid” in Sacramento and comes across two large and empty buildings at the corners of L and K streets. Both once newly operating restaurants in this energetic area have since closed their doors.

The buildings, a common sight for many pedestrians and grid commuters like me, are prominent icons within the mid and downtown areas of Sacramento. The old Firestone building at 16th and K streets with its art deco details and sidewalk-fixed spot lights stands lonesome among the moving traffic and thriving businesses in the suites next door. The contemporary O Street Lofts, built back in 2005, beg for a tenant in their corner, first-floor suite with a wrap-around patio. If they stay vacant what will happen to the positive image that many want in the revitalization of Sacramento?

In mid-2011, after only being open for just a couple of years, California Pizza Kitchen closed its doors, despite an advantageous location within Midtown, due to corporate acquisition and forced closure of many locations. Just a few months later its neighbor, Spin Burger Bar, a concept of the well-known Bistro 33 name, a block away, foundered as well.

With a rough economy and deep recession many restaurants, both corporate and “mom and pop,” saw a huge hit to business in the last couple of years and struggled to stay afloat. It looks like when one door closes another opens in its place, in the case of these two locations, despite the hardships. According to the alcoholic beverage permit transfers posted on their windows, we have new tenants moving in.

A joint-venture between the men behind, de’ Vere’s Irish Pub and MIX Downtown Lounge will be opening at the former C.P.K location at 1132 16th St. Firestone Public House, a sports-themed bar with a full-dining menu boasting American cuisine is scheduled to open early next year.

Along with that will come the new occupant at 1020 16th St., Monsoon Indian Bar and Grill. A joint-venture with building owner, Loftworks and the original, Toronto-based restaurant company. It boasts a budget-friendly lunches and dinners for the growing, Indian-food concepts that don’t have a strong hold in our market as of yet. Eager for holiday sales, it is scheduled to open its doors before the end of the year.

The essence of big city atmosphere, the place you go to make a name for yourself. A place where all it takes is a sign in a window to get people talking. Let’s see how these new ventures prosper within Sacramento’s hustle and bustle.

Disclosure: Employee at another local downtown restaurant and local resident. No connection to either new restaurant opening.

New food blog aims to promote vegetarian lifestyle in Sacramento

2011-10-16T19:54:41Z

The new vegetarian food blog, “Eat Well, Live Free,” launched earlier this month in Sacramento. Since it went online, the site has garnered more than 400 unique visitors, said co-creator Marcos Hernández.

Jillena and Marcos Hernández, the married duo that created the blog, said the idea behind the blog is to provide local vegetarians with information about recipes and restaurants that cater to vegetarian and vegan lifestyles.

“We’re just trying to spread awareness and make it easier for vegetarians,” Marcos Hernández said.

Jillena Hernández is a vegetarian, while Marcos Hernández is a meat-eater. While the two differ in that respect, they work well together in combining their skills for the blog.

Jillena Hernández is the writer and chef while her husband takes the photos and builds the website.

Jillena Hernández said that she and her husband came up with the idea for the blog one day while they were food shopping. Later that day, they purchased the domain name and began setting up the blog.

“I spend so much time utilizing food blogs and cooking, so it wasn’t that much of a leap,” she said.

Jillena Hernandez said that the blog has two features that distinguish it from other food blogs, vegetarian or otherwise.

“I try to choose recipes based on at least one item that comes straight from our garden,” she said. She added that it is important to eat locally and seasonally.

The second feature, Jillena Hernández said, is the blog’s emphasis on recipes that are related to her and her husband’s family and culture. She has a Jewish background, and Marcos Hernández is Mexican.

She said that the blog’s charm will stem from her and her husband’s relationship with their families and the way it will incorporate food from their cultures.

“We’re growing personally in our hobbies and in our understanding of where food comes from,” Jillena Hernández said.

The recipes featured on the site range from what she described as easy to moderately difficult to make.

While cooking The Whole Bowl, Jillena Hernández gathered tomatoes grown in her garden along with other ingredients, including organic brown rice, sliced olives and avocado. She and her husband worked together to mix those and other ingredients together.

Once finished, Marcos and Jillena Hernández took the food outside to find an ideal location to photograph it.

“I like to take recipes that feature meat and modify them for vegetarians and vegans,” Jillena Hernández said. She added that she also recreates meals that she eats at restaurants for the blog.

She said that the blog will include recipes for everything from dinners to desserts.

Jillena Hernández said that writing for the site requires a certain amount of knowledge regarding the food being featured on the blog. Because of this, the couple will interview various chefs and include these interviews on the blog.

Marcos Hernández said that this aspect of the blog gives them the opportunity to talk with noteworthy chefs and vegetarians.

“It has enabled us connect with more people,” he said, referring to the couple’s recent interview with blogger and chef Mark Bitterman, author of the book “Salted.”

Jillena Hernández said she credits social networks like Facebook and the desire of vegetarians to know good restaurants to the site’s quickly growing Internet presence.

“I think it’s filling a niche in Sacramento,” she said. “As a vegetarian, I have a hard time finding food and restaurants.” She added that it is all too common to “order a salad (that) comes with nothing but lettuce and shaved carrots.”

She said that she and Marcos Hernández love eating out at restaurants, and she hopes the blog will make it easier for vegetarians and vegans to find restaurants that won’t exclude their lifestyle.

Marcos Hernández added that they won’t be doing any bad reviews.

“We want to promote restaurants that we like,” he said.

Jillena Hernández said that one of her goals with the blog is to have a wide array of recipes that anyone can enjoy. She said that she aims to have enough content so someone could cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner using only recipes from the site.

While Jillena and Marcos Hernández still have their day jobs downtown, they both said they plan on the blog playing a large part in their lives in the future.

“We’re just trying to promote whole natural foods,” Marcos Hernández said.

Community Day gives locals a preview of airport's new Terminal B

2011-10-03T05:31:23Z

Sacramento International Airport’s new Terminal B opened to the public on Sunday to give locals a preview of the $1.03 billion project before it opens for air traffic on Oct. 6. Airport spokeswoman Karen Doron said nearly 4,500 people made reservations to observe the terminal's new art and its elaborate design.

“It’s beautiful,” said Merrilyn Hirsch, a 65-year-old retiree. “They really got their money’s worth.”

Starting at 10 a.m., guests lined up to be the first to see the architectural feat. They were led onto the trains, called “people movers,” and brought from the terminal’s “land side” to the “air side.” The trains sped across the airport and went back and forth every two minutes, bringing more people with them.

Once off-board, attendees were greeted by an array of new restaurants, stores, artwork and airport gates.

Many of the shops and restaurants were open and packed with people. Among the restaurants were Sacramento favorites such as Jack’s Urban Eats, Cafeteria 15L and Esquire Grill. Many of these restaurants feature “patio” seating similar to their downtown counterparts.

Much of the artwork is interactive. Guests can walk inside of Mildred Howard’s “The House Will Not Pass for Any Color but Its Own” to observe it from every angle.

“Your Words are Music to Their Ears” by artists Po Shu Wang and Louise Bertelsen can be used to create music by typing e-mails over the Internet on its built-in keyboard. Its ethereal sounds filled the terminal as people sent out messages of their own.

“I think it’s wonderful that the city cares so much about art,” local artist Mari Selah said. “It’s great that they put so much care into aesthetics.”

As the day went on, people were free to go from the air side to the land side.

On the land side, the terminal was full of people buying commemorative shirts and taking pictures in the empty check-in counters. They were dwarfed by Lawrence Argent’s “Leap” hovering above and around them.

But not everybody was so satisfied with the event. Business consultant Brian Dillon said he felt the event was poorly organized.

“There’s no security,” he said. “We were all told to make reservations and bring identification, but then they just let everyone in without checking them. I brought a lot more than I actually needed.”

Even with the slight confusion, most people seemed to enjoy the terminal and all the new things it had to offer.

“I can’t wait to take my first trip out of here!” Hirsch said.

Wine, dine and bid at SCNA's 21st annual silent auction

2011-09-30T02:25:31Z

Local eats such as Mighty Kong Café’s pork sliders, Dad’s Kitchen’s specialty macaroni and cheese, Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar’s oyster dish and Freeport Bakery’s cakes and cookies will fill plates while local wines and beers flow into glasses during three hours of sampling and socializing at Saturday’s Wine Tasting & Silent Auction.

The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association is hosting its 21st annual Wine Tasting & Silent Auction Saturday from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Sierra 2 Center at 2791 24th St. This year’s event will feature the addition of local microbrews and dishes from first-time participators Lucca Restaurant and Bar, The Supper Club, Enotria Restaurant and Wine Bar and Matteo’s Pizza & Bistro. Proceeds will go toward SCNA, Sacramento Children’s Home and Bret Harte Elementary School.

“The event has a significant community focus with respect to the food available, the wine available and the items being donated,” said SCNA board president Patrick Soluri. “There’s a big focus on local items.”

Unlimited taster plates of dishes from 25 local restaurants – many with direct connections to Curtis Park – will provide a taste of what the city has to offer, said Terri Shettle, executive director of SCNA and co-chair of the event.

“Many of the restaurant owners, managers or chefs live in Curtis Park,” Shettle said.

Some participating restaurants include: Aioli Bodega Española, Chops Steakhouse, Crepeville, Espresso Metro, Gunther’s Quality Ice Cream, Hot Italian, Sushi Café, Tapa The World and Tower Cafe.

The wine tasting will offer a selection of wines personally selected by Richard Ebert, the wine expert and buyer for Taylor’s Market.

Mike Miller, co-chair of the event and secretary of SCNA, said 26 distributors will be pouring various wines from around the world. The selection will include local and California wines as well as many Spanish, French, Argentinian, Italian, Chilean, South African and Australian wines.

The Belgian beer garden – which was introduced at last year’s event – will also return with brews chosen by Rob Archie, owner of Pangaea Two Brews Cafe & Bottle Shop. This year microbrews such as Chimay, Lagunitas, Ommegang, Dogfish Head, local craft brew Odonata Beer and locally made cider from Two Rivers will also be available for unlimited tastings.

“You can’t beat the line up of food, wine and beer,” Shettle said, “There’s just nowhere in one place that you can have all of this – you couldn’t just go out to dinner and have this selection.”

The evening’s silent auction will offer a variety of “experience packages,” Shettle said. These packages will provide the winners with the opportunity to engage in local activities, watch shows and experience the many foods and restaurants around the city.

The main item is a package for “date night for 10 months,” which provides over $500 worth of restaurant gift certificates, show and movie tickets, bottles of wine, gift certificates for flowers and other date night goods.

Other auction items include: Italian language lessons packaged with Italian wines and other items, a vacation package to Squaw Valley and the opportunity to personally work with ice cream specialists at Gunther’s Quality Ice Cream to choose and create the flavor of the month, Shettle said. Last year’s winner created a Nutella and strawberry ice cream for the month of February.

“They’re not just items you’re picking up,” Shettle said, “it’s actually pulling a whole scene together.”

Thirty raffle prizes will be given away throughout the evening. Prizes will include restaurant gift cards, bottles of wine, tickets to the B Street Theatre and movie tickets.

“Everyone has a bigger chance,” Shettle said. “And it’s more exciting to have a lot of individual items that more people will have a chance to win.”

Raffle tickets will be on sale at the event for $5 each or $20 for five.

Fifty percent of raffle ticket sales will go directly to the Sacramento Children’s Home, Shettle said.

The event – which is expected to draw 500 to 600 attendees – is organized, planned and executed by about 50 volunteers.

“Without the community volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to put on something like this,” Soluri said.

Last year, the Wine Tasting and Silent Auction raised $20,000 to help fund various neighborhood activities: its Music in the Park series, children’s activities, a spring egg hunt and the monthly First Friday Neighborhood dinner. Proceeds also went toward the operations of the Sierra 2 Center to cover costs for the facility and senior center there.

“It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Miller said. “And it’s the highest attended event for the neighborhood.”

This year, about $3,500 to $4,000 of the proceeds, depending on the event’s total profits, will go toward Bret Harte Elementary School to fund the sixth graders’ three to four day nature and science camp at Slide Park and to the Sacramento Children’s Home.

“We want to support and develop the organizations in our neighborhood,” Shettle said. “And these are both organizations that give back to the community.”

Tickets are $45 each and are available at the Sierra 2 Center office or by phone. This is a 21-and-over event. For more information or to buy tickets, call 452-3005.

Restaurants compost kitchen scraps to nourish future produce

2011-09-03T02:39:15Z

Restaurants accumulate anywhere between 250 and 500 pounds of organic kitchen scraps each week, according to Green Restaurant Alliance of Sacramento co-founder David S. Baker. These hundreds of pounds of scraps, instead of filling landfills, can be used for compost to fertilize the very soil that will produce the next crop of fruits and vegetables.

Since March 2010, GRAS, in partnership with Atlas Disposal, has worked toward creating a more sustainable food industry in the city through the use of a “closed-loop” system.

“These are valuable resources that would be just going straight to a landfill and serving no use,” Baker said.

GRAS is made up of Hot Italian, Mulvaney's B&L, Selland’s Market-Cafe, Crocker Cafe, OneSpeed, Grange, Ella, Tuli Bistro, The Waterboy, The Kitchen and Magpie Caterers.

The process both begins and ends with the restaurants.

Fresh produce is delivered daily to the restaurants each morning. Most of the produce comes from Del Rio Botanical – an organic farm in West Sacramento – where most of the food scraps are also delivered for composting.

At Mulvaney’s B&L, co-owner Bobbin Mulvaney said that more than 60 percent of the produce used comes from Del Rio Botanical.

Salad greens, braising greens, flower petals, squash, herbs, spices, chilies, gypsy peppers and quail eggs are some of the products Mulvaney’s receives.

Yellow bins are provided by Atlas Disposal, one of the largest waste and recycling service providers in Sacramento.

Yellow buckets are used to collect all pre-consumer green waste. This includes kitchen prep material such as the tops of vegetables, corn husks and any other green scraps. No product that has been plated and served to customers can be added to the yellow bins, Mulvaney said.

Food that has been served and eaten from contains bacteria that cannot be used in the compost, Suzanne Ashworth, owner of Del Rio Botanical, explained.

Once the yellow pre-consumer waste buckets are filled, they are emptied out into large 75-gallon bins, called toters, provided by Atlas Disposal.

There is no cost to the restaurant to be a part of GRAS, which is a nonprofit organization, Baker said. There is only a $75 service fee for the pickup and delivery of the pre-consumer green waste by Atlas Disposal.

“It’s kind of a break-even situation,” said Nick Sikich, chief operating officer of Atlas Disposal. “What this allows us to do is reduce (restaurants’) trash rates. They used to be paying to dispose of this heavy material at the landfill. Now, we’re able to dispose of it at a different facility at a cheaper price.”

Every Friday, Atlas Disposal takes a separate route to pick up filled toters and replace them with empty ones.

This Friday, the truck was loaded with 17 empty toters, and Atlas Disposal Operations Supervisor Robert Taylor said they planned to pick up 16 from 10 restaurants. There are more than 100 toters available.

The entire route, Taylor said, is about 30 miles and concludes at Del Rio Botanical. An average daily trash route, he said, is about 130 miles.

Once all the filled toters from the restaurants have been picked up, they are brought to Del Rio Botanical and are dumped onto one of two plots of land for composting and added on top of the rotting vegetables from previous deliveries.

The pre-consumer waste is mixed with rotten alfalfa and wood chips to facilitate the composting process. It is rototilled together with a back of a tractor, Ashworth explained.

Friday, Taylor and Atlas Disposal driver Ben Evans picked up and dropped off about one and a half tons of pre-consumer green waste. The average amount of compost material collected is about one ton – 2,000 pounds – each week.

The amount of product delivered, Ashworth said, would make about 3 inches of compost.

The compost produced by these processes is used on top of the soil to fertilize all of the produce on the farm. There are 68 acres worth of produce on Del Rio Botanical delivered to restaurants, Ashworth said.

In addition to delivering the pre-consumer waste to Del Rio Botanical, deliveries are also made to local elementary school gardens or to the on-site composting receptacle, Earth Tub, located behind Hot Italian.

Food scraps are put into the Earth Tub along with leaves, wood chips or sawdust to control the moisture. There is an auger in the center and, when turned on, individuals rotate the top to mix and shred the contents. This process can be done every other day, Baker said.

The final result of this process is what ends up on the plates of diners at the restaurants. This pizza from Hot Italian is topped with zucchini, eggplant and heirloom tomatoes from Del Rio Botanical, Baker said.

Brunch Round-up

2011-08-27T04:38:20Z

Looking for an excuse to go out with the girls, or a new spin on a date? Check out these unique brunch specials in Sacramento that are sure to make your mouth water.

Tower Cafe
Located on 1518 Broadway.
Brunch hours are from 8 -11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 – 11 a.m. Friday and 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Tower Cafe takes pride in its “Madame Cristo.” It is a new version of French toast, loaded with swiss cheese and ham.

“French toast is our most popular dish, and people love it so much that our chef decided to make another version,” Manager Ruben Reveles said.

Breakfast cocktails are also served during brunch hours. “La Frida” is Tower Cafe's version of a Mimosa, which is mixed with a pomegranate blood orange nectar and pineapple juice. “Lychee Lei” is a drink made with Pinnacle Vodka, lychee puree, coconut water and a squeeze of lime. The ever-famous Bloody Mary is also on the menu.

“The 'Lychee Lei' is one of our new drinks, and I must say it's pretty good. We just recently received our liquor license a few months ago, so we have a new series of drinks we make now with all sorts of names,” Reveles said.

For more information, visit Tower Cafe's Facebook.

Cafe Bernardo
Located in Midtown at 2726 Capitol Ave.
Brunch hours are from 7 - 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday (lunch items can also be ordered starting at 11 a.m.), and 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Sunday (lunch items can also be ordered at 11 a.m.).

Cafe Bernardo has a signature dish called “Eggs Bernardo,” which is a basic Hollandaise sauce on toasted rosemary bread with two poached eggs on top with ham or bacon and herb potatoes.

“It's our twist on something traditional. We use our own Hollandaise sauce, which is made from scratch, and we get our eggs from local farms, and then of course the rosemary bread is something you don't usually see on something like this,” Head Chef Shannan Berg said.

“Anyone can throw out some bacon and French toast, but we make everything from scratch because we are conscious of our footprint, and our ingredients are fresh and seasonal,” she added.

Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys and “Absolut Bloody Marys” made with peppar, and citron upon request, on Sundays (only $6 during brunch hours). They also serve bottomless Mimosas on Saturday until 1 p.m. and Sunday until 2 p.m.

For more information, visit Cafe Bernardo's Facebook.

Pizza Rock
Located on 1020 K St.
Brunch hours are from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on weekends.

Pizza Rock’s highlighted brunch items are breakfast pizzas.

“We have six different breakfast pizzas, something that not a lot of restaurants offer. We have standard ones like egg and sausage, but we also have some crazy ones that are really yummy like 'Triple Berry' and 'Hazelnut Kiwi,' ” General Manager Koreena Schultz said.

Brunch cocktails include a bottomless special, which is anything off the brunch menu for $8 unlimited. This pertains to Mimosas made with blood orange, mango or strawberry and sangria.

Earlier this month, Pizza Rock added a new feature during brunch hours: local acoustic bands playing at the restaurant in an open-mic style.

For more information, visit Pizza Rock's Facebook.

Kupro's Bistro
Located at 1217 21st St.
Brunch hours are 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Kupro’s Bistro has a special steak and eggs and huevos rancheros made with authentic New Mexican sauce.

“We make everything with a twist, that's for sure,” Head Chef Matthew Robinson said. “Like most places would have just normal eggs Benedict, but we have 'Benediction,' which is extremely popular. It is similar to poached eggs, except we use a German pancake instead of an English muffin and add flavor with things like arugula.”

Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys and house bottomless Mimosas for $10 with the purchase of an entrée.

For more information, visit Kupro's Bistro's Facebook.

Red Lotus
Located on 2718 J St.
Brunch hours are on weekends only from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Red Lotus’ brunch changes weekly. It is a collection of eight to 10 courses of the chef's choice.

“It's unique because you can come in each week and look forward to different meats and seafoods and we incorporate a lot of our regular menu for just $15 a person. Last week, we had an oxtail sweet and sour soup and a tofu mushroom bamboo shoot, along with things like chow mien and fried rice,” Bartender Kate Lynch said.

Brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys that incorporate Japanese horseradish and soy sauce with sriracha hot sauce upon request. There are also bottomless Mimosas for $10 and a full cocktail menu.

For more information, visit Red Lotus' Facebook.

Ink Eats & Drinks
Located on 2730 N St.
Brunch hours are on weekends 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Ink Eats & Drinks offers some original breakfast sliders.

“We have a lot of standard ones, but they’ll have things on them like eggs, caramelized onions and your choice of meat, which could be like sausage or bacon. They are tiny breakfast sandwiches, and they are so good I seriously eat them all the time,” Promotions Manager Jocelyn McGregor said.

Brunch cocktails are customized, offering people the option to build their own Bloody Marys at the bar.

“People are very subjective about what they like. Some people want them spicy, mustardy or horseradishy. We can offer that along with our house mix: tomato juice, pickled green beans, pepperoncinis, stuffed olives, lemon pepper sriracha and hot sauces,” McGregor said. “We also offer a $2 Screwdriver and endless Mimosas with a variety of fruit juices, and nothing we have is premade. It's all made individually when you order, so it has good bubbles.”

For more information, visit Ink Eats & Drinks' Facebook.

De Vere's Irish Pub
Located on 1521 L St.
Brunch hours are on weekends from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

De Vere’s Irish Pub adds Irish flair to everything on the menu.

“We do this Irish breakfast with house-made black and white pudding (sausage) with blood in it, and make a killer eggs Benedict in-house. Not to mention our French toast is like French toast meets a doughnut, deep-fried,” co-owner Henry de Vere White said.

Brunch cocktails include $9 bottomless Mimosas with orange juice. Also offered is a house-made Bloody Mary for $5, and happy hour goes all day long on Sunday.

For more information, visit de Vere's Facebook.

Tuli Bistro
Located on 2031 S St.
Brunch hours are 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Tuli Bistro always has a feature Sunday brunch item, which is constantly changing. Ingredients are always fresh and seasonal produce is used.

“Lately we've been serving this breakfast burger on a giant biscuit. Lots of places have breakfast sandwiches, but I don't know of anywhere else that has a burger like us,” Server and Sunday Manager Ryan Pelican said.

Brunch cocktails include $9 bottomless Mimosas. A full bar is not offered but beer and red and white wines are served.

For more information, visit Tuli Bistro's Facebook.

Restaurants Are Hungry for Your Business; Social Media is Their Platter

2011-08-14T23:19:56Z

Let’s face it; those of us that use social networking sites are pretty much addicted. Whether you are connected through Facebook or Twitter—or both—you have a pretty good idea of what’s going on around town. Businesses that have been paying attention for the past two plus years are aware of this phenomenon and have leveraged social media to broaden their reach to potential customers. Restaurateurs are no different.

On Tuesday, the Social Media Club, Sacramento (@SMCSac) hosted the “Dining Social: Restaurants & Social Media” at The Urban Hive in midtown to discuss how local restaurants are using social media and the impact it has had on their business. Ashlee Gadd (@AshleeGadd), PR Manager for The Citizen Hotel and Grange, moderated the panel which included local restaurateurs, social media managers, and a representative from Yelp,

The discussion got off to a speedy start exploring which platforms each panelist mostly used, and the consensus was without surprise, Twitter and Facebook. The major differences panelists found in using these two social networks is that with Facebook, most fans have actually been to the restaurant and show more of a true consumer following, while many Twitter followers have never been to the restaurant but may be interested in upcoming events or specials. Karyn Wong, owner of Chick-fil-A in Arden Fair (@cfaArdenFair) mentioned that they have had a positive reaction by using deals on Foursquare. Although not every restaurant uses the deals, many of the panelists agreed that Foursquare has had a positive impact on their business.

When the topic of half off/daily deals arose, Andrea Lepore, co-owner of Hot Italian (@HotItalianPizza) was quick to point out that they have never used a daily deal, and don’t plan to. Some feel it devalues the image of the restaurant while others feel it gets the word out about the business. When addressing how social media played a role in each company’s overall marketing strategy, Gina Funk Nelson, Social Media Manager for Selland Group, which includes Selland’s Market-Cafe, Ella Dining & Bar and The Kitchen Restaurant (@SellandFamily), said they have pulled back on radio advertisements and other traditional marketing strategies due to the long term outreach and engagement strategy of social media. Other panelists have done the same. While balance is still needed between multiple channels, social media may seem to have the upper hand.

While not everyone may use Yelp to rate and review their dining experience, there are many Sacramentans that use it on a regular basis. Mike Costello, owner of the recently closed Brew It Up (@brewitup_sacto) noted that reviews appeared to only be written by those who had an extreme positive or negative experience, but not those in between. Alex Lane, Sacramento Community Manager for Yelp (@yelpsacramento), said that 83% of reviews are positive and the negative reviews are a reflection of overselling and bad experiences. A way to combat those negative reviews is for the restaurants to respond and examine the situation to see if it can be resolved and maybe even turn out a new positive review. While it’s difficult to imagine a restaurant could only have one type of review, most of the panelists agreed that every review should be used as potentially constructive criticism, and not be taken personally. Whether that’s actually done, is up to the restaurant.

Mona Romero, Social Media Director of The Sacramento Press (@SacramentoPress) said that Facebook ads have proved beneficial for the restaurants she works with. She recommends paying the minimum ad fee in the beginning and see where it gets you adjusting, if needed. She suggested using Google Alerts and the Twitter search bar to see what consumers are saying about your restaurant.

There is no doubt that operating a restaurant in a down economy can be difficult—and quite frustrating. What these local Sacramento restaurateurs have taught us is that connecting with the community through social media can not only increase sales, but it can build relationships as well. Social media is not an exact science and it does take time and finesse to really leverage it, but it can be extremely beneficial nonetheless.

In the traditional Social Media Club Sacramento fashion, panelists and attendees continued the conversation after the moderated discussion ended, enjoying food and wine from local businesses. David Cole from James David Cellars (@jamesdavidwine) poured wine and Chick-Fil-A and Hot Italian supplied the appetizers.

The next Social Media Club event will be on September 13th discussing LinkedIn for Business held at Drexel University.

If you would like to learn more about social media and its impact on various topics and industries, visit the Sacramento Social Media Club on Facebook or Twitter.

Disclosure: Kelsey Jacoby is on the Leadership Team for Social Media Club Sacramento

Second Saturday in Mansion Flats

2011-08-05T22:00:56Z

It’s almost time for the August ‘Second Saturday’, where midtown SacTown comes alive with artists, musicians, art galleries, and shops in the evening hours. “K” Street is ‘kickin’, “J” Street is “jumpin’, and the surrounding streets are pulsing with the rhythms of the night.

But what about “E” Street over in Mansion Flats? Mansion Flats, the sister neighborhood to Alkali Flats, is located from 12th Street to 16th between “the Union Pacific Railyard & “J” streets.

Mansion Flats, Alkali Flats and New Era Park were the original City Street Railway neighborhoods and consisted of the wealthy and middle class families, according to the Sacramento History blog.

Have you been looking for some place new to have sushi? Just stop by Momiji’s Sushi & Grill at 14th & G. Momiji’s offers a wide variety of sushi items, and has a bright, friendly ambience.

After dinner, just head right next door to Barber Blues, located at 625 14th, and enjoy art, music and firewalkers.

If you travel just a wee bit further toward “E” Street, you will find SHINE Coffee*Art*Food on the corner of 14th & E, who will also be featuring live music and local artists’ work, as well as FREE chair massage by Body Blessings Massage & Aromatherapy.

After having a ‘Zen’ moment, breeze on over to next-door neighbor Yoga Seed non-profit yoga studio, 1400 E Street, Ste B, where Japaintin will be celebrating with an art exhibit .

What better way to celebrate midtown’s finest event by cruising on over to “E” Street and checking out these Mansion Flats establishments! You can always hop on Light Rail from K Street to the Alkali Flats station, walk over to E Street, then walk down to 14th to give your grand adventure a more authentic flavor. It’s a little less well lit, and just off the regular path, but is well worth the journey!

After all, “E” Street is for every body!

Disclosure: Elizabeth Edwards, owner of QuietProductions Conceptual Marketing and Body Blessings Massage & Aromatherapy, is a resident of the Alkali Flats, Mansion Flats, New Park Era area, and loves the honest simplicity of life that this area has to offer.

Bargain Eats - Dollar Tuesdays

2011-07-26T05:56:55Z

July 2011/Edition2 – Cruising for Bargains on Dollar Tuesdays.
Location – Downtown around K and R Streets.

Short on cash but want to get out? No need to sell your plasma at a blood center or unload your music collection at The Beat. If you can hang on ‘til Tuesday, there are some tasty bargains out there from downtown establishments willing to lure you in their door by staying out of your wallet.

Pedal down to 7th and K and try a Vive taco for a buck – inside where it’s cool or outside on the patio. This part of K Street has been recently cleaned up by the city and it’s looking better than it has in years.

If you’d rather eat asian, give Wayside Noodles a try on 9th and J. Happy hour is 3-7pm, Mon – Fri.

Sapporo’s on 16th and L is more upscale; they’re offering a bargain with Mon-Tues specials on Sushi Rolls.

For dessert you can ride down to R Street and 14th where you’ll find frozen yogurt for two dolllars any day of the week … but on Tuesdays—the cost is a single greenback.But wait – that’s not all! Just around the corner from the R Street corridor, a new Dollar Tree opened on S and 14th. Who knows what bargains lurk inside? A whole new adventure awaits.

Yes, times are tough. And that’s when the tough get pedaling – pedaling for bargains around town, low and slow.
Until next time …

Biba Restaurant makeover marks 25 years

2011-07-13T01:33:25Z

Biba Restaurant reopened Tuesday with a soft new look after a remodel to celebrate its 25th anniversary in Midtown.

Sacramento restaurateur, TV show host and cookbook author Biba Caggiano added a new color palette and made other changes at her namesake Italian eatery. The restaurant at 2801 Capitol Ave. was closed July 3 - Monday to allow work on the its two dining rooms.

The makeover was done in time to mark a quarter-century in business next month.

"Just like a beautiful woman, you don't stay beautiful forever unless you do something," Caggiano said during the lunch hour Tuesday. "This place needed something: color, other things. I'm very, very, very happy."

Both rooms opened Aug. 6, 1986, with white walls, white wood and white linens broken up by black lacquer chairs. The lounge walls had later been painted light peach, but the color was too soft to be noticed. The overall effect was stark, formal and a bit cold, and the décor changed little over 25 years, Biba Restaurant Manager Scott Smith said.

Caggiano said she didn’t know exactly how to get away from the restaurant’s established look, but interior designer Bruce Benning – with input from Caggiano and management – found the perfect solution.

The remodel gives the main dining room and the lounge dining room new color, upholstery and accents. Restaurants have a lot more color now, Smith noted.

The goal was to update the restaurant’s look and create different moods or experiences in the two rooms. The new yellow main dining room has a summery vibe like a formal sun room, while the darker lounge dining room resembles a more subdued study, said Benning, who pushed for the big color change.

The changes were conservative to save money, said Smith, manager of the restaurant for 24 years.

The main dining room was painted a yellow poppy color to give it a Mediterranean summer feel with the white wood accents that remain.

Brass accents were removed, and glass partitions were removed from a service area and between two banquettes. Handpainted Italian silk sconces by Fortuny were added. Crema marfil marble was added to a ledge near the back wall, Benning said.

The marble was used to add sophistication. The sconces were added to invoke a sense of Italy, Smith said.

They also reupholstered 150 chairs and 10 bar stools. More padding was added and the covers changed from orange paisley to blue.

The lounge dining room was repainted slate blue and raisin brown to give it the feel of a study. Faux wood panels measuring 4 feet tall were added. Brass and glass accents were removed to soften the overall look of the interior. Mirrored panels were added above the bar, Benning and Smith said.

"The thought was to warm this up a little bit," Benning said.

Management and Caggiano listened to younger customers who commented on Yelp to make changes to reduce the formal atmosphere. Those comments also helped lead to a change in employee uniforms.

Some customers commented on Yelp that the restaurant’s brass and glass gave it a 1980s “Miami Vice” look, they said, referring to the TV show. Others commented on what they felt were stuffy waiters and formal service.

Bow ties and white jackets with big shoulders have been replaced by lightweight gray shirts, which are cooler in the summer, Caggiano said.

"I have a little girl who works here, and with that jacket, she looked like she was going to war," Caggiano said.

Raised in Bologna, Italy, Caggiano opened the restaurant to bring quality Italian food and more diversity to Sacramento's restaurant scene.

The California Travel Industry named her Northern California Chef of the Year in 1999. The restaurant has won accolades in publications such as Gourmet Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Wine Spectator, The Sacramento Bee and Sacramento Magazine.

She hosted 100 episodes of the internationally syndicated cooking show, "Biba's Italian Kitchen," on the Discovery Channel and TLC. Her ninth cookbook, "Spaghetti Sauces: Authentic Italian Recipes from Biba Caggiano," has just been published by Gibbs Smith and is now being shipped to bookstores.

"I tried all the recipes when it was coming together," Smith said. "It's a book I will use at home. It's phenomenal."

The 25th anniversary will be celebrated with book-signing nights in August and a more formal celebration in September, after the book has been out awhile and the summer restaurant season ends, Smith said.

The restaurant's summer menu began June 27. Lunch entrées are $16.50 to $19.50, and dinner entrées are $17 to $30. The restaurant offers a $30, three-course fixed-price dinner Monday - Friday.

The restaurant has lost a third of its customers because of increased competition from the expanding number of restaurants in the central city, the recession and Sutter Medical Center construction that has closed down streets, moved a parking garage and confused customers since 2007, Smith said.

The restaurant was forced to offer more expensive valet parking. Older customers, which the restaurant caters to, have been intimidated by the construction and don't want to walk the extra block to the new parking garage, especially in winter, he said.

"With the recession, we took a double hit," he said.

Longtime patron Art Rankin, a retired engineer with the state Department of Water Resources, admired the changes during lunch Tuesday.

"I think they're fine. It's less formal," Rankin said. "This is probably – outside of the Bay Area – the best restaurant in Northern California.”

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Local Adventure on a Schwinn Tango Tandem.

2011-07-05T02:44:13Z

July 2011/Edition1 – Three Japanese places barely on your radar.
Location – Downtown 10th, 11th &12th Streets, between Broadway & R.

Summer is here. It’s hot. Tomato plants are hitting their stride – if you listen hard enough you can practically hear them growing inches by the hour. But it’s still early for the Early Girls, and it’s too hot to cook. So, time to take the cruiser for a spin and see what we can find.

R Street has new restaurants and is usually hopping. The city is repaving this neglected corridor and restoring the historic rail. (If only they would put a trolley on it.)

What's this? The new Shoki Ramen House!

Their first location off 2nd Ave near Crepeville always has a line out the door – definitely a sign of good food (and limited seating). This place specializes in ramen noodles which I like better than udon noodles. And there's no fish involved. These folks focus on one thing and do it well … reminds me of Tampopo – a Japanese “spaghetti western” from the late 80s. A look at the short menu and moderate prices ($8) assures me Shoki– like the movie – doesn't take itself too seriously. I slurped the noodles loudly and enjoyed every miso-flavored bite.

Back on the bike, we cruised to Fremont Park and found we had worked up a thirst. So we headed for the best snow cones in town – Osaka-Ya at 10th and V. The window on the left serves up the colorful cones and various other frozen treats. You may wait a bit, but the secret of their success is the fresh ice shaved-to-order. Inside the shop you can fine a variety of Japanese foodstuffs. Osaka-Ya’s other unique offering is authentic mochi – sweet rice paste stuffed with sweet fillings such as peanut butter (not ice cream).

We continued south on 10th street toward the city cemetery -- always a meaningful place for a bike ride and full of lively twists and turns on narrow lanes. We made our escape from the land of the inliving, exiting onto Riverside and ran into Yorozu Oriental Gifts (next to Target). This shop has been here since the 50s and is the place for all things Japanese: dishes, chop sticks, origami kits, cards, dolls, kites, books, magazines, etc.. I bought a carp wind sock called a Koi Nobori and tried on a pair of wooden geta (sandals). Browsing slowly through the store I almost thought I was in Tokyo for a moment ... it was a great way to end a local adventure on a hot afternoon.

Until next time, keep it low and slow…

Amber Stott: Living la vida locavore

2011-06-28T01:13:54Z

Sacramento locavore Amber Stott is documenting her life as a conscious consumer and her journey to eat as locally as she can with a food blog, Awake at the Whisk.

She said she likes to start each day, camera in hand, with a walk through the garden.

On a recent June morning, she snapped photos of plants in her backyard next to the American River.

Planter boxes were filled with watermelon, tomatillos, corn, squash, cucumbers, melons and peppers growing in various stages. She pushed aside leaves, peered under plants and squealed with joy when she found the first jalapeno of the season.

"With the garden, every single day there's something new. That's – for me – my favorite part of the day," she said.

"If I do it in the morning, I can get a sense of what's out there and what needs to be picked,” said Stott, who worked most recently at a local nonprofit. “And I can start brainstorming throughout the day about what to cook with it."

She started the blog in 2008. She describes Awake at the Whisk as a lifestyle guide filled with tips and ideas she's gleaned on her path through life. Her blog's tagline sums it up: "Living la vida locavore."

Stott posts gardening tips, what's in season, recipes, essays about life, and ideas on ways to protect the environment. She also does restaurant and book reviews and chef interviews.

She's been gardening all her life and cooking nearly as long. Stott grew up tending a big garden with her parents in rural Savanna, Ill., near the town of Galena. Her aunt and uncle had a well-known bakery in nearby Iowa.

Stott started cooking, baking and canning with her mother as far back as she can remember. She said she's loved to read and write all her life.

"My mom's a librarian. I always had a book in my hand. So if I wasn't in the yard or in the kitchen, I was reading," she said.

She majored in journalism in college but found the stories she wrote for the school newspaper bored her, until she got a chance to write features. She worked hard on an assignment to find the best coffee in her college town of Madison, Wis. – only to have most of her writing cut due to lack of space.

Devastated, she changed her major to literature, minored in women's studies and went to work in the nonprofit sector after college. She did grant writing, press releases and website content.

“I just was too young for that kind of rejection,” she said.

She let her own writing go as life got busy. Four or five years ago, something inside her awakened when she read New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl's book, "Garlic and Sapphires." Stott said before then she'd never thought about putting food together with writing.

She later learned Reichl had become a successful newspaper writer and author although she didn't have a journalism degree.

"It was like permission for me to write about food," she said.

Stott said she's been a locavore all her life. But there wasn't a name for it when she was growing up. Now, people are beginning to set guidelines for what that means – but those guidelines don't fit everyone, she said.

She said she realizes it's impractical to get everything from your own garden or a farmers market, especially when you're first starting off.

Stott recalled how little food she and husband Brendan, a geomorphologist who restores rivers and streams for a living, got from their garden the year she tried to grow everything from heirloom seeds. Heirlooms tend to be more disease-prone. Stott gardens organically and lost those plants to pests.

The couple bought a house on a quarter-acre so they could have a huge garden, with plenty of fruit trees, native flowering plants and beautiful nooks to hang out in.

"The most critical thing for me is to have space – nature – out my back door," she said.

Standing in her garden, Stott picked a few pungent leaves while pointing out herbs such as lemon grass, rosemary, orange bergamot mint and oregano growing thickly against the garage. Then she pulled stalks of rhubarb and took them to the kitchen.

Brendan built the main vegetable and herb garden. He handles the water system and composting and tends pollinator plants and fruit trees.

She plants and tends the garden, harvests and makes the food. Stott bakes and cooks using fresh, seasonal ingredients from her garden and local farms and ranches.

The couple's lifestyle reflects their shared commitment to the earth and making the world a better place, she said.

Her blog catches it all: Stott writes about what's going on in her garden, culinary experiences and other things she's interested in related to living on a healthy planet, such as honey bee colony collapse disorder.

Inside her Caribbean lime green-colored kitchen, she quickly hacked leaves and stem bases off stalks of rhubarb with a utility knife. Stott then grabbed her Canon digital camera and snapped a few photos of the stalks.

Using a handwritten family recipe handed down by her grandmother, she began simmering rhubarb sauce on the stove to make rhubarb pinwheels, one of her favorite desserts.

She does both writing and photography for her blog. She doesn't have a regular posting schedule, but said she tries to post once a week. She fits it in around work and other parts of her life.

Stott said she would like to increase the blog's readership and write a book. She doesn't have any ads on her blog, so she isn't making money with it. She plans to spend the summer exploring ways to do more writing and transition to writing for a living.

The blog has become an adventure – just like her life, living la vida locavore.

"It nurtures me. I've discovered all these other things I'm good at," she said. "It's just a celebration of the earth, but through food and through my life."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Midtown Squeeze Inn to open this fall

2011-06-09T01:15:51Z

This fall, Midtown Sacramento will finally get its own Squeeze Inn – home of the famous Squeeze Burger and Squeeze with Cheese.

Squeeze Inn employee Sabrina Nicola will open her first restaurant under the guidance of Squeeze Inn owners Travis and Vicki Hausauer. The Hausauers will be silent partners in the new restaurant expected to open in October on K Street.

Nicola, 25, will be the sole operator and will work under a licensing agreement with the couple, who bought the original Squeeze Inn on Fruitridge Road in 2001.

Both she and Travis Hausauer said she has learned a lot working behind the counter, starting out at the little old shack that first housed the Squeeze when she was 18 and working now at its Power Inn Road location.

"I think she'll do great. She's full of energy. She's great with people," he said. "She's been there for a long time. She's actually cooked at some point. So she really knows almost every aspect of the business."

The Hausauers operate the Power Inn Road restaurant. Their son, Brandon Hausauer, and his wife, Katie, operate the one in Galt. Other people run Squeeze Inns in West Sacramento, Napa and Roseville under a licensing agreement allowing them to use the restaurant’s name, menu and orange and red colors.

Nicola still works at the Squeeze Inn on Power Inn Road. She's been with the company for five and a half years, taking a year and a half off to travel around Europe. She worked at Squeeze Inn throughout college and also did a one-year stint at Table 260 in Elk Grove.

"Squeeze Inn used to be Sacramento's best-kept secret," she said Tuesday on a break at Squeeze Inn, 5301 Power Inn Road. "It's a very good business. It's been very good for Travis. He thinks it will be very good for me."

Hausauer became Nicola's mentor over the years. She graduated from Sacramento State three years ago. He taught her the only way to get ahead in life was to work for herself.

"He's like a second father to me," Nicola said.

She joked for years that she wanted to open her own Squeeze Inn. Hausauer encouraged her. She said she recently decided she was ready.

She found a spot at 1630 K St. in Pensione K. Infusion Cafe formerly operated there. A renovation may start in four to six weeks if plans are approved by the Planning Commission, she said.

Nicola wants to create the Squeeze Inn vibe there. She'll use the original menu, build a big counter that can seat at least a dozen people and decorate the interior in orange and red. There will be additional seating inside and patio seating on the sidewalk.

She'll add a few new menu items, such as an albacore tuna melt, chicken bites for kids and a Midtown Squeezesteak sandwich, a version of a Philadelphia cheesesteak. The restaurant will not serve beer or wine.

The Midtown location will be the only Squeeze Inn open on Sundays, but is likely to be closed Mondays. Tentative hours will be 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday.

Hausauer said he's excited Nicola is making her dream happen.

"She had her eye on the goal. It's finally coming to fruition for her," he said. "It's all about taking chances. If you don't take any chances, you don't go anywhere."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Gönül's J Street Cafe and Formoli's Bistro swap locations

2011-06-07T01:15:11Z

Two East Sacramento restaurants with Mediterranean roots – Gönül's J Street Cafe and Formoli's Bistro – are trading places this month.

Gönül's will be the first to open in its new location. After eight years near the corner of 39th and J streets, owner Gönül Blum will open just six blocks away at 3260 J St. on Wednesday.

In about two weeks, chef Aimal Formoli and wife Suzanne Ricci will reopen their restaurant in Blum's former space at 3839 J St.

Blum first made an offer to switch locations with the couple two years ago because she wanted to downsize her restaurant.

"I have way too much room that I don't use," Blum said. "I just wanted something cozy."

With the move, Blum's restaurant is undergoing a reincarnation to become Vanilla Bean Bistro. Blum said she changed the name of the restaurant because customers had a hard time remembering it when they wanted to recommend the place to friends.

She will launch the restaurant with a summer menu and an infusion of vanilla beans. Blum will keep the same menu, dropping just a couple dishes and adding two more.

She'll add desserts with a vanilla bean base, such as vanilla gelato and Meyer lemon and orange marmalade bread pudding, using oranges and lemons from citrus trees at her home. Blum also will add vanilla beans to organic teas made with herbs she picks from her garden.

On a cold, wet morning last week, she brewed a tea made with sprigs of lemon verbena, lemon balm and mint and a freshly cut lemon in a cast-iron pot on the stove in her sunny yellow kitchen.

"The tea that I have in the restaurant – people love it," she said. "You can get really addicted to it."

Blum was born and raised in Turkey. The Mediterranean bistro food is a mix of French, Italian and Turkish recipes all influenced by Blum's creativity and using organic ingredients from local farms.

Farmers who are now her friends call her regularly to let her know what's ripe and drop produce off every other day. Blum also uses merlot and chardonnay grapes and grape leaves from her home vineyard in her cooking.

In a few months, she'll begin working to see if she can add tables on the sidewalk in front. The hours will remain the same: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday.

Formoli and Ricci, who runs the front of Formoli's, recently decided they were ready to move the 3-year-old restaurant to a bigger space. They are trading a 1,300-square-foot location that seats about 42 people for one that is double in size. Their new spot can seat more than 60 inside and other people in a sidewalk cafe out front.

The new American and Mediterranean bistro will keep the same cooking style, with a menu that changes every two months. Dishes include a warm date salad, eggplant portabella Napolean, stuffed dates and a pan-seared petit filet.

The restaurant’s last day in its original location was June 1. Formoli and Ricci said hope to open within two weeks.

Hours will change slightly – they're adding Saturday lunch and will start Sunday brunch soon after opening. Lunch hours will be 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Dinner will be served from 5:30 - 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, although the restaurant may stay open Friday and Saturday nights until 10 p.m.

A renovation is under way to change the yellow interior to an Italian or Mediterranean color scheme. They will also open up the kitchen, change bar seating and add new lighting. Having more space will allow them to add more kitchen equipment and have more than two people on the kitchen line.

That will also enable them to offer a farmers market brunch on Sundays, fresh baked bread from a pizza oven, more small plates and more desserts.

"I wanted to progress more as a chef," Formoli said. "The space I had was pretty limited."

Ricci said they're eager to expand the culinary offerings and be able to accommodate more customers while keeping the same ambiance and charming service.

"They put amazing food out. I want everyone to come in and get that experience," she said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Food blogs growing in Sacramento

2011-05-30T19:56:37Z

Sacramento's growing food scene is being documented by an expanding community of local food bloggers.

The city and surrounding area have at least 30 blogs dedicated to two things all its residents have in common: food and eating.

Foodies can find blogs dedicated to cooking and eating locally, frugally, gluten-free or raw. There are also people who concentrate on baking, desserts, finding the best burger or even hunting and gathering ingredients.

"The world of food blogging is fascinating because there are so many camps," said Awake at the Whisk blogger Amber Stott.

"There are people who just do recipes. Then you've got people like Munchie Musings – she does a lot of restaurant reviews. It's more a melding of everything," Stott said.

"Then you've got people like me and Hank (Shaw), who are ultra-focused. If it's not local, I'm not writing about it."

Elise Bauer of Carmichael said she created the area's first food blog, Simply Recipes, and one of the first in the country in 2003. At that time, the only other food bloggers were writing from cities including San Francisco, Paris and New York.

"When I started, there were only a handful of food blogs in the whole world," Bauer said. "Now there are tens of thousands."

Today her blog has an international following of more than 5 million visitors a month.

The Sacramento area is home to other well-known food blogs, such as Shaw's Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, Garrett McCord's Vanilla Garlic, Kimberly Morales' Poor Girl Eats Well and Catherine Enfield's Munchie Musings.

Bloggers here write a lot about vegetarian and vegan cooking, eating less meat and eating locally sourced, seasonal food, said Lisa Howard, community manager of Sacramento Connect, a blogging network launched by The Sacramento Bee a little more than a year ago.

"I think that reflects a lot of the sensibilities in Northern California," Howard said. "I think Sacramento has some really good food writing."

Sacramento Connect has 20 to 22 food blogs among 140 blogging partners. Some food bloggers grew up baking and cooking with moms and grandmas and write about the family connection through cooking.

But there are others who blog for different reasons, such as the three guys behind RoSham Burger who started the blog as they searched for the region's best burger. They've since expanded the search to encompass the globe, Howard said.

"Blogging is big in Sacramento," she said. "What I love is it's a different genre than traditional journalism. So you get a different voice and a different perspective about what's going on in Sacramento."

Below are descriptions of 10 local blogs and a list of others. Food bloggers will be profiled each month on www.sacramentopress.com.

Awake at the Whisk
Conscious eater Amber Stott describes her blog with the tagline, "Living la vida Locavore." She focuses on eating, baking and cooking using fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farms and ranches and her own garden.

She writes about how to make a complete meal from the farmers market, personal gardening exploits such as trying to grow cilantro in Sacramento and what's in season. The blog also includes recipes, restaurant and book reviews, ways for consumers to take action and essays about life.

"When we eat with the seasons and from our local farmers, it's such a joyful experience. There's nothing better than buying a peach that is ready to burst from its skin," said Stott, who's also the director of development at Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE).

Baked Bree
Photographer Bree Hester started her recipe blog, Baked Bree, a little more than a year ago to show people how to cook. Hester had run her own portrait photography business and also launched the blog to have a part-time creative outlet as she raised three kids. Her blog now gets 250,000 page views a month, and she gets regular emails from other countries.

"I think one reason I didn't have a hard time getting a readership is everyone eats. People cook," she said.

With a husband in the Coast Guard, Hester leaves Tuesday for Fort Leavenworth, Kan. She's lived in five states and Canada in the last eight years. She said she'll miss having such easy access to fresh produce and other foods grown on nearby farms and ranches.

"I think California is a unique place because the ingredients here are unbelievable," she said. "Here I think we have such an opportunity to eat clean and eat well and eat local. The farmers markets here are unlike anything I've seen, and I've lived all over."

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Former political reporter Hank Shaw does more than share wild game recipes. He takes readers on his forays from field and stream to table on his wild food blog, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. He started hunting in 2002 and now hunts or fishes for nearly all his meat.

His blog won an award for best blog from the International Association of Culinary Professionals in 2010 and was nominated twice for best food blog by the James Beard Foundation. He's currently on the road, touring to promote his new book, "Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast."

Kitchen Travels
The tagline of Kitchen Travels is, "Exploring the world, one taste at a time." Dawn Balzarano loves to travel and came up with the idea to start her blog in late 2009 because she wanted to experience the world through food.

"Even if I am not able to travel to the many places I want to visit, I can get a taste of those places by cooking a meal or baking a dessert from the region," she said.

As a working parent, her focus has shifted to her life and her kitchen, and how cooking and baking fit into that life. Her posts may tackle gardening, home canning or the holidays. Recipes range from Drunken Fig jam and sugar cookies to fried smelt and homemade pasta.

Munchie Musings
CalPERS employee Catherine Enfield is the "Ms. Munchie" behind Munchie Musings, a blog about food and life. The blog is one of the city's most influential food blogs, according to Howard. Enfield is a passionate advocate for food trucks in Sacramento, which she writes about often.

She also posts restaurant reviews from Sacramento and places she travels, keeps a foodie calendar and provides links to cooking schools and other blogs. She said she considers the blog she started in December 2007 to be a hobby, but she was named News10's blogger of the month in April. Her site gets 4,000 to 5,000 views a month.

Poor Girl Eats Well
Kimberly Morales created her blog in 2008 during what she describes as her worst personal recession. The blog focuses on how to eat healthy food even on an extremely limited budget. Recipes include hearty steak and red bean chili at $2 per serving and pork and apple fajitas at $3.50 per serving.

Posts may focus on how to save money by bringing a brown bag lunch to work once a week or what she was able to buy for $25 at a farmers market.

The Raw Project
Christine Allen is documenting her transition to a highly raw, whole-foods vegan diet on
The Raw Project. She blogged that she's been health- and weight-conscious since she was at least a teen. Her desire to lead a healthy life pushed her to begin eating more raw foods in July 2009. Her blog features many recipes, such as banana chocolate kale chips and mushroom burgers.

Sac Foodies
Sac Foodies is a collection of 14 bloggers and public relations professionals at Fleishman-Hillard Sacramento. The majority of the firm's clients work in the food and wine industries.

"We really live and breathe this stuff on a day-to-day basis," said blogger Liz Conant, a senior account executive with the company.

The blog was started in 2007 by about seven employees as a way to contribute to the local food blog scene and to connect with other bloggers. The site focuses on Sacramento-area restaurant reviews, recipes and local events. Almost everyone in the office contributes to the blog.

"They're almost by default a member of Sac Foodies," Conant said.

Simply Recipes
Elise Bauer launched what’s believed to be Sacramento's first food blog, Simply Recipes, in 2003. She started the blog to maintain a positive focus and keep herself busy after becoming so sick from chronic fatigue that she needed to move back in with her parents.

Then 42, she realized working as a Silicon Valley consultant hadn't given her time to learn to cook. Her parents are both great cooks, and she realized she had a great opportunity to learn to cook from them. She also wanted to save family recipes. She got her own house nearby a year ago.

More than 100,000 people from as far away as Australia and New Zealand now read her blog each day. Bauer moved the cooking to her kitchen in Carmichael and hired food blogger Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook to experiment and develop new recipes with her.

Vanilla Garlic
Pastry chef and food writer Garrett McCord operates one of Sacramento's longest-running blogs, Vanilla Garlic. Since 2006, his essays and posts have revolved around food, eating and life. He focuses heavily on desserts and cheese. McCord is a contributing writer at Edible Sacramento and writes the weekly "Food Stuff" for the Sacramento News & Review.

Other local food blogs include:
Adventures of a Food & Wine Diva
Appetizers
Cakegrrl
Chucrute com Salsicha
Dessert for Two
Elaine Baker's Pastry Playground
Everything Rachael Ray
Gluten Free Adventures
Just the Two of Us
Michael Tuohy's All About Food
Peanut Butter Boy
Rookie Cookery
Sacatomato
SacRag
Sacramento Spice
Undercover Caterer
Yumtacos
RoSham Burger
Crazy for crust
52 kitchen adventures

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Garlic Shack expects June opening

2011-05-27T23:59:11Z

The Garlic Shack is expected to open in Midtown in about two weeks once a renovation and inspections are complete, the restaurant's owner said Friday.

The opening was delayed by more than two months to bring in engineering services needed for the installation of a 17-foot-wide sliding glass garage door that will dominate the front of the building.

Sacramento County building inspectors wanted the installation plans drawn up for the space on a busy corner at 19th and J streets.

The door will be installed in two parts with a two-foot supporting pillar in the middle. An engineer was called in to ensure the installation will leave the building structurally sound, owner Ken Powers said.

"Everybody just wanted to make sure the building isn't going to fall," Powers said.

The door will open onto a patio facing J Street. The inside dining room will grow slightly after a server station leftover from former tenant Plum Blossom was reduced in size. A soffit or architectural feature that hung from the ceiling was also removed to open up the interior.

"It feels a lot brighter in there – and a lot bigger," Powers said.

On Friday, he and workers were clearing space in the kitchen so a new griddle and charbroiler can be installed next week.

The under-$15 menu at Garlic Shack will include plenty of – you guessed it – garlic.

He said he hopes to open the restaurant by Saturday, June 11, or within a few days of that. The restaurant must first pass final inspections by Sacramento County building and health inspectors and the Sacramento Fire Department, which will determine exact capacity.

The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. - 10 or 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. However, Powers said he may put out a neon sign that says, "Open 'til whenever" and add breakfast down the road.

In a year, the restaurant may even be open 24 hours a day from Thursday through Sunday night, he said.

Powers and the building owner chose colors to make the corner vibrant and draw customers. The interior has been painted green and red. The exterior, which was brown and red, is being repainted blue and avocado green.

"I don't want to be rocking brown paint with red out here," he said.

A customer at a business across the street recently commented on the new color palette, according to Powers.

"He said, 'It looks like Miami over there,' " Powers added. "Just trying to make Midtown feel good."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Friday Night Concerts in the Park launches SCVNGR Trek and Concert Deals

2011-05-13T21:46:40Z

Tonight, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) is adding a new twist to the Friday Night Concerts in the Park. Concertgoers can now compete for prizes in a series of challenges and receive special Concert Deals at local businesses on their mobile phones via the SCVNGR app.

Participants start by downloading the free SCVNGR app for iPhone or Android. To play, look for the “Friday Night Concerts” trek and complete a series of quick concert-themed challenges to earn points. Challenges consist of snapping pictures, answering trivia questions, and social check-ins by bumping phones with friends. Challenges will rotate each week throughout the concert series giving players more chances to win.

Downtown businesses are also offering special Concert Deals for event goers with concert wristbands every Friday night via SCVNGR. Participating businesses include 4th Street Grille, Ambrosia Café, Blue Prynt, Dive Bar, Marilyn's on K, Pyramid, and Torch Club.

“It’s our 20th season this year and while we’re sticking to our roots of live local music, SVNGR is a great new addition to the Concerts. It’s a fun platform that will allow people to interact, compete with each other, and win prizes from local businesses,” said Michael Ault, DSP Executive Director. “It’s all the fun of an old-school scavenger hunt with the bells and whistles of Facebook and Foursquare.”

Farmers market tours tout fresh and local

2011-05-05T01:25:46Z

Foodies were out in full force Wednesday when executive chef Michael Tuohy of Grange Restaurant & Bar kicked off his personalized farmers market tours for the season.

Follow The Chef tours are led each week at the farmers market in downtown’s Cesar Chavez Plaza, across from the restaurant at 926 J St. The markets – and the tours – run from May through October.

A wet winter has delayed some crops, including certain stone fruits. But Tuohy and Grange Executive Sous Chef Brad Cecchi found strawberries, asparagus, snap peas and more when they took 11 people there in the morning.

Tuohy started the tours two years ago to inspire Sacramentans to buy locally at farmers markets and to help bring the community together through a shared love of good, fresh food. He also wanted to connect the restaurant and the market, which he describes as a downtown "jewel" just steps away from Grange's front door.

"It's the next-best thing to having your own farm or garden right outside," he said.

The tour wound through the market. Wearing a white chef's jacket and brown rubber mud shoes, Tuohy walked from stand to stand. He discussed the benefits of California's long growing seasons and pointed out good finds such as small green pattypan summer squashes, Chandler strawberries, Medjool dates and Bariani olive oil.

Tuohy also discussed buying local and organic goods. While he prefers to buy organic food, Tuohy said his first criteria is always quality. He'll buy non-organic produce that has a higher quality than organic produce.

Talking to people behind the farm stands, the group learned not all of the products were as local as others. Some produce is trucked in from as far away as San Diego and Imperial County in far southeastern California.

The group included food bloggers Amber Stott of Awake at the Whisk, Dawn Balzarano of Kitchen Travels and Bree Hester of Baked Bree. Using shopping bags provided by Grange, participants bought goods at the market to take home.

The group then returned to the restaurant. A long wooden table set for lunch awaited.

Tuohy and Cecchi disappeared into the kitchen. They reappeared to deliver and explain each dish in a three-course meal.

Salad was made with sugar snap peas and asparagus from the market, plus fava beans and Bellwether Farms Pepato sheep's milk cheese, finished with Bariani olive oil, lemon and mint.

The main course featured a large Baja California scallop on a bed of risotto with sugar snap peas and shelled English peas.

Berries from the market were used in a strawberry-rhubarb butter tart with whipped cream for dessert.

Tours start at Grange Restaurant & Bar each Wednesday at 11 a.m. Tours cost $39 per person, which includes wine and lunch, and are limited to 15. Reservations can be made at 492-4450.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Chefs compete in Iron Chef-style contest

2011-04-28T01:28:29Z

Six chefs. Five secret ingredients. Three dishes. Forty-five minutes. While hundreds watch.

That's what's happening Friday when the Celebrity Chef Challenge by InAlliance takes place in Sacramento. Half a dozen local chefs will compete in this Iron Chef-style cook-off that raises money to help people with developmental disabilities.

The nonprofit's ninth annual chef challenge will be much more spontaneous than other types of cooking contests because no one will know what the secret ingredients are until minutes before the event begins. The chefs are planning to have a good time in this friendly competition.

"It's going to be fun," said Evan's Kitchen owner Evan Elsberry. "We're going to put on a good show."

Elsberry will take the stage in a lion costume – joining his sous chef, Michael Steele, who will be dressed as a lamb. While the theme song "Born To Be Wild" plays, Steele will prance around until Elsberry the lion takes out a fake pistol and pretends to shoot. Lamb chops will be served at the East Sacramento restaurant's booth at the event.

He will be going up against Richard Pannell of Cuisine Noir magazine, Mark Liberman of Black Sheep Butchery, Ramiro Alarcón of Tequila Museo Mayahuel, Jim Turknett of the Vizcaya and Keith Richardson of Colusa Casino.

About 600 people are expected to watch as the chefs use five mystery ingredients in three dishes they create on stage. Starting at 6:30 p.m. and spaced 15 minutes apart, the chefs have 45 minutes to prepare and plate their dishes. They'll then have 10 minutes to present and explain the dishes to six judges also on stage, said event organizer Jessica Bean, public relations coordinator for InAlliance.

The chefs will also have booths in the event's food, wine and beer show from 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. at the California Auto Museum, 2200 Front St.

More than 100 restaurants, wineries and breweries will provide samples of their wares. Three pastry chefs will be set up in three different locations in a separate pastry competition.

The chefs will all have access to a pantry with basic ingredients such as flour, eggs, spices and fresh produce. They can bring sauces, oils and rubs they’ve made. But if they bring any other ingredients not in the pantry, they’ll have to share with the other chefs, Bean said.

Minutes before the cooking begins, the competitors will be told what secret ingredients must be included in the dishes. The ingredients include a meat, seafood, fruit, vegetable and a "wild card.” They’re encouraged to use as many secret ingredients as they can, she said.

The chefs are given a four-burner stove top, convection oven and assistance from one sous chef.

Russell Michel, the winner in 2010, found he had to slightly alter his game plan in last year's competition after one of the secret ingredients turned out to be goat leg meat. He used another secret ingredient – papaya – to braise and quickly tenderize the meat, then served that on crostini with black truffle goat cheese, white truffle oil and red Alaea Hawaiian sea salt.

"What fun that was!" said Michel, executive chef at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento and its Morgan's Central Valley Bistro.

The competitors didn't want to give all their secrets away before Friday. A few were willing to share some of their plans.

Pannell has been cramming for the challenge by watching competitions on the Food Network and practicing presentations in the kitchen. He's watching to see what's thrown at chefs and how they present.

"I'm in training," said Pannell, who was the chef at Table 260 until the downtown Sacramento restaurant closed a month ago. He operates Pannell Quizine Catering. His cousin, Sam Pannell, was married to City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell.

He said he may have an advantage over the other chefs because his cooking doesn't have to represent a restaurant's menu or personality. Pannell said he hopes to get an edge with an array of international cuisine or fusion cooking that might mix southern-based food with another culture.

"My strategy is basically to go around the world (with the dishes). I figure I can go anywhere – from the Caribbean to Italy, Mexico, Africa or Asia," he said. "I have the freedom to be very eclectic and very open."

Liberman will use experience picked up at competitions like the Bocuse d'Or USA in New York or at restaurants such as San Francisco's La Folie and the Joël Robuchon Restaurant in Las Vegas.

He'll bring ingredients and equipment such as knives, a handheld blender and a thermal immersion circulator used to make waterbaths. He'll also bring half a dozen spoons of different shapes and sizes stolen from restaurants where he's worked to commemorate his time there.

"I'm kind of a klepto with the spoons," he said. "I love my spoons. It's pretty much an extension of my hand at this point."

The judges are Russell Michel, Guy Farris of Sacramento & Co., Michael Anthony of SacDine.com, Alex Lane of Yelp, state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, Bryan May of News10 and Melissa Crowley of News10 Good Morning.

The chefs are encouraged to make an appetizer, entrée and desert because they’re judged on the three dishes as a whole. They’re also judged on taste, quality, originality, creativity, overall presentation, personality and theatrics.

The winner takes home a medal and bragging rights. Organizers hope to raise $40,000 to $60,000, Bean said.

The chefs are trying to decipher two clues sent out this week about the secret ingredients. The first clue was that Colombian pastry chef Carlos Sanchez was responsible for the success of a certain ingredient for nearly four decades.

Elsberry will bring staples from his kitchen, such as favorite herbs, stocks and marinades. Thursday night, he'll start reducing what he described as a "killer super stock" that will go with chicken, beef or pork.

"There's really not too much you can do until you know the ingredients," he said. "I'm pretty crazy. I should be able to figure something out."

Best French Fries in Sacramento

2011-04-17T03:33:54Z

Imagine the perfect french fry. For me, it’s medium-crispy on the outside, hot and creamy inside, generously salted and with a distinctive freshly-fried aroma.

Sacramento is blessed with many such perfect fries and my Potato Posse and I set out on a mission to find them. We limited our search to casual eateries that are local to Sacramento. We focused exclusively on basic fries – no blue cheese topping, pungent garlic or dipping sauces to mask their essence. Just the potato and maybe a little seasoning. Size and shape didn’t matter in our survey– the fries could be regular, thick-cut, shoestring, curly (senseless mutations of perfectly good fries) or crinkled.

After much arduous research, we can reveal the top french fries in Sacramento.

#1. Texas West BBQ. The fries at Texas West BBQ (Arden Way location) top the “Best French Fries in Sacramento” list. These fries are hot, brown and crunchy on the outside and flavorfully fluffy on the inside. Their varying fry sizes allow for a nice range of textures and the special seasoning subtly elevates the flavor to the highest level.

#2. Jack’s Urban Eats. We sampled the taters at the Jack’s Urban Eats in Natomas and found them cooked just right and nicely seasoned with salt. I think one of the secrets to perfect fries is for them to be a normal size - not too big or too small - so that the ideal balance between crispy outside and creamy inside is achieved. Not only were Jack’s fries hot and tasty but they also stood up well to travel and were just as delicious after the ten minutes it took to get them home.

#3. Suzie Burger. We greedily gobbled an entire bag of fries at Suzie Burger (29th & P Streets). These fries are winners with their skin-on, crispy brown exterior and nice flavoring. Suzie’s fries are cut on location and then blanched to give them their crispiness. Cooked in canola oil and topped with kosher salt, they’re a fry-lovers delight. If you go to Suzie Burger, consider adding a cheeseburger, soda and a dark-chocolate dipped cone for a complete, classic and supremely satisfying meal.

South Stockton Business Walk

2011-04-15T07:38:15Z

The City of Sacramento along with the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce and Stockton Boulevard Partnership hosted a business walk Thursday.

The walk focused on businesses located in the “Little Saigon” area of South Stockton, which runs from Florin Road to Fruitridge Road.

The city’s Economic Development Business Visit Program serves to check on the needs of businesses and to connect them with the proper resources so they can flourish.

Terrence Johnson, the executive director of the Stockton Boulevard Partnership said the focus is to address the issues affecting businesses.

The Little Saigon district is home to many small businesses, particularly Southeast Asian businesses, Mai Nguyen, president of the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce (GSVACC), said.

Organizations such as SMUD, BERC, Stockton Boulevard Partnership, Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce, city and county employees all helped in canvassing the various business in the area.

There are two barriers that the Asian business owners are dealing with: language and culture, these two make it challenging to network, Nguyen said.

“We want to reach out to them and listen to their concerns and needs,” Nguyen said. “We want to break barriers. We don’t want them to feel afraid or to feel like they did something wrong. They are used to inspectors, and/or audits coming in, but this is a refreshing visit. We want to put them at ease and inform them of the resources available.”

The new Pho Saigon Bay restaurant at 6458 Stockton Blvd. was the starting and finishing place for the walk, which went from 10 a.m. - noon.

It is symbolic to have a new business host the event because it is all about promoting business economic growth and retention of businesses, Nguyen said.

Participants dispersed into teams of two with one member being a Vietnamese speaker and another being an English speaker. In total, there were 20 teams, according to Lorrie Lowry, project manager for the city’s Economic Development Department.

Many times the assigned businesses were congregated, it made it simple to walk to the surrounding businesses but at times people drove.

The City sent a letter informing them of the visit in advance.

As each team visited the various businesses, they asked them three questions: How is business? What do you like about doing business in this area? What can city, partner and the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce do to improve business?

They also left each business with a bag filled with various resources. These resources ranged from SMUD rebate programs to California capital (small business loans) information and Sacramento Works, which is an organization that assists with hiring.

About 230 businesses were visited in total, and each team was assigned an average of 14 businesses in the two hours , Lowry said.

Tim Nguyen, owner of Xtreme Tint, Alarm and Sound, said he started his business in 2000.

“I didn’t know of the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce, but I think this is very informative, and it is nice of them to come out and reach out to local business.”

He told the city visitors that business is tough, the roads in front of the store needs to be fixed and more lights are needed in the streets.

Norm Gentry, owns Norm’s Electric and said he was excited to speak with the representatives.

“It is neat that they got out here,” he said.

“As long as they care and it is not just for show,” Don Gentry, Norm’s son, added.

Stephanie Brians, manager at Security Public Storage was equally pleased.

“It is nice to see someone come in and ask and want to hear from us. Usually, if I have a problem, I have to find a way to contact them or write to them,” Brians said.

She expressed concern for safety, crime reduction, gangs and drugs.

Next month, there will be a seminar coordinated by the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce.

The date, time and location is yet to be discussed, Lowry said.

The information collected after such walks are used to create specific plans that can further aid in enhancing the success of these businesses.

Overall, it is important to get an idea of what is going on so there is direct response, Lowry said.

“The long-term vision is we establish relationships and the businesses now have direct contacts,” Mai Nguyen said.

Last year, the economic development department of the city organized various business walks in the northern and central City.

This is the first business walk of the year and there will be three more. They are scheduled to take place in Florin, Natomas and the third location is still being decided.

For more information, visit www.CityofSacramento.Org website.

Local Roots Food Tours offers an opportunity to experience Sacramento's culinary scene and learn about the city's historical roots

2011-03-31T05:20:16Z

Sacramento’s Local Roots Food Tours are a fun way to experience Sacramento’s culinary scene by sampling different restaurants and learning new recipes, like homemade pasta noodles.

The tours began in February, and were created by Lisa Armstrong who is the owner and only tour guide at the moment.

“My first experience on a food tour was in Seattle,” Armstrong said. “After coming home from Seattle I couldn’t stop thinking about how much fun I had and what a great idea it would be to put together a tour for a city like Sacramento.”

At 11:15 a.m. on a Tuesday, Armstrong conducted her first official three hour tour with a group that included eight people.

“We are hoping to attract anyone who likes to eat, who likes to have fun meeting people: chefs, store owners and individuals who would like to learn more about the culture of Sacramento,” Armstrong said.

The group started the tour with a meet-and-greet at César Chávez Park in front of the fountain.

After introductions, Armstrong announced that the group would be sampling foods from seven different locations including Shine Coffeehouse, Sugar and Spice Speciality Desserts, Sampino’s Towne Foods and 524 Mexican Restaurant.

“Our tour locations vary anywhere from a farm-to-table upscale restaurant to a small and special bistro to a funky coffeehouse off the beaten path to a mom and pop deli market,” Armstrong said.

The second location was 524 Mexican Restaurant on 12th Street, where owner Jose Gomez served the tourists Albondigas, a fresh daily soup with meatballs, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and rice in a tomato broth.

“This restaurant is over 100 years old, and a lot of the recipes are from the 1950s,” Gomez said.

In addition to 524, the tour also stopped at Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts on F and 10th streets.

Carissa Jones, who owns the bakery, allowed the tourists to sample chocolate-covered mints and cream puffs.

“I started this bakery because it’s a great opportunity to offer people something other than just cakes,” Jones said.

The tour also includes several different historical neighborhoods such as Alkali Flat and Mansion Flats.

“We pause here and there to talk about a particular house or some funky fact about a person who lived in the home at some point,” Armstrong said.

The Sterling Hotel, Charles Lai Mansion, Sacramento International Hostel, Hubbard-Upson House and the Governor’s Mansion are just a few of the historical homes that are a part of the tour.

“George Pardee was the first governor who lived in the mansion,” Armstrong said. “It was built in 1877 and is now being used by the state and public for ceremonies and events.”

Armstrong said she received most of the historical information from the Sacramento Room located within Sacramento’s Central Library where she spent several hours of researching and reading publications. She also was able to find some history by talking with the locals in the communities where the tours pass through.

“Now I know about places I can go to when I come to Sacramento,” said guest Anne Winbush, who lives in Lathrop, but works in Sacramento.

“My favorite stop was Ambrosia Café I liked the southern red velvet cupcake samples. They were delicious and are one of my favorite cakes.”

Armstrong said that Local Roots Food Tours works closely with local farms, vineyards, orchards and businesses that promote farm-to-table food in their restaurants and supports other local businesses.

Tours are conducted every week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, but will be expanded by this summer to offer more times and days.

“We plan on offering food tours in Midtown, as well as local farms and vineyards in the upcoming months” Armstrong said.

Tickets are $58 and can be purchased here.

The next tour will be on Saturday, April 2, at 11:15 a.m.

The Bee, Sac Press present 'Table Talk Sacramento' April 13

2011-03-23T19:01:04Z

Do you love talking about food? Do you flip to the food section of the newspaper before even reading the front page? Is a trip to the grocery store an excursion? For all you foodies, bloggers and lovers of Sacramento’s restaurants and food: The Sacramento Bee and The Sacramento Press have teamed up to bring you “Table Talk Sacramento: The region’s food community comes together for an evening of lively discussion.”

There will be two panels addressing different topics, including “What Sacramentans Eat” and the quality of local food writing.

Chris Macias will moderate the food writing panel. Macias has served as the Bee’s food and wine writer since 2008. The panelists include:

Niesha Lofing, who writes food and family stories for the Bee as well as a parenting column, Mom.me.
Catherine Enfield, a state worker by day and a local food blogger by night – or whenever she can sneak away to a computer. She is also a food truck advocate and co-organizer of the SactoMoFo mobile food festival scheduled for April 30.
Micah Rousey, who eats out at least five times per week and shares his experience on Yelp. He has contributed dozens of restaurant reviews and been named a member of the “Yelp Elite Squad.”

Allen Pierleoni will moderate the second panel, “What Sacramentans Eat,” which will cover local food trends. This panel consists of:

Rick Mindermann, an internationally known grocer and wine merchant and store director of Corti Bros. Market. He has 34 years in the food and wine business and acts as a personal assistant to Darrell Corti, who has been called “the man who knows the most about food and wine in the world.”
John Paul Khoury, the corporate chef for Preferred Meats, Inc., a premium meat company in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a focus on sustainable husbandry and smaller farm operations. He is also certified as a chef de cuisine with the American Culinary Federation.
Kelly McCown, the executive chef at Ella restaurant and a 1990 graduate of the California Culinary Academy. He was worked in the kitchens of Martini House, Flying Fish, Fleur de Lys, Hayes Street Grill and others, and he has been named “a rising star” and “top young chef” by several magazines, including Bon Appetit and Japanese GQ.

“Table Talk” will be at The Sacramento Bee, 2100 Q St., at 6 p.m. April 13. Source Global Tapas will provide light snacks.

The event will be live-tweeted by @sacramentopress using the hashtag #SacTableTalk.

The event is free, but registration is required. If you do not register, you will not be allowed to enter. Registration is limited to 160. To sign up for “Table Talk,” click here.

Come join the conversation as we discuss Sacramento’s rich food and restaurant culture.

Second Saturday changes coming next month

2011-03-17T01:55:39Z

A few more changes are in the works for the Second Saturday Art Walk in an effort to reduce problems and increase the focus on art, city and business leaders said Wednesday.

The changes will take effect in April, when the event's crowds are expected to grow as warm weather returns to Sacramento. The city's Second Saturday safety team has come up with some modifications in the wake of a fatal shooting in September 2010.

The biggest change is a requirement that vendors, musicians with amplified sound and other street performers who are set up on public property – primarily sidewalks or closed streets – operate from 4 - 8 p.m. Live music is part of a growing music scene that has emerged on Second Saturdays.

City officials want street sales and music that have emerged during the art walk to end earlier to create a "buffer" between Second Saturday crowds and late-night revelers visiting bars and restaurants. The change is expected to make it easier to get minors home by the 10 p.m. curfew and allow art patrons time to enjoy art before crowds grow, said Vincene Jones, director of the city's Neighborhood Services Division.

"The thinking was – on everybody's part, even from the community's side – it will (keep) some of the kids from lingering and just kind of hanging around," she said. "There's not a lot you can stop unless you shut it down. We want it to continue, but we want it to be safe. And sane, so to speak."

City officials will provide an update on Second Saturday and nightlife issues at a meeting of the Neighborhood Advisory Group at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Hart Senior Center, 915 27th St.

The Second Saturday safety team, which has been meeting regularly for years, includes Sacramento Police, the city manager's office, code enforcement, neighborhood services, the Midtown Business Association, parking and transportation department staff. In making the changes, the group used suggestions made at a Sept. 25 forum by city residents, Jones said.

The event traditionally ran from 6 - 10 p.m., but the hours were changed to 5 - 9:30 p.m. after the shooting.

The earlier closing time doesn't apply to businesses with Second Saturday special event permits to serve or sell alcohol, MBA Executive Director Rob Kerth said.

The hours also don't apply to vendors set up on private property, such as parking lots.

The city is also requiring special one-day permits for music and vending this year. The permits will cost $25. Anyone using amplified sound must get a permit and permission from the nearest property owner.

Another change is that the city is now requiring vendors to sell only original, handcrafted items or products made in the region. Nothing that is mass-produced or imported may be sold. Appliances and secondhand goods that were sold by some last year won't be allowed, Jones said.

"We had a lot of people coming out with microwaves they wanted to sell. We don't want it to turn into that kind of flea market," she said. "We want it to be art-related."

Private property owners who allow vendors to sell on their property must get multi-vendor location permits.

Sidewalk vendors must have permission from the property owners and business owners that they set up in front of, Kerth said.

Vendors won't be able to set up on 20th Street between J and K streets, and that block will only be closed to traffic when needed for crowd control, he said.

No serious problems were reported during March's Second Saturday Art Walk last weekend. Police will continue to crack down on problems such as underage drinking, drinking on the street and minors out after curfew, said Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong.

Minors may be cited for violating curfew, which is a misdemeanor, and released, and parents can be held accountable if children are out after curfew, unless the kids are with their parents.

"Parents should be aware that the city has a 10 p.m. curfew," he said. "Their children should be picked up well before 10 p.m."

Other changes may be added in upcoming months if warranted, Jones said.

The city's Special Events Ordinance Review Committee is also considering special events changes that may apply to Second Saturday. The ordinance isn't expected to be brought to the City Council until at least late 2011.

The earlier hours seems like a "smart idea" to help the city and police keep Second Saturday safe and family-friendly, then clear the streets before patrolling for problems with illegal drinking, vandalism, noise and other misbehavior, said Midtown Neighborhood Association Chair Matt Piner.

"I think it's a good idea as a start," he said. "You get bad apples in any crowd. The bigger the crowd, the more bad apples you're going to have."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

The layman’s guide to Sacramento Beer Week: Weekend events

2011-02-25T07:17:46Z

There are many kinds of beer drinkers in this world, and Sacramento Beer Week caters to each and every one of them. Starting Friday, restaurants, bars, cafes and brewpubs all around Sacramento will be stocked with great beers for great prices.

Beer Week will continue through Sunday, March 6. Until then, the citizens of Sacramento and the surrounding areas will be able to satisfy their liquid palate with regional and local brews, world brews and even a few rare and vintage brews.

While their website is a wonderful place to browse for the perfect SBW event, it can be difficult to orient yourself among the 300 or more events. In hopes of eliminating any stress the plethora of drinking events may cause you, the following is an attempt to sort things out in a simple way. Pick your personality or preferred beer genre and discover the possibilities.

For those who only hope for an ice-cold beer after work for a good price, Sacramento Beer Week excels. The $1 beer Old School Happy Hours at Monkey Bar and R15 are a good start. Hoppy Brewing Company will be hosting event after event with rock-bottom prices, including $1.75 pints and $2 appetizers. Bisla's Sports Bar focuses on affordable grub and featured taps with $1 sliders and half-price wings. Lastly, Mary's Pizza Shack of Roseville will be serving pizza and a pint for just $5 all week long.

As far as style goes, if you don't care what hops or jumps and you would rather the malt stay in the malt shop, there are plenty of events that fit your beer style. Check out Sam Adams day at Swabbies for pints, fish tacos and live music. Plus, don't forget those $1 beers at the Old School Happy Hours. For tastings of all sorts, stop by your local BevMo! or Nugget Market for almost-daily events.

If you are inclined to the finer styles, pick your brewery, your brewer, your style or even your vintage. This is the area in which Sacramento Beer Week really shines. SBW is the perfect chance to hobnob with other beer aficionados and perhaps even the brewers themselves.

If you drink great beer every weekend but are looking for something special, check into the various new and vintage beer release parties. The vintages start on Friday, when Alley Katz and Rogue Brewing will be serving up a rare whiskey barrel-aged keg of John John Dead Guy Ale. Throughout SBW, Alley Katz will have a vintage barley wine available as well. Pangaea Two Brews Cafe will have its own exotic pairings on Sunday, including what is said to be an “international surprise.” Samuel Horne's of Folsom will have an untouchable event of their own, pouring bottles of numerous Firestone Walker anniversary blends. Stay tuned for other rare and vintage beers at Bonn Lair, Streets of London and Rubicon early next week.

If your dreams at night aren't happy, but hoppy, and you are still nursing a broken heart from the end of the Pliny the Younger release, your hoppy hour calendar should be plastered with events. On Friday, local brewer Peter Hoey will release his double IPA at Pangaea. Also, on Friday, don't miss a chance to camp out at The Shack, complete with Sierra Nevada Torpedo on tap. Other highlighted hoppy spots include the numerous daily events at Hoppy Brewing, a day of Stone Brewing Co. at Rubicon on Saturday, and Hop-Fest in Davis at The Grad on Sunday. If you are interested in chatting with a brewer or two, the brewmasters from Ale Industries and the newly established Oakland Brewing Company will be at Dad's Kitchen on Saturday for some celebration and discussion on their own fresh brewing experiences.

There are beer consumers who cannot help but think, the darker, the better. If you found the previous joke about malt personally offensive, look no further than the events held at The Grad or at Pangaea, where you can always find a rich, Belgian beer. Most fortunately, the best is yet to come for lovers of the thick and rich. Next week, Cigars & Brew will have a string of great beers, featuring Lost Coast Brewery and North Coast and Anderson Valley Brewing Companies. Also on the sweeter side, Bonn Lair will host Cider Night on Saturday evening, coupled by the Cellar Wine Bar serving up chocolate and rich Mendocino Stout at several locations.

On a nightly basis, Sacramento Beer Week offers dinners for those who appreciate a good beer but believe that, like a good wine, food can only improve the experience. Enlighten yourselves at the nightly beer dinner hosted by The Grange. Saison salad and an Old Rasputin ice cream float are just the outer edges of this meal.

If you are less into happy hour and more into weekend relaxation, Saturday and Sunday are packed with events of all sorts. For the more adventurous beer enthusiasts, the Hash House Harriers and HopHeads of Sacramento will be hosting an all-day event on Saturday. The Hash O'Goodness event includes a special 10 a.m. stop at Rubicon Brewing Company.

Still off the wall but not quite so active is the Sunday Ping Pong Tourney at Nolan's Hilltop Tavern. For those oriented toward the bizarre, on Saturday, Spin Burger will provide visitors the opportunity to try a beer brewed with 45 million-year-old yeast. Fossil Fuels Brewing truly is one of a kind.

On Sunday, the brunches speak for themselves. Visit the Sacramento Beer Week website to view the possibilities and decide what sounds best to you. Whether it is a Hoppy Beer & Bloody Mary Brunch, A Cheese Fondue Happy Hour at The Melting Pot, A Trappist Brunch at The Shack or a Stout Breakfast at Dad's Kitchen, Sunday morning will be worth setting the alarm clock.

So much to do and so little time: That will be the motto for this year's Beer Week. Food, live music, homebrewing discussion, and even bicycle tune-ups and tours — the list of events happening in the next week are endless. For women into beer and brewing, don't think that you have been left out. The Sacto Women's Brewers' Association has events planned as well. Pull together a group of friends and head out. Things are brewing that you just don't want to miss.

A Happier Hour for K Street?

2011-01-31T18:44:55Z

For some time now, K Street has been wavering between its past life as a Sacramento hot spot and its future as a wilting has-been. The busy street is clearly an institution from 9 to 5, but despite the Crest and the constant stream of events, city planners have been struggling to pull in a real evening crowd.

The news is out that a team of fairytale Bay Area developers has joined forces and created Dive Bar, Pizza Rock and District 30. This nightclub-pizza-bar trio hopes to entice the masses for some good old K Street entertainment and after-hours. But is this Bay Area vibe a bit of a stretch in grabbing the attention of the average Midtown resident? Even worse is the grueling task of convincing the average state worker that, despite ridiculous amounts of overtime, they have the energy for just a few more hours after work. Fun it may be, but it still takes energy.

So how will this all shape up? Will we be pleasantly surprised and find ourselves meeting up on K next Saturday? Or will it all be a blur of good press and hearsay, and we'll be left wondering if it will be yet another Subway? Do the mermaids get a pension?

The future is less predictable than we would hope, but I would have to wager that, at the least, Pizza Rock is here to stay. The rock in Pizza Rock is subtle, drawing in those who know trendy and comforting those who don't. A clean, silver chain holding back the heavy floor-to-ceiling black curtains, a Craftsman toolbox serving as the hostess station, and even the bathrooms are tastefully done, with Japanese-esque red walls, weathered framed mirrors and the city-standard 1930s-era hexagonal tile. The Peterbilt barreling out of the wall above the bar is a bit more than subtle, but you have to expect something outrageous from the creators of Dive Bar.

The pizza was dazzling in a way that had me planning my next visit. Five different types of crust, all of them flawless and the perfect blend of real Italian-style pizza and the American level of toppings that we just can't resist. The food was fresh, fast and reasonably priced.

The old-school music had Midtowners and middle-agers alike tapping their feet along with at least a song or two. The beverages were quality and varied with a full bar, a reasonable wine list, and even Bear Republic's Racer 5, a nice nod to the regional craft beer industry that's becoming more popular each day. On the whole, it's stunning that such a well-balanced pizza place was designed by the same people that created a bar with a 7,500-gallon tank filled with scandalously live mermaids.

Hopefully the next newbies on K Street will follow their lead, thinking of all and excluding none, if only so we can wander down the K Street Mall among friends rather than just passing through it on the way home. Currently, it's a bit too much like a deserted rail corridor, where it would be wholly unsurprising to find someone stripped naked in front of Pizza Rock, warming their clothes on the decorative blue flames that were forgotten at closing that night.

Or is a noon rush all that K Street has left?

Hot Italian receives green certification

2011-01-26T03:29:15Z

Nearly two years after opening, Hot Italian received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. The Midtown pizza parlor is the first restaurant in the city to achieve the high-ranking environmental designation from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Mayor Kevin Johnson joined owners Andrea Lepore and Fabrizio Cercatore at Hot Italian Tuesday to announce the LEED Silver status.

Johnson praised Hot Italian for its environmental efforts. “This is about pro-business, pro-environment and pro-pizza,” Johnson said.

Co-owner Andrea Lepore pointed out the restaurant’s sleek black-and-white color scheme, saying that it was environmentally friendly but not the color green.

“We really wanted to demonstrate that green didn’t have to be green,” she said. “It didn’t have to be brown. It could actually be black and white.”

Hot Italian’s building includes environmentally friendly tables, tile and display cases, and a compost bin, among many other green elements. The building’s wood beams are certified by the nonprofit Forest Stewardship Council, a group that advocates for environmentally sound forestry procedures.

Hot Italian is also part of the Green Restaurant Alliance of Sacramento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Holiday drinks: Get 'em while it's cold outside!

2010-12-21T20:55:19Z

Using seasonal ingredients, robust liquors and festive garnishes, bars across Midtown are preparing to fight the bitter cold by adding some new innovative concoctions and classic holiday favorites to their menus.

Designed to warm the belly and lift the spirits, here’s a look at some of Sacramento’s tastiest winter cocktails.

Shady Lady Saloon
1409 R St.

Hot Buttered Rum

1 pound softened butter

½ pound brown sugar

½ pound super fine white sugar

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground clove

1 ½ ounces dark rum

Hot water (enough water to fill an Irish coffee glass or mug)

Mix that by hand or using handheld mixer. Store in freezer indefinitely.
Take out 1-2 tablespoons of batter, mix in 1 ½ ounces of dark rum. Fill mug or Irish coffee glass with hot water. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

“People in America were drinking these as early as 1685,” co-owner Jason Boggs said. “Rum was being delivered here and distilled in the early colonies. That was the first way that they were drinking booze. It’s very old.

“That’s the classic hot buttered rum (recipe). Some people add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. We try to keep it classic.”

Lounge on 20
1050 20th St.

Fennel Fizz
$12

1 ½ ounces Lucid Absinthe

¾ ounce lemon juice

1 ounce simple syrup

1 splash of soda water

Shaken with diced fennel, topped with egg white foam and garnished with a lemon twist, fennel sprig and star anise. Served in a Collins glass.

Eastern Promises
$9

¾ ounce Jasmine Liqueur

¾ ounce Ginger Liqueur

1 bag of green tea

Hot water

Garnished with a lemon twist and cinnamon stick.

Spiked French Toast
$10

1 ½ ounces rum

1 ounce milk

¾ ounce 5 Spice simple syrup

Shaken and then steamed to warm, powdered cinnamon sprinkled on top, and served in a martini glass.

Drinks created by Vince LaForm and Renee Fong.

Centro Cocina
2730 J St.

Seasonal Infused Tequila
$8.50

5 bags of fresh cranberries

40 peeled green apples

3 cinnamon sticks

4 vanilla bean

3-3 ½ bottles of Silver tequila

Soaked together in a large pitcher. Served as a 4 ½ ounce shot in a chilled flute, or in a margarita with 1 ounce Triple Sec and 1 ounce of lime juice.

Drink created by Joel York.

De Vere's Irish Pub
1521 L St.

Mother’s Milk
$10

1 ¼ ounces Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey

2 or 3 shakes of whiskey barrel-aged bitters

¼ ounce Creme de Leche

¼ ounce honey syrup

Shaken and then served in a chilled martini glass , topped with fresh ground nutmeg.

Drink created by Henry De Vere White.

Paesanos
1806 Capitol Ave.

Candy Canetini
$4 during happy hour, $6 regular price

¾ ounce Absolut Vanilla Vodka

¾ ounce Creme de Cacao

¼ ounce Candy Cane schnapps

1 ounce half and half

¼ ounce simple syrup

Shaken and served in a red sugar-rimmed martini glass.

XO Mocha
$4 during happy hour, $6 regular price

1 ounce Patron XO Coffee Liqueur (espresso flavored)

½ ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream

½ ounce half and half

Served over ice and topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Creamsicle shot
$4 during happy hour, $6 regular price

1 ounce whipped cream-flavored vodka

½ ounce orange juice

Shaken over ice, served in a shot glass.

Drinks created by John Hazelton, Erica O’Neal and Amanda Starr.

Red Lotus

2718 J St.

Two Brothers
$9

2 ounces Leopold Bros. New York Apple Whiskey

3 dashes of old-fashioned aromatic bitters

Served in a lowball glass over a signature hand-carved ice block with a lemon twist garnish.

Drink created by Mark Neuhauser.

Zócalo
1801 Capitol Ave.

Homemade Egg Nog
$8

2 ounces Santa Teresa Aged Venezuelan Rum

3 ounces whole milk from Straus Family Creamery

3 ounces half and half from Straus Family Creamery

Shaken, and topped with cardamom, nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Drink created by Joe Anthony Savala and Dominique Gonzales.

Phony Health Inspector Calling Sacramento Restaurants

2010-12-16T22:17:02Z

Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD) is alerting restaurant operators and others in the food facility industry about fraudulent activity involving an individual or individuals contacting food establishments claiming to be a health inspector.

EMD has received complaints that someone using various names is calling local food businesses claiming to be a “health inspector” and stating an inspection is scheduled, usually for the next day. The restaurant operator is then given a phone number to call to verify the inspection, and in some cases a “confirmation number” is also given. However, there is no such inspection and the inspector imposter never arrives.

John Rogers, Environmental Health Chief, said he is aware that other California counties and states have been targeted by similar scams. “It’s unclear how the scam works or if the imposter is attempting to get personal information from the operator for other fraudulent schemes. We urge owners and operators to contact our office if they have any doubt about the identity of a person claiming to be a health inspector,” said Rogers.

Food facility health inspections are generally unannounced and conducted by certified and trained Registered Environmental Health Specialists. Inspectors do not collect money at food establishments and do not sell or endorse specific products. State law also requires inspectors to carry official photo identification. An owner or employee of the food establishment may refuse entry to an inspector who is unable to present official identification.

Possible fraudulent activity can be reported to the Environmental Management Department at (916) 875-8440.

----------------------------

Kerri Aiello is the Communications and Media Officer for Sacramento County's Countywide Services Agency. She can be reached at (916) 874-4667 or email Aiellok@saccounty.net.

Chefs dish up recipes

2010-11-25T01:39:16Z

Local chefs will give thanks Thursday if they get a break from cooking.

But this week, a handful of them were more than happy to share ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes.

They range from Cajun cornbread stuffing and stuffed roasted vegetables to sweet potato gratin and a Swiss dish called chnoepfli – some easy, some family traditions and others just new twists on classic companions to turkey.

Just before lunch Wednesday, chef Chris Nestor presided over the kitchen at his newest restaurant, House Kitchen & Bar, 555 Capitol Mall. Working from memory, he jotted down the recipe for Cajun cornbread stuffing, a dish he created two years ago at his other restaurant, INK.

"We had jambalaya on the menu at INK. We churned it in with cornbread stuffing," he said. "We fused the two of them together. It's a Cajun cornbread stuffing with red and green bell peppers, sausage and onions. It's excellent."

Nestor said he was looking forward to staying out of the kitchen Thursday.

"I'm fortunate to have someone else cook this year, so I don't have to do anything," he said. "I've been in this business 26 years. I've literally cooked one Thanksgiving dinner at my house and it was two people last year."

For Thanksgiving, Sacramento cookbook author Biba Caggiano likes to prepare traditional dishes she doesn't do very often because they take so much time. But Caggiano, who owns Biba Restaurant at 2801 Capitol Ave., also likes to make easier fare.

"Once you have a big, beautiful turkey, the vegetables are important," she said. "By the time you take the turkey out, you don't want to do too much work."

On Thursday, stuffed roasted vegetables will be one of the things she takes to her daughter's house. The dish, whose recipe can be found in her cookbook, "Biba's Italy," is good for get-togethers because it can be made ahead of time and eaten at room temperature, she said.

You may not have ever heard of it before, but chnoepfli is high on the list of favorite Thanksgiving side dishes for at least two Sacramento chefs: Patrick Mulvaney, who owns Mulvaney's B & L at 1215 19th St., and his buddy, Margie Tose, who owns Edible Events catering service.

Known in Germany as spaetzle, chnoepfli – a pasta or dumpling dish – has many variations. Mulvaney became hooked on the stuff during the many holiday dinners he shared with Tose and her family after the two met working at Paragary's in 1995.

Starting in the 1970s, her Swiss stepfather, Al Weiss, made chnoepfli with cheese and green onions baked on top, featuring dumplings handmade by her mother Grace, every Thanksgiving. On Wednesday, Tose made two pans of what she and Mulvaney called "nerfli."

"Don't ask me how to spell it," said Tose, who learned to make the dish from her stepfather. "I can't find the recipe."

It took a call to Karl Resch, owner of Swiss House restaurant at 535 Mill St. in Grass Valley, to track down the spelling and one recipe. Tose, who was busy cooking, provided the family's variation.

Matthew Robinson, who became the new chef at Kupros Bistro, 1217 21st St., a week ago, recommended sweet potato gratin. He's taken the side dish to several family Thanksgivings. Sweet potato gratin is easy for anyone who's been in the kitchen before. The key is to slice the potatoes very thin, he said.

"It's something that's going to be impressive, but at the same time, it's kind of foolproof," Robinson said. "You've got to have something that's fairly quick and fairly easy. Because you doln't want to spend your whole day in the kitchen."

Recipes

Cajun Cornbread Stuffing
Chris Nestor, House Kitchen and Bar

Cajun Butter
3 tbsp. Cajun seasonings (i.e., paprika, cayenne, garlic and onion powders, pepper, oregano)
1/2 lb. butter

Stuffing
1 oz. Cajun butter
1/2 cup red bell pepper
1/2 cup green bell pepper
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup celery
1 lb. sausage (Any works, including andouille or chicken apple)
2 tbsp. sage
1 tsp. cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups cooked cornbread
6-8 cups turkey broth

1. Combine Cajun butter ingredients in pan. Melt. Set aside.
2. In large pan, saute 1 oz. melted Cajun butter with first five stuffing ingredients for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add sage and cayenne.
4. In a bowl, add mixture to cornbread and stir together.
5. Add 3 oz. melted Cajun butter.
6. Add turkey broth, starting with 6 cups, until moist.
7. Bake, covered, at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
8. Remove foil cover and brown. Serves 12 to 14.

Stuffed Roasted Vegetables
Verdure Ripiene al Forno
Biba Caggiano

3 medium-size, ripe tomatoes
2 large red bell peppers
4 small zucchini
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh Italian or French bread, without the crust
3 oz. sliced salame or baked ham, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. salt plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Slice the tomatoes in half horizontally. With your fingers, remove the seeds. Place tomatoes cut side down on paper towels. Let them drain for about 1 hour.

Wash and dry the bell peppers, trim both ends and discard the stems. Cut the peppers into quarters lengthwise. Core and seed them, and remove the white membranes.

Trim both ends of the zucchini and halve them lengthwise. With a teaspoon, scoop out about half of the flesh, leaving 1/2 inch thick shells. Chop the flesh and place in a medium bowl. Add the beaten egg, 3/4 cup of the Parmigiano, the bread, salame, garlic, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with about half of the olive oil. Mix well, taste and adjust the seasoning. The stuffing should have a soft, moist texture. Add a little more oil if needed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking dish lightly with oil.

Place some of the stuffing in the cavities of the tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers. Arrange the vegetables in the baking dish. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining Parmigiano and drizzle with a little more oil.

Place the pan on the oven's center rack and bake until the vegetables are soft and the stuffing is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

Chnoepfli
Karl Resch, Swiss House

1 lb. flour
10 eggs
Pinch nutmeg
Dash of salt

1. Beat into thick and slightly stiff pancake batter.
2. Bring 10 quarts of water in a pot to a boil. Add salt.
3. Scrape small amounts of batter into a collander, strainer or spraetzle maker.
4. Holding collander at least five to six inches above boiling water, scrape or push batter through to drop into the water. Spraetzle shapes may be thin and long or small and round or oval.
5. Separate pieces with spoon while cooking.
6. Remove with skimmer as done. Drain.
7. Put in bowl. Add shredded Swiss or Parmesan cheese to taste. Top with brown butter.
8. If not eaten right away, cool off batter in a bucket of ice water. Stir a little to separate. Let ice melt completely before you take out batter. Strain. Pan fry later with butter.

Chnoepfli Variation
Margie Tose, Edible Events

1. Make dumplings (Joy of Cooking recipe) with flour, egg and milk in water.
2. Cool dumplings.
3. Slice an inch thick.
4. Butter pan. Line 9 x 13 pan/s with dumplings.
5. Add layer of cheese, such as Swiss Emmentaler cheese, Gruyere and Jarlsberg, 1.5 to 2 lb. cheese per pan.
6. Add layer of green onions (3 bunches per layer).
7. Add butter throughout the pan, about half a pound per pan.
8. Repeat all three layers.
9. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, until bubbly and brown.

Sweet Potato Gratin
Matthew Robinson, Kupros Bistro

4.5 lb. sweet potatoes (about 5 big ones or 10 small ones)
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. butter (melted)
1 tbsp. orange zest
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Slice sweet potatoes into about 1/8 inch slices.
3. Combine heavy cream, orange juice, orange zest and nutmeg in a large enough pot to hold all the potatoes. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to simmer and add sweet potatoes.
5. Continue to simmer and stir until cream has reduced and evenly coats potatoes.
6. Transfer to greased, ovenproof container. Bake for 40 minutes or until fork tender.
7. Top with brown sugar and melted butter. Continue to bake until sugar has melted.
8. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

Photos 1 and 2 by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Photo of Biba Caggiano provided by Biba staff.

Tex Mex opens, Texas Mexican closes

2010-10-08T03:13:50Z

Tex Mex Bar and Grill has opened in Midtown, while a continued loss of business led the long-time original to close downtown.

Owner Mike Keolanui said he's focusing on his newest restaurant, Tex Mex Bar and Grill, and opening two more in Davis and Roseville after "furlough Fridays" and the recession doomed Texas Mexican Restaurant.

He’d initially planned to open Tex Mex as a sophisticated sister restaurant to the establishment that operated just off K Street Mall for 19 years. But Keolanui closed Texas Mexican quietly a month ago, without even posting a note on the door, after losing too much money.

"It was really sad," he said. "The furloughs were killing me. I just couldn't survive."

He’d taken over ownership of the restaurant at 1114 Eighth St. from his now-ex-wife, Griselda Barajas, and her parents Rosa and Victor Barajas in 2007 just as the recession began. Keolanui got the place reopened after it closed during an eminent domain battle between the property owner, Mohammed "Moe" Mohanna, and the city.

Nearly 75 percent of the steadfast downtown restaurant’s clientele were state workers. Despite many empty storefronts on nearby K Street, the restaurant did alright until furloughs began, he said.

The building will be redeveloped as part of a project to breathe new life into the 700 block of K Street. But construction won't begin until late 2011 or early 2012, said Maurice Chaney, spokesman for the city's Economic Development Department.

The building’s redevelopment had no impact on the closing, but Keolanui said he just couldn't hang on until it happens.

Keolanui suggested state furlough days be moved to Mondays to help central city businesses that are continuing to lose revenue from the absence of state workers. Mondays are already slow for many businesses, so furloughs on that day wouldn't hurt so much, he said.

Following more than $350,000 in renovations and some delays, Tex Mex had a soft opening last Friday at 2326 J St. The restaurant with six flat-screen TVs and a custom, recycled-glass bar that glows is now serving Texas-style cuisine with a Latin twist.

The menu includes a skirt steak house specialty, fried oyster nachos and Mama Rosa's Chicken Soup made with roast chicken, rice and avocado, as well as tacos, burritos, salads and enchiladas.

The bar was made from recycled brown beer bottles and blue Skyy Vodka bottles. The bar glows at night and heats up in the winter. Nearly $12,000 worth of lights change color behind the bar back. A tequila tower featuring 60 different brands of tequila will be installed soon.

Additional work on bathrooms will start next week. The exterior, including a sidewalk patio, will be redone.

“I had to get open. It’s been too damn long,” he said.

Hours now are 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. daily. In two weeks, hours expand to 6 a.m. - midnight and the restaurant will serve breakfast after a popular breakfast spot, Cornerstone Restaurant, closed down next door. A grand opening will be held in about a month.

Keolanui will expand the Tex Mex Bar and Grill "mini-chain" to Davis and Roseville. He's still deciding between two buildings in Davis but expects to sign a lease next week. He's also negotiating on a space in Roseville. He expects the Davis restaurant to be open by February and the Roseville restaurant next summer.

He and Griselda Barajas said they remain close friends and support each other’s careers. She was just a teen when her parents opened their first restaurant, Atlantes Mexican Restaurant, on 12th Street. They ran several others in Sacramento before Texas Mexican. She now owns and operates Griselda's Catering and Tex Mex @ the Capitol.

While sad that Texas Mexican could no longer make it, Barajas said she's happy he's opened Tex Mex. He's continuing to serve many of her mother's recipes and employ many of their long-time employees, she said.

"He is so passionate about it," she said. "He's someone I know that can continue with the family recipes and the traditions."

Food photo provided by Tex Mex Bar and Grill. Other photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter covering business and development at The Sacramento Press.

Managing 'hospitality zones'

2010-10-02T05:08:42Z

Sacramento’s “hospitality zones” became classrooms Thursday night.

Nearly two dozen people visiting Sacramento for the California Downtown Association’s 2010 annual conference took a walking “Nighttime Economy Tour” through parts of Old Sacramento, downtown and Midtown. Most in the group help manage downtown business districts.

Stopping in bars from Vega’s at Old Sacramento’s historic waterfront to de Vere’s Irish Pub near 15th and L streets, people learned best practices, as well as what to avoid, to successfully set up and manage hospitality districts – concentrations of bars, restaurants, café-lounges and other entertainment businesses.

Officials with cities and business improvement districts have many more tools at their disposal than they realize, said Allison Harnden, vice president of Santa Cruz-based Responsible Hospitality Institute. She led discussions on the tour.

One is to make sure visitors have plenty of convenient transportation options, such as “safe ride” programs, taxi stands, pedicabs, late-night public transportation and safe neighborhoods to walk in, so they can leave bars safely and quickly.

“This is your biggest bang for the buck,” said Harnden, whose group was established to help communities plan and manage entertainment zones. “If you can clear the hospitality district at closing time, you won’t have noise, you won’t have fights, you won’t have bottle throwing.”

Melissa Martinez, executive director of the Old Sacramento Business Association, and Aja Uranga-Foster, programs manager with the Midtown Business Association, led a four-hour tour to 11 establishments. Several were located at 20th and K streets.

Public urination after closing is a common problem because many cities don’t have enough public restrooms near these areas.

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control doesn’t like to give out liquor licenses for businesses close together. But concentrations of bars are easier for police to manage, she said.

The institute encourages cities to establish staggered closing times so police aren’t overwhelmed trying to manage crowds at closing, she said outside de Vere’s, where a crowd of patrons waited to enter at 11 p.m.

Another way to prevent many problems in such districts and to create more financially successful zones is to recruit a mix of businesses meeting needs and schedules of all four adult demographic groups, rather than just single 20-somethings, she said.

That group tends to drink too much because they’re insecure about socializing. Guys that age are most likely to fight. They may not spend much money at businesses, preferring to spend time “displaying and promenading” in groups, she said.

“You really want to start filling in some of these things to attract other people,” Harnden said.

Sacramento might learn from Chicago events

2010-09-22T06:56:08Z

Sacramento isn't the only city grappling with violence and other problems at special events.

Chicago has had similar problems with festivals such as the Taste of Chicago, the city's biggest special event. The Taste draws about 3 million people to lakefront Grant Park for the 10-day summer festival each year.

The Camellia City can take some cues from the City of Big Shoulders. Chicago Police and the Mayor's Office of Special Events, which runs the event with help from other departments, constantly fine-tune operations for the Taste to handle problems as they emerge.

Several shootings have occurred near the Taste in the last seven years. Three teens were stabbed in a gang fight near the event on July 1, shortly after closing. In 2008, a 20-year-old was killed and three teens injured in gang shootings that broke out in the Loop as a mass of people left Grant Park after the July 3 fireworks.

"You're trying to do something nice for 99 percent of the public and that one percent just makes things difficult," said Cindy Gatziolis, spokeswoman for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events in Chicago.

Some of the Taste's problems — as well as benefits — have come from its popularity, similar to the Second Saturday Art Walk in Sacramento. On Sept. 12, a 24-year-old Sacramento man was killed and three others injured in a gang shooting after the official close of the popular monthly event, which is drawing growing crowds.

This year marked the Taste of Chicago’s 30th anniversary. The event began July 4, 1980, with 36 restaurants selling food from tents after Chicago restaurateur Arnie Morton convinced the city to close a six-block stretch of downtown's Michigan Avenue. At least 150,000 people turned out, leading the city to move the event to Grant Park the next year.

"They thought Michigan Avenue would be great, but (the Taste) was too big," Gatziolis said. "So it was a victim of its success."

Following the recent shooting, Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn is hosting a community forum on Second Saturday Art Walks at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Hart Senior Center, 915 27th St.

An estimated 20,000 are drawn to Midtown for Second Saturdays. The event is built around an art walk that's grown into a street festival, with musicians and DJs in parking lots and outside storefronts, sidewalk vendors selling T-shirts and jewelry, and restaurants selling food. The event's hours have been 5-10 p.m., but crowds remain longer in an area with bars, restaurants and house parties.

Responding to complaints, Sacramento Police cracked down on problems at the most recent Second Saturday. They arrested 17 minors for 10 p.m. curfew violations and took them to police headquarters until parents came. Police cited about 40 more people, including business owners, for alcohol-related violations including underage and public drinking, plus public intoxication and urination.

Now billed as the world's largest outdoor food fest, the Taste of Chicago grew to 70 restaurants, though now it is limited to 53. Free music at several stages have led to another description as “the world's largest free mosh pit.” About 300,000 people attend on busy days. Until 2010, 1 million people have gone to the Taste on July 3 for Chicago's legendary fireworks, set off above Lake Michigan next to Grant Park.

Last summer for the first time, the fireworks were held July 4th at three other lakefront locations downtown and on the North and South sides to spread out crowds, cut costs, make management easier and ease pressure on city services including police, fire and paramedics. This year, the city also closed the Taste early on July 3 — at 7 p.m., rather than 9 or 9:30 p.m.

"July 3 was often very overwhelming," Gatziolis said. "I think we decided this was too many people for one spot."

Multi-departmental meetings are held months in advance to strategize for each Taste of Chicago.

The Taste is held in a 24-square-block area centering on Grant Park between Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue. Smaller cross streets are closed to cars.

For the last two summers — since the fatal shooting — the area has been fenced to create a contained area and controlled entrances, where police and private security can watch for disturbances and things that are illegal or might cause problems. Fencing has enabled police and organizers to manage the event more like a concert pavilion than open city streets, Gatziolis said.

Some bands will draw more teens or 20-somethings to the Taste. At entries, security checks bags for alcohol and illegal substances. People 21 or older get wristbands to buy beer and wine at seven booths. Security stationed near those booths guard against people buying alcohol for minors.

The Chicago Police Department's Special Events Unit creates deployment orders for city-sponsored festivals including the Taste and nearby areas as crowds leave such festivals. Special Events may employ uniformed and undercover officers from all units, including tactical officers, gang units and other specialized teams.

Officers are deployed on foot, bikes and horses. Undercover police watch for concealed weapons. Surveillance cameras are also used.

The recent violence has primarily happened after closing, when crowds dispersed on city streets or the "L," Chicago's rapid transit system. After closing, police line some streets and are dispersed around the area, while others patrol "L" trains and stations.

"The overall safety strategy for all festivals, including the Taste of Chicago, is to have a strong police presence in areas where we anticipate large crowds," said Roderick Drew, director of the Chicago Police Department's Office of News Affairs. "This includes public transit hubs and ingress and egress routes for pedestrians."

The city has inscribed all light poles in the area with numbers so safety and health incidents, which can include Chicagoans who've gotten dehydrated or too hot, can be reported and paramedics or police can respond quickly.

To combat Chicago's heat and humidity, the city sets up misting tents, and the Chicago Transit Authority brings out buses with air conditioning. Announcements are broadcast to remind people to drink plenty of water.

Mayor Richard Daley said in late August he's considering privatizing management of the Taste, music festivals and some other city services.

Chicago also hosts 200 to 300 independently organized neighborhood festivals, art fairs and music events each year. For such events, police request site and security plans, designated command posts, security guards or others assigned to monitor patron conduct, and a communications system between monitors and the command post.

Three festivals are held one June weekend in a five-block area in the Old Town neighborhood on the North Side. All three events are held in contained areas. They also keep troublemakers away by charging entrance fees in the form of $5 to $10 donations.

Adam McLain, a mortgage banker headquartered in Old Town, said he's never seen anything more than "a push or shove from drunken people" at any of the festivals he's attended annually for nearly 20 years.

"The reason why Taste of Chicago has problems is because it's free," said McLain, 47.

The Old Town Art Fair has brought artists from around the country to a historic residential district for 61 years. Using 750 resident volunteers, a neighborhood organization called the Old Town Triangle Association sets up booths, a food court, a music stage and a children's art program along four streets in a barricaded area with controlled entrances.

"It's a smaller area, but we pack them in pretty tight," said Emily Rose, general chair for the 2011 art fair. "We can't ask our whole neighborhood to shut down."

The event is built around fine art selling for $500 to $3,000 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. to draw a crowd — 50,000 in a weekend — that wants to view and buy art or take a garden walk at 50 homes.

"There's not as much day drinking or hanging out to cause a ruckus," Rose said.

Eight off-duty, non-uniformed beat and patrol officers who know the area and the people — and who are permitted to carry guns — are hired to work at each entrance, while six others watch money and patrol. Five guard the site overnight. Association dues and fair proceeds fund the officers.

If something even looks "uncomfortable," officers can escort people out. On-duty officers are called via 911 if there's an incident or suspected incident. The fair hasn't had any violence or major problems in at least 20 years, partly because they "don't mess around" with private security guards, said Dan Baldwin, chairman for grounds and security since 1990.

"I think the word's out with the bad guys that we have real Chicago police," Baldwin said. "My advice is hire the local cops, 'cuz they know who the creeps are. Creeps get 20 feet from the gate and they see the beat cops and they don't come in."

The 36-year-old Wells Street Art Festival draws about 100,000 for art and music, as well as food and drink from booths or restaurants and bars along a six-block or half-mile commercial stretch. The fest is open until 10 p.m., with continuous music from street musicians and a main stage.

The crowd is very social, made up of people who like to hang out at Wells Street bars and restaurants. Booths sell beer and wine. Restaurants with liquor licenses must have private security during the fest.

Chicago Police provide 20 to 25 on-duty officers for the event. Organizers hire 35 more people, including undercover off-duty cops. Recent problems have included "gypsy bands" of four or five well-dressed people who employ someone to engage an artist while cash and valuables are stolen.

A few years ago, cash and jewelry were stolen from an artist's parked car a few blocks away after someone followed her from the festival, said Henry Zemola, head of Special Events Management, which manages the festival.

Affluent Wells Street borders one of Chicago's worst gang areas, connected to the Cabrini Green housing project. Known or suspected gang members will be stopped at the festival’s entrances and asked where they're going and what they're doing, which often intimidates them enough they'll leave. Police will also blatantly tail people through the fest.

"You can bring a nice audience, which we do. We still get the element of undesirables that will come," Zemola said.

The Old Town Merchants & Residents Association has 37 years of experience organizing the event and engaging residents and business owners in a give-and-take process.

“That's a lot of time to figure out what's working and what's not," said John Blick, the association’s executive director. "It's a difficult balance — because you do need the crowds and you do need the enthusiastic people."

Security may be easily overlooked or sacrificed when special events are problem-free, but good security is key to an event running smoothly, Baldwin said.

“You don't need it until something goes wrong,” he said. “What we're trying to do is have an event that’s fun for the artist, fun for the residents, and one where there's not any issues.”

Taste of Chicago photo provided by the Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events. Old Town Art Fair photos provided by Old Town Triangle Association.

Curtis Park gala offers food, fun and the chance to give back

2010-09-16T22:14:44Z

On Saturday, October 2nd the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association will present its 20th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction. From 4-7 pm the doors and patios of the historic Sierra 2 Center will open to welcome hundreds of guests.

Over twenty restaurants, fifty wineries, eight breweries, three musicians, and two dozen volunteers will be greeting patrons, who will spend a delectable three hours sampling food and drink, vying for high-end auction items, listening to music, and socializing with attendees. Even better, the event benefits Brett Hart Elementary and McClatchy High School, two neighborhood organizations that are at the heart of the Curtis Park community.

To purchase tickets or receive more information on the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association’s 20th Annual Wine Tasting & Silent Auction, please call the Sierra 2 Center at (916) 452-3005. Tickets may also be purchased at Taylor’s Market and online at www.sierra2.org.

Italy comes to Sacramento this weekend at the Festa Italiana

2010-08-06T01:57:27Z

Everyone can be Italian this weekend at the Italian Cultural Society of Sacramento’s Festa Italiana.

The 25th annual Italian festival has much more to offer than the stereotypical spaghetti and meatballs. Once held at the Cal Expo, the fair is now at the Croatian-American Cultural Center at 3730 Auburn Blvd. This year’s Festa Italiana is set up to represent authentic festivals in towns across Italy.

It started as a small picnic in the park by the society’s Gioventú young people group, the festival has grown to an average 6,000 visitors per year.

Bill Cerruti, executive director of the Italian Cultural Society, said the Italian-American community of Sacramento wanted something to celebrate its culture.

“During the 1970s, we didn’t have much going on,” Cerruti said. “That was one of our goals: to recreate an Italian festival and take pride in our heritage.”

Festivalgoer’s can take a stroll down the marketplace, or mercato, while listening to Italian bands such as Italica, play on the main stage.

Staying true to Italian tradition for their love of food, visitors can taste selections from Sacramento’s best Italian restaurants, such as Il Fornaio and the new Fair Oaks branch of the San Francisco favorite, Dianda’s Bakery.

Attendees can also witness Italian folk dancing by the society’s two dance troupes: Balliamo,and the Bambini Dancers. Bambini means children, as the group is made up of kids no older than 12.

For those interested in Italy’s motor achievements, Italian cars, bicycles and motor scooters will be on display. Past festivals have featured Maserati’s, Ferrari’s and Vespa scooters from private owners and local car dealerships.

This year’s festival will continue to offer the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship for young women of Italian descent ages 16 to 22 through the Festa Queen Pageant. Jennifer Caruso Stone, coordinator for the competition, said this is not a typical beauty pageant.

“In villages in Italy, when they would have their annual festival, they would crown a festa queen. It has to do with how they honor their women in their culture,” Stone said. “It is something that’s traditional from Italy that we tried to recreate here.”

Applicants are required to write an essay, go through a panel interview and participate in both days of the festival. Stone said the panel members — which are made up of past queens, members of Gioventú and the board of directors for the society — make their decision based on these requirements and the person’s interest in Italian culture.

“It gives [applicants] an opportunity to meet others who are also interested in the Italian culture,” Stone said. “I think its important for the Italian Cultural Society to have that connection with the youth and to get them excited and want to give back to their culture.”

Stone’s husband Matt runs the salami toss at the festival — a crowd favorite. The object of the game is to try and hit a whole swinging salami hanging on a rope.

A potato wedge is traditionally used to hit the salami, though Stone said in years past the Sacramento heat made the potatoes brown. The prize, of course, is a salami.

“Some people take it very seriously,” Stone said.

“There was that one kid that won about 12 in one year,” said board member Julie Radke.

Cerruti described the festival as a two-day big Italian wedding. His favorite part is the outdoor setting with “all the people sitting around eating, drinking and enjoying themselves.”

Raffle tickets will be available for the chance to win a two-person round-trip to Italy.

Festa Italiana will take place from 11 a.m-10 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. General admission is $10, and those 15 and under are free.

For more info on the festival, visit italiancenter.net

Angela Ruggiero is part of the 2010 Festa Queen Pageant panel. She was Festa Queen in 2008.

Great Chefs 2010

2010-07-14T18:06:10Z

Great Chefs 2010 is coming this August! Great Chefs is a gourmet celebration to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento. It will be taking place on Saturday, August 21, 2010 from 6p-9p at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Capitol Plaza. For this 9th annual event, head chefs from some of the area’s finest restaurants, wineries and breweries will be pairing foods and beverages for a fun-filled, one-of-a-kind evening. In addition, the evening includes a silent auction and dancing. And the delicious desserts are not to be missed.

Some of the featured restaurants will be Aioli Bodega Espanol, Bake Sense Inc., Just 4 U Catering, Event Architects, California Capitol Chefs Association, Sacramento Cookie Factory and River City Brewing Company, just to name a few.

Last year’s attendance at this event was over 400 people, and we are expecting an even greater success this year. Pre-sale tickets to Great Chefs are available now for $50 per person, or a 6-pack deal for only $260. Tickets will be $65 at the door on the night of the event. To purchase tickets now, please visit www.bbbs-sac.org or click here. Holiday Inn Sacramento Capitol Plaza is located at 300 J Street, just off the I-5 freeway.

The Press restaurant in progress

2010-05-25T00:34:35Z

Here are some photos of the transformation inside of the restaurant formerly known as Dragonfly.

The Press restaurant is expected to open in August. Read more about chef David English's restaurant here.

The Press is located at 1809 Capitol Avenue.

Photos by Sonny Mayugba.

Old World meets new at Midtown's Tex Mex

2010-04-17T06:49:56Z

Tex Mex Bar and Grill will bring regional Texas cuisine with a Latin twist to Midtown when it opens late this month.

The restaurant will open at 2326 J St., tentatively on April 27, in a renovated space vacated by Toreros but long occupied by Taco Loco. Mike Keolanui, Michael Mui, Ben Paulsen and Thien Nguyen are opening the upscale-rustic Tex Mex as a little sister to Keolanui's Texas Mexican Restaurant, which has operated at 1114 8th St. for 18 years. The restaurant was owned by his wife's family for most of that time.

"Tex Mex" was coined as a culinary term in the 1960s or '70s. The name was taken from the TexMex Railway, used for decades by people who migrated from Mexico. They had to cook with ingredients that were available in Texas, and a cuisine was born, said 40-year-old Keolanui, who also is getting ready to open the El Dorado Saloon in El Dorado Hills on June 15.

A lot of people may be surprised to learn how healthy Tex Mex food can be, he added.

"It's gotten kind of a bad rap," Keolanui said. "They think of nachos with cheese. We've taken it back a step to the original recipes (used in regional Texas cooking) and kind of infusing a Latin influence into it."

The menu will differ from Texas Mexican Restaurant, where the staples are tacos, burritos and enchiladas. That restaurant was opened by Keolanui's future in-laws after the family moved from Mexico to Texas. They raised their children there and relocated to Sacramento. Griselda Barajas, now Keolanui's wife, moved here from Houston to help with the restaurant. She owns Griselda's Catering and Tex Mex @ the Capitol, in the building's basement.

Keolanui once owned a Chevys Fresh Mex franchise in downstate Illinois. He met Barajas after returning to Sacramento, then used his corporate background to help her and Texas Mexican Restaurant.

Texas Mexican closed in 2006 during an eminent domain battle between the city of Sacramento and developer Mohammed "Moe" Mohanna. Keolanui reopened it a year later, expanding into neighboring spaces to push the restaurant from 1,400 square feet to 6,000. He now leases the space from the city.

Tex Mex will feature Texas-style cuisine prepared fresh daily from scratch using local ingredients — organic when possible — and grilled foods, including seafood, rib eye steaks and chicken. Appetizers will include "man nachos" — tortilla chips topped with a slab of flank steak or chicken. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

"I'm not trying to hit the late-night thing," Keolanui said. "We'd rather be known as a place where you can come at 5 and get a drink, and have dinner."

The owners are considering holding a grand opening party on Cinco de Mayo, May 5.

The space is being renovated for a rustic ambience with hip and sexy modern touches, he said. Its mostly brick walls have been restored and wooden rafters exposed in the ceiling. Flat TV screens and a tequila "tower" created with more than 150 brands are being installed behind a lighted bar built from recycled beer bottles. The 125-seat restaurant will have as many as 10 TVs.

Keolanui didn't disclose the remodel's cost. Owners can spend beaucoup bucks to renovate a restaurant or nightclub, but that doesn't guarantee success, he said.

"If you put out a good product and good service, and you stay in touch with the community, I think you can have a good shot at it," Keolanui said. "It ain't gonna look like Taco Loco, I can tell you that."

Paso Robles Wine Country to Pour into Sacramento

2010-04-16T03:55:24Z

Sacramento wine connoisseurs will be able to savor the diversity of Paso Robles' wine country April 19-20 as part of the 2010 Grand Tasting Tour. Winemaker dinners at local restaurants are scheduled April 19. Wine tasting will be held April 20. A preview retail testing is scheduled April 16.

Paso Robles is one of California's premiere wine-producing regions. Twenty-seven wineries and hospitality representatives will feature more than 150 wines during the two-day event. The tour was organized by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.

"I think coming to the capital city is very special," Executive Director Stacie Jacob said in a phone interview. "I think many people come for other business purposes, but now we're coming to say we want to do more business here. It makes natural sense with the food scene in Sacramento."

She added that Paso Robles is close enough to drive to, being four and a half hours away, making Sacramento an important market in California she feels is overshadowed.

Preview retail testings will feature winemakers and representatives of select Paso Robles wineries. Woodland's Nugget Market at 157 Main St. will host a testing from 5-7 p.m. featuring wine from Four Vines Winery. Beyond Napa Wine Market at 2580 Fair Oaks Blvd. will host a testing from 3-7 p.m. featuring wine from J. Lohr Vineyards & Wine.

"(The retail testing) is a nice treat for some of our customers," Dave Cancilla, Beyond Napa Wine Market's manager, said in a phone interview. "It's great for them to meet some people from the wineries. I get a chance to get a winemaker to come here, bring some wine for my customers to taste, possibly create more customers and have some nice wine to show people."

When asked why he felt Sacramento was chosen to be a part of the tour, Cancilla replied:

"Because it's the capital, not only of the state but as the hub of the inland empire. You've got the Bay Area as one of the strong areas for wine, but Sacramento is becoming a cultural hub for people who don't live close to the water. (Our wine culture is) still in its infancy, and there's nothing better than getting in on the ground floor, so become part of the wine culture."

Winemaker dinners will be held at Grange Restaurant and Bar, Lounge On 20, McCormick & Schmick's and Mulvaney's B&L. As many as five Paso Robles wineries will be present at each dinner to showcase pairings of the region's wine with Sacramento cuisine. Times and pricing vary by restaurant.

"It gives people a unique, intimate experience to come, obviously have a great dinner, but also learn about the wines of Paso Robles," Jacob said.

The wine tasting will occur from 6-8 p.m. at the Sacramento Grand Ballroom located at 629 J St. Winemakers and winery representatives will offer tastings while the Sacramento Grand Ballroom provides appetizers.

"What makes (the tour) unique is it's Paso Robles wines," Cancilla said. "It's a roadshow. Things like this happen all the time. But for consumers, who face a shop with thousands of wines, it's kind of daunting sometimes. (Wine) is an experiential thing, so if you want to know wine, the only way to learn more is to become immersed in it. With this tour you can see a bunch of wine, ask questions and be in a fun atmosphere. Wine boils down to being a fun addition to someone's life."

Jacob stated that a positive result of the tour may include the regions becoming more familiar with one another.

"We want Sacramento to come experience our wine country," she said. "It's a nice balance as Sacramento's food scene becomes more and more sophisticated. We really believe Paso Robles wines have a place on the retail lists. We hope to do more business in your market."

Winemakers, representatives and winery staff will be present to speak about their wines and answer questions throughout the tour's events.

"The beauty of this is that 27 producers from one area are coming together to give you a taste of this region," Jacob said. "We're sending the winemakers and representatives, we're not just sending the sales representatives. You're going to be able to talk to a grape grower, a winemaker and other people involved in the process if you're interested."

A portion of ticket proceeds will be donated to the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services.

"We always believe when we come into a market, we want to partner with people who have like-minded causes," she said. "We believe in giving back to the community as we do within our own Paso Robles community. When we look at the times we're in and the needs out there, we just want to do our part."

The tour continues to the San Francisco Bay Area and Mid-Peninsula area April 21-23.

Ticket prices are $45 per person in advance, $55 at the door, cash only. 1-800-549-WINE. Event attendance is limited, so advance purchase is recommended. For more information, visit the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance's website.

Photos courtesy of Stacie Jacob and the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance. Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Would you like to win a pair of tickets to this local event? Enter to win by writing a comment below telling us your favorite tasting experience or if there is a vineyard you go to often for tastings.

I Like Mine With Lettuce and Tomato. . . .

2010-03-29T02:49:16Z

The cheeseburger. Is there anything so uniting and yet polarizing at the same time? Everybody loves cheeseburgers. What about the tree-hugging vegans, you ask? They love cheeseburgers too, but the burger is made of bulgur and whey and twigs, and the cheese is made of soy, whatever that is. The top-selling vegan product today is the veggie burger. That's a fact. Look it up. And when you do, let me know what you find out, because I'm using the word "fact" very loosely here.

The point is, everyone loves burgers. There you go, we're united. So if we can agree that everyone loves burgers, why are they so polarizing? Because your favorite burger probably isn't my favorite burger. And that bothers you. That's not true? Well, how about this: My favorite burger isn't your favorite burger. That does bother me.

We Americans are passionate about our burgers. We don't think that such and such is the best burger in town. We know that such and such is the best burger in town, and to disagree with us is a personal affront.

In the town where I grew up, Menlo Park (and this applies to Palo Alto as well. This dismissive wanking motion is for the $10 burger at the Peninsula Creamery), you are either a Dutch Goose person, or an Oasis person. A simple "Oasis or Goose?" status report on my Facebook page elicited 70 responses, several of which invoked the name of the Lord, others openly hostile to the nonbelievers. I was born and raised an Oasis kid (Thanks, Dad!), had a brief dalliance with the Goose during college (the fact that they were less than vigilant when it came to checking I.D.s probably had a lot to do with it), before settling back down with my first love. Some people consider this blasphemous, but I don't agree. It isn't the first time a young man was led astray by booze, and it certainly won't be the last. I was young and experimenting; it never meant anything. That's not really true, if I'm married to the "O", the Goose is my "gumar." I love them both.

Today marks five weeks since my arrival in Sacramento, and in that time, I have eaten many of the fine burgers that the city and surrounding area have to offer. Does this qualify me to pontificate on the best burger place in town? Most assuredly not, but I'm gonna do it anyway.

Let me preface this by saying that we have a thriving burger scene in and around our state's capital. Every burger I've tried here has been in the good-to-very- good range. Nary a dud in the bunch. These rankings are based on a single visit to each venue, so if someone was having a bad day, that's unfortunate. Also, I am taking other factors into account in my rankings. Ultimately, the winner is the best burger, but fry quality and cheap beer can serve as a tie breaker. Enough with the niceties, let's get some people riled up.

Seventh place: The Squeeze Inn. Sorry, but that cheese skirt is superfluous. I don't get it. If I wanted a disk of burnt cheese, well, I wouldn't, 'cause I'm not 7 years old. Worse than that is the bun on which it's served. Heavy and unyielding, it's about twice as much bun as you need. And the long lines and short hours didn't help. We got there at 6:30 p.m. and had to take our burgers to go because they were getting ready to close. It's a shame, because if put on a good, soft bun with a reasonable amount of cheese, the burger may have been the winner.

Sixth place: Jim Dennys. I'm a sucker for the old school diner setting, and the burger was solid. Unfortunately, it was cooked to death. Well beyond well done. Pink was a distant memory. The chili cheese fries were really tasty, however.

Fifth place: Jamie's. After finding out that Jamie's had been featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," I was really fired up to try it. I love the venue itself, top- notch food in a dive bar setting is tough to beat. The burger was good, but it was really overshadowed by the phenomenal garlic steak sandwich. That thing is amazing. A bit pricey, but if you want a bourbon with your burger, this is your spot.

Fourth place: The Habit. This was probably the best burger bang for your buck. At just $2.95, you get a high-quality burger at fast-food prices. The fries and onion rings are both top notch, and they have three kinds of peppers at the condiment bar. I wasn't sure whether I should even include this because it's a fairly large chain, but a great burger is a great burger, and I'd never tried it before moving here.

Third place: Nation Wide Freezer Meats. I don't think you could come up with a worse name for a burger joint. What, "Ivan's E. coli Eatery" was taken? The name aside, the burger was one of the best I've had. You can't go wrong with ground Harris Ranch steakburgers. The quality of the meat shines through, and that's what will bring me back. The steak fries and chili were disappointing.

Second place: Murder Burger. I know, it's called Redrum Burger now, but I'll always call it by its real name. I had a lot of friends at UC Davis in the late '90s, and they introduced me to the burger: "So good, it's to die for." I went back on the way to the Bay Area, and was very happy I did. The burger was big enough to split and was a cheesy, oniony epiphany. Also, the fries are outstanding; thin cut, crispy, but moist on the inside. Murder Burger would have been the best if it weren't for ....

First place: Suzie Burger. Or, as I call it, the Truth. This is the only place I went to twice. Their burger is close to perfect. Moist, juicy and cheesy on a soft, buttery bun. Free toppings include grilled mushrooms and onions, and jalapenos (I got all of them). The second time I added bacon, which was well crisped and hung out the sides. Oh my, it was good. I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. To top it off, their fries are fantastic. Thin-cut slivers of potato with the skin still on 'em. I don't know that I've ever had better. Throw in $5 pitchers of Pabst, a couple of flat screens, and an old school Chevy parked out front, and we have ourselves a winner.

If I missed your favorite, or you feel it wasn't done justice, feel free to voice your displeasure at lindol@gmail.com.

Hiatus for Old Sacramento bars

2010-03-25T21:28:10Z

You may have wanted to get a margarita at Brickside or Novo in Old Sacramento recently and found you couldn't.

Here's what we found: Liquor licenses for both were suspended by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Novo's was suspended March 2 for not serving food, a condition of the license, said Lori Ajax, administrator of the Sacramento ABC office. Novo, 926 2nd St., had been rebranded from Tunel 21, which had been operated by Vlade Divac, his wife Ana and her sister, Jelica Orbovic. Orbovic took over operations when the Divacs left Sacramento.

Novo's license suspension was lifted last week after Orbovic got the restaurant up and running, Ajax said. The establishment is now required to make at least 50 percent of its profits from food.

The license of Brickside, 106 J St., was suspended Jan. 21 after a hold was placed on it by the California State Board of Equalization for failure to pay taxes, Ajax said. Information about any possible taxes owed cannot be released to the public, according to the tax board.

Richard Mendoza of Mendoza Properties owns Brickside. Neither he nor Orbovic could be reached for comment.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter who covers business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Red Lotus to open soon

2010-03-22T05:38:41Z

Red Lotus Kitchen & Bar is expected to open as early as the first week in April — with gold Chinese calligraphy on its walls, dim sum on its tables and silk lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

Chef Buu "Billy" Ngo and partner Peter Kwong are opening the contemporary Asian-fusion restaurant at 2718 J St. following their success with Japanese restaurant Kru, a few blocks down the street. The restaurant initially was expected to open in December in the spot where G.V. Hurley's closed its doors in September. A liquor license transfer held up the opening of Red Lotus, Ngo said.

Following a restaurant trend toward small plates of food or "tapas," the restaurant will focus on small dishes, primarily dim sum, and serve no entrees. Red Lotus also will serve fried rice, noodles, and adventurous dishes such as Peking quail with crispy skin and mandarin pancakes, oxtail soup, braised beef tendon and beef tongue.

"I know that'll be a little weird, but I like the stuff," Ngo said.

But he said he draws the line at chicken feet, another Asian specialty.

"I love chicken feet, but I don't know how well that's going to go," he said. "So I'm going to keep that off the menu. For now."

Dim sum comes from Southern China, while the crepelike pancakes come from Northern China, which produces much more grain than rice. The idea is for people to order one or more plates of dim sum, as well as fried rice or noodles, and then share, Ngo added.

Bartender Erick Castro, considered by some to be the "godfather" of Sacramento's cocktail scene, will take a break from tending bar in San Francisco to develop Red Lotus' cocktail program over the next two weeks. Staff will make all syrups and juices used in the drinks.

The restaurant has undergone minor remodeling to create a contemporary urban Asian vibe, with red, yellow and black walls and paintings of Buddhas and lotuses. Booths and chairs were reupholstered in silver and black, and new furniture will fill the back patio and front terrace.

Ngo is working with a friend's father, who does Chinese calligraphy, to choose proverbs that will be painted in gold on the restaurant's walls.

Ngo and Kwong bought the business from Hurley's owners, whose operation had conflicts with neighboring residents.

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control postponed transfer of the liquor license until owners of Red Lotus and Hurley's cleared up problems. The license-transfer process moved very slowly, said Ngo, adding Red Lotus will open once the transfer goes through, which is expected soon.

Ngo and Kwong consider alcohol sales important to the restaurant's success. However, their emphasis will be on food, Ngo said. Red Lotus will be open daily from 4 p.m. to 10, except on Fridays and Saturdays, when hours will extend to 2 a.m. and the restaurant will close at midnight. Ngo expects to add lunch and a weekend brunch.

Red Lotus will rotate the menu, choosing among many dishes that can be found at dim sum establishments. But there's one thing found at dim sum restaurants that Red Lotus won't have, Ngo said.

"We're not going to have ladies with the carts," Ngo said.

Photo by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter who covers business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Mural proposals sought

2010-03-13T04:59:53Z

The wall of a Midtown restaurant soon will soon become a fresh canvas for a Sacramento muralist.

Hot Italian and the Arts & Business Council of Sacramento have put out a call for artists to submit mural proposals with modern Italian themes. The winning artist will be paid $1,000, plus $500 in restaurant certificates, to design and install an 8-foot by 3-foot mural for the eatery's main dining room.

The space was intended to hold a bicycle. But the restaurant's owners, Andrea Lepore and Fabrizio Cercatore, want to open it up to local artists instead and decided to hold a contest to choose the design, Lepore said.

"It's really open to anyone," she said. "It could be any medium: photography, mixed media, painting. It's up to them and the space."

Local muralists involved with the nonprofit Midtown Murals Project see the contest as a great opportunity for a student, apprentice or other amateur. After factoring in the cost of supplies and other expenses, the artist would likely make about $100 a day for about a week's worth of work, said James Cooper, executive director of SEEART, the umbrella organization that oversees the murals project.

"We're happy to see that people are thinking in this realm," he said. "We'd just like them to think a little more about equitable benefits and not be so one-sided about who benefits."

Artists going through a rough time in this economy might consider the work, too, as long as they retain rights to reproduce their artwork — a major money-maker for artists, Cooper added.

The arts council applauded Hot Italian for hiring an artist, rather than just offering the opportunity to promote their artwork in a busy setting.

"A lot of businesses believe the promotion is enough. Some don't understand the value of design or how much work goes into creating an art piece," said Michelle Alexander, executive director of the Arts & Business Council. "It's really admirable that Hot Italian is treating the artist like a professional and paying them for their work — and also opening it up to the community to maximize what could be considered."

A detailed agreement, including reproduction rights, will be worked out with the artist. The restaurant is likely to be open to an agreement in which both sides could reproduce the artwork as needed, Alexander said.

The deadline for submissions is March 28. Finalists' work will be displayed April 10 at a Second Saturday event at Hot Italian, where visitors can vote on the designs. The mural is expected to be installed in June. For more information, go to www.hotitalian.net/mural or e-mail arts@hotitalian.net.

Photos provided by the Midtown Murals Project.

Let Them Eat Cake! - Davis' new cupcake shop

2010-03-04T20:56:29Z

Paulette Coffman and her daughters Chelsea and Brittany are crazy about cupcakes.

They’re so obsessed with baking cupcakes of every conceivable flavor that they opened their own business in downtown Davis called Let Them Eat Cake!

The Parisian-themed shop features three daily flavors. Let Them Eat Cake’s menu describes their red velvet cupcake, Scarlett, as a “scrumptious red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting,” while their chocolate cupcake, the Dubliner, is hailed as a “Guinness Stout chocolate cake with chocolate butter-cream frosting.” Their third daily flavor, called Illegally Blonde, is described as a “fluffy, vanilla cake with vanilla frosting.”

In addition to the three staple flavors, the Coffmans rotate 21 other flavors throughout the week to keep the selection lively and fresh for customers. On Mondays, patrons can find a flavor called Happy Camper, which the menu describes as a “dark chocolate cake, marshmallow frosting and graham cracker crumbs.”

On Saturdays, the most popular cupcake of the week, Cookie Monster, is available. And on Wednesdays, in addition to Aggie Pride, Mini’s PB&J and Pineapple Express, customers can sample the flavor of the month.

“We’re really kind of geared towards childhood favorites,” Paulette said. “We have those in the case every single day. That’s why we keep our three daily flavors. But we’re also a little bit more innovative, a little bit more cutting-edge. You can find your standard red velvet here, but you can also find a margarita cupcake here. And we’re always trying to push the envelope a little bit on those flavors, so we kind of like to show our creativity that way.”

Every Saturday, Let Them Eat Cake! also features a Saturday Surprise cupcake, which is a cupcake flavor that is as inventive and imaginative as Paulette, Chelsea and Brittany.

Regarding the Saturday Surprise flavor, Paulette said, “We like to keep our creativity flowing. [The Saturday Surprise flavor] just lets us play. It’s baker’s discretion. We usually post that on Facebook the night before for our fans … No flavor is out of reach.”

Let Them Eat Cake! also gives back to the community through its custom cakes, available in any of the cupcake flavors.

“I think my all-time favorite was the cake we made for one of the local businesses,” Paulette said. “Their niece was diagnosed with sarcoma right before her 16th birthday, and so her aunt came in and wanted to order a cake for her birthday, and I said, ‘You know what? We’ll handle it.’ So we made this over-the-top, girly, sweet 16 cake that was just draped in fondant and hot pink and pearls and you name it. It was really just a knockout cake. And it was so sweet. That was a fun cake to do. It was a little sad to do but it was really fun also.”
Even the Food Network has noticed the Coffmans and their creative cupcakes.

“We got a call from someone at the Food Network,” Paulette explained. “They wanted us to come down to L.A. for an audition the very next day and bring cupcakes. I was floored. The guy said that normally they would ask for a tape, but they really wanted to see us in person so would it be possible for us to come to L.A.? So I told him the soonest we could make it would be Thursday, [a few days later], and he said that’s perfect.

“He asked us to bring some cupcakes, and then we had to choose which flavors. That was really tough. I think we took maybe six flavors and went down there and had the audition, and now we’re waiting for our call back. So now the suspense is killing us.”

Let Them Eat Cake! might have the largest selection of cupcake flavors in Northern California, but it also possesses something that most other bakeries don’t – personality.

Everything from the shop’s Tiffany-blue walls to the free WIFI makes it feel less like a business and more like a neighborhood café. Guests and students alike are encouraged to stay for a while and enjoy their sweets.

“It’s personal,” Chelsea said. “You come here and we’re family to a lot of the community, and it’s great.”

“Yes, a lot of customers have become not just friends but almost family,” Paulette elaborated. “It’s fabulous … We wanted this place to feel like home for people and to get to know our customers.”

Learn more about Let Them Eat Cake! by visiting their website or dropping by the shop, located at 423 L St. in Davis.

Sacramento to Celebrate "Beer Week"

2010-02-16T03:46:42Z

This week marks the first Sacramento Beer Week. Breweries, restaurants and bars throughout the Sacramento region will shine a spotlight on beer. Sacramento Beer Week will feature more than 200 events including brewer’s dinners, beer and cheese pairings, rare ale tastings, pint nights and brewery showcases.

Sacramento Beer Week seeks to brew up interest in beer generally and in locally brewed craft beer in particular. The period following the holidays and before the warmer Spring weather is traditionally a slow period for beer sales, and Sacramento Beer Week organizers hope their event will be a shot in the arm for the local economy.

Local brews won’t be the only ones showcased during Sacramento Beer Week. Many of the scheduled events will feature craft beers from other American breweries or specialty imports with an emphasis on Belgian ales.

The Beer Week concept was born in Philadelphia just two years ago and has since inspired other cities and regions such as San Francisco, San Diego, Cleveland and Baltimore to follow suit.

The Sacramento region’s local beer community has had its struggles in recent years. Elk Grove Brewery, Beermann’s (in Roseville), and Sacramento Brewing Company have permanently closed their doors.

Brewpubs, restaurants and bars from Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, Rocklin, Auburn, Nevada City, Davis and more will host Sacramento Beer Week events February 22-28. Go to SacramentoBeerWeek.com for more information.

For Ben Food Crawl

2010-02-15T23:14:49Z

Eat from 20 of Sacramento's downtown restaurants with the purchase of one ticket supporting a 10-year-old boy fighting secondary cancer. The For Ben Food Crawl is from 2 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 28.

Each restaurant will have drink specials, a taste of their food, and tons of great people exploring the grid of Sacramento while supporting Ben and his family.

Beating levels while playing Nintendo DS, building cities with Legos, and making people smile are just a few of Ben's talents. But, that is not all he does. Ben has survived a brain tumor two years ago and now is battling secondary cancer in his spine. Intense treatments, intelligent doctors, unlimited prayers, and his close family and friends are pushing and pulling him through this tough battle.

Now, we have the opportunity to be part of the pushing and pulling.

It is our chance to purchase a ticket in support of Ben's challenge and have the opportunity to explore over 20 of Sacramento's restaurants wearing a "For Ben" T-shirt while believing, hoping, praying, and loving Ben.

Participants will meet at a given location, which will be posted online on Feb. 26 at forbenfoundation.com . On Feb. 28 participants will check-in and receive a map. The map will guide participants through midtown sampling food from the following restaurants:

Aioli Bodega
Brew it up!
Burgers and Brews
Cosmo Cafe
De Veres Irish Pub
The Grange Resaurant
Hot Italian
Jacks Urban Eats
Kru Restaurant
L Wine Bar
Lucca Restaurant
Luigi's Pizza Midtown
Magpie Cafe and Catering
Mochii Yogurt
R15 and Cafe Bernardo
Rubicon Brewing Co.
Sapporo Grill
Shady Lady
Yogurt a Go-Go
Zocalo

Tickets are $35 and if they are purchased before Friday Feb. 19th t-shirts are promised on the day of the event!

To purchase tickets visit:

Asha yoga on 20th between J st. and K st. (map)

Horizon Community Church in Galt, Calif. (map)

Bikram Yoga Elk Grove between Bond and Elk Grove Blvd. on Elk Grove Florin Rd. (map)

Starbucks at I-5 and Laguna Blvd. Near the Gold's Gym (map)

If the following locations are not convenient for you but you are interested in tickets please call Kevin at 209.712.8649

Diners choose burgers over steak

2010-02-12T03:48:32Z

Sacramento's restaurants are a clear reflection of the times, with high-end establishments taking a beating and fast food expected to continue to rise in 2010.

As the recession continues, top-tier central city restaurants such as 55 Degrees and Masons have closed or begun transforming into more affordable dining. Similarly high-end chains, such as Ruth's Chris Steak House, just outside the central city, and Morton's The Steakhouse, and celebrated local establishments are reported to be in trouble.

Casual restaurants have also been seriously hurt by the economy. But fast-food restaurants like McDonald's are expanding and the demand for "fast-casual" restaurant concepts is exploding.

"Everyone is shifting their focus to meeting the consumer where they're spending," said Garrick Brown, vice president of research for Colliers International's Sacramento office and the company's senior USA retail research director. "What's happening with restaurants in central Sacramento is the highest-end guys are all getting killed. It's pretty much across the board: Anything that's upscale has just been hammered."

People aren't dining at expensive restaurants, whether they're out for a good meal, traveling or doing business. Some higher-end restaurants and bars, which can pay $10,000 to $15,000 in rent each month, are having trouble making rent. Several more could close or undergo radical makeovers in the next year, property experts said.

"I think everyone's in survival mode right now," said Midtown Business Association President Aaron Zeff. "People are still losing jobs. The economy seems to be shrinking. Disposable income seems hard to find."

In 2010, restaurants with bars and those with good ratings from customers are expected to do better than others. Restaurants are said to be breaking even on food. Alcohol sales are keeping a lot of restaurants alive because the profit margin is higher, Brown said.

While many casual restaurants have been offering reduced meal prices or specials, such as two-for-one deals or three-course dinners for $20, now even high-end places like Ruth's Chris are doing so — which is unheard of, Brown said.

Around town, they'll continue that trend until the economy stabilizes, said Dave Herrera, a vice president with Colliers who specializes in central city properties.

Casual restaurants, the tier below high-end, are also hurting in 2010. Dragonfly Restaurant and G.V. Hurley's both closed in Midtown last year. Consumers have shifted to cheaper food, and there were too many casual restaurants, especially chains, Brown said.

New mom-and-pop restaurants — anything that's privately funded and most likely with only one owner — will be rare for the next year or two. Home equity loans, where most new restaurant owners get their start-up funds, are off the table. Bank failures are expected to accelerate, so commercial real estate loans and small business loans will dry up for local restaurants, Brown said.

Plus, demand for mom-and-pop retail spaces has shriveled. Where brokers had five or six potential customers vying for one space two years ago, they now are likely to have one customer for every three or four spaces that become vacant, Brown said.

At the same time, restaurants selling fast food and the next level up, "fast casual," are growing. Fast casual restaurants with unique concepts are soaring. Smashburger began in Denver as a single restaurant only two or three years ago. Now about 300 franchises have been sold. Smashburger and Five Guys Burgers and Fries of Arlington, Va., have been looking for space in the central city, he said.

"That's where all the action is coming from right now," Brown said.

Most of the currently vacant space previously housed small restaurants or mom-and-pop retail stores. With most vacant space in the central city limited to 5,000 square feet or less, big chains like McDonald's aren't likely to expand there. Those restaurants need free-standing buildings with drive throughs, Brown said.

Infill development may gradually begin to fill some of those vacancies in 2010 and beyond. But a challenge to redevelopment of those empty spaces is that most retailers who are expanding right now need more than 5,000 square feet, he said.

Retail space rents have dropped by as much as a third. Landlords who own upscale, street-level retail and restaurant space have had to lower rents for incoming tenants and renegotiate leases to keep existing tenants. Where rates were $2.25 to $3.50 per square foot in 2007 for spaces where tenants pay all expenses, known as triple net, they have dropped to $1 to $2.75 per square foot, Herrera said.

Oakland resident Julio Peix wants to open a tap house in Midtown. He looked at vacant spaces for a year and a half and said he was shocked to find the prices higher than San Francisco. He found spaces going for 85 cents to $1 per square foot in parts of San Francisco, such as Potrero Hill, while spaces in Midtown were going for $2.50 - $3.

"Midtown was just crazy," said Peix, who hasn't given up.

Still, new restaurants are opening in the central city. Two offering comfort food are 5th and H Café. which opened in November, and House, which replaced 55 Degrees at 555 Capitol Mall. Bistro Michel, Bull, Cafeteria 15L and Mayahuel Restaurant are opening, too, Herrera said.

Restaurants need to hang on, Brown said.

"I see things gradually improving, as far as consumer spending," he said. "But it's going to be very slow and Sacramento's going to lag (behind) the rest of the nation."

Sustainability is Hot in Sacramento

2010-01-23T23:40:32Z

Sacramento environmental groups gathered Thursday night to recognize local leaders in sustainability and to raise funds for local environmental projects. Sustainable Sacramento was hosted by Pesticide Watch and Slow Food Sacramento. The event was held at Hot Italian Pizza and Panini Bar in midtown Sacramento.

As attendees escaped the damp streets and persistent rain, they were greeted warmly by Paul S. Towers, state director of Pesticide Watch Education Fund, and Slow Food Sacramento’s Kathy Les. Hot Italian co-owner Fabrizio Cercatore poured glasses of red wine and brought out a variety of pizzas for guests to enjoy.

Pesticide Watch, a statewide organization based in Sacramento, seeks to empower citizens to use sustainable solutions to deal with pests and to keep their community healthy. Towers addressed the crowd of approximately 75 people by thanking them for supporting local environmental champions.

“There is a long history of people in our area willing to stand up to injustices when they see them. These people are champions,” he said.

Sustainability Leadership Awards were presented to Harvest Sacramento, the GEO Environmental Science and Design Academy and Hot Italian.

Harvest Sacramento’s award was presented by Blake Young of the Sacramento Food Bank and accepted by Randy Stannard, Food Access Coordinator for Sacramento’s Soil Born Farms.

Harvest Sacramento’s mission is to collect fruits and vegetables which might otherwise go to waste from neighborhoods and small orchards and distribute it to local hunger assistance agencies. It is a collaborative effort of Sacramento area residents, non-profits and businesses. Since the effort got underway in 2009, Harvest Sacramento has collected more than 20,000 pounds of produce.

Soil Born Farms has taken a leadership role in organizing the group’s efforts and in connecting those efforts with local food banks.

In his acceptance remarks, Stannard talked about the origins of Harvest Sacramento. “People saw a problem. They saw trees full of fruit going to waste and fruit rotting on the ground. They said, ‘This just makes us sick! What can we do about it?’ ”

The Sustainability Award for GEO Academy was presented by David Herbert of Kaiser Permanente and accepted by Fatima Malik, GEO’s Cooking and Nutrition Educator.

GEO Academy, located at Grant Union High School, is pioneering efforts to teach Sacramento youth how to create and foster healthy, sustainable communities. GEO provides high school students with a unique combination of rigorous academics and real world based projects that prepare students for careers that will shape our communities and our environment.

Students and community members grow vegetables, fruit and flowers at GEO’s community garden. Students use the garden for hands-on learning about ecology, plant biology, health and nutrition.

Hot Italian owners Andrea Lepore and Fabrizio Cercatore accepted their Sustainability Award. The award was presented by Sacramento City Councilmember Steve Cohn.

Hot Italian is the first restaurant in the Sacramento region to achieve LEED certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a rating system of the U.S. Green Building Council in order to provide standards for environmentally sustainable construction.

The midtown Sacramento restaurant was a major restoration from the retail space which previously existed there. The building now has a solar thermal system for hot water, low energy LED and CFL lighting, low flow faucets and toilets, and uses recycled materials in chairs, tables and other fixtures. Hot Italian strives to serve food made from local and organic ingredients with a menu that changes seasonally. They also compost their kitchen waste, provide compostable pizza boxes and there is parking for 32 bicycles on site.

Brenda Ruiz attended Sustainable Sacramento on behalf of Slow Food USA’s “Time for Lunch” campaign and is heading up the effort here. Time for Lunch is an effort to get Congress to reform the U.S. Child Nutrition Act and the National School Lunch Program in a way that provides more funding for school lunch and farm to school programs.

Ruiz, a chef at Sacramento’s Biba restaurant, reminds people that they have the power to address problems in their community.

“People sometimes say, ‘The school lunch issue, it’s messed up,’ and they don't think there is anything they can do. Well, people need to know there are always things they can do to help,” Ruiz said.

For more information:

Comforting "House" opens on Capitol Mall

2010-01-05T06:16:17Z

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 new day."

House is taking over the space where 55 Degrees closed more than a year ago. Dressed in chef's whites Monday, 41-year-old Nestor supervised a kitchen already serving diners who stopped by its adjacent lunch counter café to get an early taste of the restaurant. The café offers lunch-to-go in a spot that housed a La Bou eatery for a year.

Nestor shies away from the spotlight. He credits his success to surrounding himself with successful people. He never wears his name on his chef's jacket, so an air of being under pressure was all that identified him as the owner and head chef of a restaurant about to open.

Breakfast will be added one week after the official opening and dinner will be added by late February, after the liquor license has been granted, said restaurant manager Meagan Svendsen.

Lunch and dinner items and prices will be the same. They could include buttermilk fried chicken with bacon smashed potatoes and collard greens for $14.50, flat iron steak tacos for $13 and a drunken chicken salad for $12. The menu will change constantly, with half a dozen new items added daily.

"We want to take things they've had at their mom's house — dishes they have some kind of nostalgic connection to — and make it the best in Sacramento," Nestor said.

The interior renovation of the main restaurant continued out-of-sight Monday behind windows covered with brown paper. House Kitchen & Bar will be a 180-degree departure from 55 Degrees, a minimalist, high-end French restaurant that operated there until closing on its three-year anniversary on September 5, 2008, Nestor said.

Cushy booths and butcher block tables will help make the space more inviting, Svendsen said. Artist Sandy Christensen of Unique Finishes created a faux-finish copper ceiling and artist Jason Byrd made a 30-foot sculpture of a kitchen tool to sit atop a wine cooler being converted into an art piece.

"We just want to warm it up — create that cozy feel," Svendsen said. "Like at home — sophisticated and classy, yet comfortable."

Nestor started out as a waiter. Pressure from his then-fiancée led him to enroll in the Culinary Institute of America. After graduating 16 years ago, he worked as the food and beverage manager for a Hilton Hotel in Fresno, then moved to Sacramento in 1995.

He later worked at Rio City Café, the Cheesecake Factory and Paragary's Bar & Oven. Nestor opened INK in May 2003. When Sammy Chu's closed at 15th and R streets after just eight months, mentor Randy Paragary brought Nestor in immediately to start a new restaurant. Nestor opened the glitzy Icon Restaurant and Lounge there in November 2004.

Icon operated for a year and a half. Nestor said he thinks the restaurant didn't succeed partly because the location wasn't well-known yet and not many people knew about the restaurant. It took a few more years for the area to become trendy and full of successful businesses.

Nestor said he and his staff plan to work hard to increase the liveliness of Capitol Mall, which has few restaurants.

The owner of 55 Degrees, Ali Mackani, said when closing the restaurant that the establishment didn't work out because residential development did not grow in the Capitol Mall area as expected. He opened Lounge on 20 at 20th and K streets in July 2008.

House Kitchen & Bar is expected to draw diners from the Capitol Mall office buildings, the Capitol, nearby hotels and state agencies.

"Although this area is sophisticated, when people leave their offices, I think they want to be in a comfortable environment — yet still get superior service, phenomenal food and general comfort," Svendsen said.

The staff will make a special effort to welcome diners — right down to asking what they'd like to see on the menu.

"It's our house. We want you to feel relaxed here," Nestor said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Soaking in Sacramento: Dine Downtown

2010-01-05T04:08:11Z

The time of year is here again for locals to venture out and experience some of our neighborhoods' finest eateries. Being in the restaurant business for most of my life, I have had the privilege of eating in some of the greatest food cities: New York, Miami, Las Vegas and San Francisco. The upcoming Dine Downtown week in Sacramento is an event that can satisfy even the most finicky foodie and rival any of those cities.

The list of 35 participating restaurants is quite impressive for Sacramento’s fifth annual Dine Downtown week, January 8 through 17.

The dining scene in Sacramento is up and coming, so there are certain places those of us on a strict budget will never be able to try, right? Wrong. Local restaurants have special menus for $30 per person for the event that include a three- or four-course meal. There are restaurants on the list I usually only drive by and wave at, so I'm looking forward to experiencing the artfully prepared culinary treasures local chefs have in store.

Biba will have a choice of a prawn, crab and seafood cake or beet salad for the first course. Second course options include housemade gnocchi with sweet Gorgonzola sauce or spaghetti with tomatoes, olives, capers and hot pepper flakes. Entrees will include oven-braised lamb shank with Chianti Classico wine and grilled polenta or grilled filet mignon wrapped in smoked Italian bacon.

If you are in the mood for an Irish pub, visit de Vere’s. It will be offer several soup and salad options for the first course, such as clam chowder or the Green Street Caesar salad. A platter of assorted cheeses, cured meats and fresh fruit will be another first-course offering. Entree options will be braised lamb shank, New York steak and lemon Dijon chicken, with brown bread and apple cobbler or a brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup for dessert.

If an Asian influence is what you crave, head over to Mikuni where the amount of food you get is almost ridiculous. You have a choice of two items for the first course including pork potstickers, crab-stuffed mushrooms and barbecue albacore tuna. Chicken or beef teriyaki, sesame chicken and udon noodle pasta with snow crab will be among entree choices. Diners also can choose from 24 sushi rolls.

River City Brewing Company will have appetizers of crispy eggplant Napoleon or garlic shrimp scampi. The second-course will feature grilled Sterling salmon, a Kobe steak or grilled, marinated pork tenderloin, among others. River City ends their meal with a choice between caramel gelato or vanilla crème brulee.

I have only barely scraped the surface of the 35 restaurants participating in Dine Downtown Week and what will be available to diners. This is a truly wonderful opportunity to get to know local restaurants and support the community.

Contact information and full menus are available at http://www.downtownsac.org/DSPAPP/V/promo/dine-downtown.html. Keep in mind tax and gratuity are not included.

Wish-list businesses

2010-01-01T00:18:30Z

A new year starts. And local entrepreneurs are dreaming about businesses on their wish lists.

Whether it's a rooftop sushi bar or a celebrity look-alike chauffeur service, most business owners have at least one idea simmering close to their hearts. Several talked recently about other businesses they would love to open if the circumstances were right.

Sacramento's fright goddess Deborah Chaussé is really into Halloween. So much so that she would like to turn the home of Evangeline's Costume Mansion into a haunted house each October. That's not a total stretch, considering the fantasy shop is located in two of the city's oldest buildings: the Howard House, built in 1859, and the Lady Adams — at 156, the oldest building in Sacramento.

After inheriting the store from her mother Dorothea Evangeline, Chaussé has toyed with another Halloween idea: offering Sacramentans the opportunity to dress in fine clothes and pose for "corpse" photos in a store coffin.

On Wednesday, she led a tour of back rooms, secret doors and passageways. Behind the exteriors, the two buildings have been combined into one. The upper floors, which house the costume shop open each fall, are already outfitted with scary scenes and surprises.

Chaussé has dreamed of using all the floors and the dank basement for spooky hide-and-seek games, séances and haunted tours. Visitors would be given only "tiny, weak flashlights... flashlights that would flicker ... then go out," she said.

"It would be terrifying. There are so many places to become nervous. The basement is very scary, too. And when it's dark down there, it is pitch black," she said. "We have employees that get scared working here."

* * *

Paul Ringstrom and his sister, Conni Levis, own two successful restaurants in Midtown: Tapa the World, 2115 J St., and Kasbah Lounge next door. Ringstrom lived in Madrid and Paris for nearly a decade. His love of travel shows in the Spanish and Mediterranean food, settings and live music offered in both establishments.

"Restaurant people have these dreams of having a successful business, but people get consumed by it," he said while sitting in his office. "I have found that when I take regular breaks, I really appreciate more what I have."

He and his friend, former Tapa chef Glenn Weddell, have dreamed of operating an eatery in a sunny country with a slower pace for six months a year. While it's still just a dream, Ringstrom and his sister have worked hard to fill both restaurants with 50 employees they trust and rely on enough to be able to get away now that Tapa is 15 years old.

"Something I've actually thought of doing is opening a seasonal restaurant... somewhere in the Caribbean or down south in Mexico, in a small town or village somewhere," he said.

With Weddell doing all the cooking and Ringstrom waiting tables, the pair would offer "good, solid, creative food" that uses fresh, local ingredients, he said. They've had their eyes on a couple of surf towns north of Puerta Vallarta — Sayulita and San Pancho. A menu in a coastal village would feature plenty of seafood and ceviche.

"Down there, you can find some pretty good restaurants, but it's amazing how inefficient it is," he said. "There will be eight tables, three waiters and three cooks. And it takes forever."

* * *

Resale maven Corey De Roo has learned a lot in the five years she has operated French Cuff Consignment with her mom, Darcy McNie. Other small business owners now turn to her for advice. De Roo would like to put that experience to work as a consultant.

"A business I would like to do is mentoring other consignment store owners," she said while taking a break from assisting customers at the store, 24191/2 J St.

De Roo wants to travel nationwide to give support to thrift store owners and teach them things like which clothes are the biggest sellers. This summer, she'll teach proprietors how to use social media marketing as a guest speaker at a conference hosted by the National Association of Resale and Thrift Stores.

"There's so much we've learned, bad and good, what works and what hasn't," she said. "I want to help them be more successful."

Old Sacramento New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruises

2009-12-29T20:30:35Z

The hottest spot for a New Year's Eve celebration is aboard the Empress Hornblower in Old Sacramento. They will have two fireworks cruises on New Year's Eve for the 9:00pm and 12:00pm fireworks at Tower Bridge. The first is a Dinner Gala cruise from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Enjoy the fabulous buffet dinner, open standard cocktail bar, including after dinner liquors and house champagne, festive New Year's Eve party favors, pre-boarding photograph and live DJ entertainment for dancing.

The second is a Midnight Cocktail cruise from 11:00pm to 1:00pm. Enjoy delicious hors d'ouevres, free flowing house champagne with a no-host bar for all other beverages, festive New Year's Eve party favors, pre-boarding photograph and D.J. for dancing.

Both leave from the L Street Dock behind the Delta King. Prices start at $159 plus tax and service charge for the Dinner cruise and $109 plus tax and service for the Cocktail cruise. Reservations are suggested. For tickets call 916-446-1185 or online at www.hornblower.com.

Dine Restaurant Week Returns

2009-12-23T21:09:46Z

Sacramento’s original restaurant week is back January 8 through January 17! Dine Downtown is returning with 36 of Sacramento’s top restaurants offering special three-course prixe-fixed dinner menus for only $30 per person.

“Dine Downtown gives you the opportunity to experience Sacramento’s finest restaurants on a budget,” said DSP Director of Marketing and Outreach Lisa Martinez, “This year Dine Downtown has been extended from 7 to 10 days, giving diners an extra 3 days to sample the best restaurants on the grid.”

Participating restaurants include 3 Fires Lounge & Restaurant at The Marriott, 4th Street Grille, 58 Degrees and Holding Co., Biba Restaurant, Bistro 33, Brew It Up!, The Broiler, Chanterelle at The Sterling Hotel, Chops Steak, Seafood & Bar, Cosmo Café, Cyprus Grille at The Holiday Inn, Dawson’s at The Hyatt, de Vere’s Irish Pub, Ella Dining Room & Bar, Esquire Grill, Fat City Bar & Café, The Firehouse Restaurant, Frank Fat’s, Fuzio Universal Bistro, Grange Restaurant at The Citizen, Il Fornaio, L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen, Mason’s New American, McCormick & Schmick’s, The Melting Pot, Michelangelo’s, Mikuni Midtown, Morgan’s at The Sheraton, Mulvaney’s B&L, Pilothouse at The Delta King, Rio City Café, River City Brewing Company, Sapporo Grill, Sofia on 11th, Spataro and Ten 22. For more information about Dine Downtown, visit www.downtownsac.org/dinedowntown.

Kelsey Perry is a Marketing & PR intern at The Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Dragonfly closes

2009-12-07T02:49:28Z

Dragonfly Restaurant has closed its doors after five years in Midtown.

Owners Glenn and Rosa Rivera-Lew quietly closed the Asian-fusion restaurant at least two weeks ago. They are now considering other options for the 3,500-square-foot space at 1809 Capitol Ave., whose lease they still own, said Ernesto Jimenez, an owner of the building and Zocalo, the restaurant next door.

Dragonfly — whose menu included sushi, noodles and tapas such as sesame seed cones and taro chips — struggled for some time.

"That's a sad one for us," said Rob Kerth, executive director of the Midtown Business Association. "I think they just couldn't draw enough people in to keep it going."

Dragonfly opened about a month after Zocalo in 2004 after Jimenez and building co-owner Ron Vrilakas, an architect, redeveloped the 1920s-era Arnold Brothers Building. The space, originally built as a warehouse for car repairs, features 18-foot ceilings and outdoor dining.

A sign on Dragonfly's door says a new business is expected to open early next year. It's too early to know whether the Lews will change the concept and resume operation, transfer the lease to a new operator or bring in new partners or investors, Jimenez said.

"He (Lew) has some great ideas in the works," Jimenez said.

The Lews operate a restaurant at Arden Fair and operated Fusions restaurant in Davis for seven years. They could not be reached for comment.

Ten 22 holds soft opening last night, opens today

2009-11-13T23:59:29Z

After months of careful planning, countless focus groups and likely many sleepless nights, the big day is finally upon Terry Harvego. Today Harvego opens his new restaurant, Ten 22. So with every obstacle overcome but today’s first day of business, one wonders how Harvego feels.

“I’m not nervous — I’m very confident and I just want to do this now,” Harvego said at Thursday evening's soft opening. “Sure, there will probably be some mistakes the first day, but it is what it is. I know it will be great."

Ten 22’s soft opening the night before its grand opening the next day was a laid-back affair, with the 100 or so attendees inside the restaurant’s simple, refined interior fully living the business’ motto, “Eat Drink Relax."

Waiters moved from the standing groups of chatting people that dotted the softly lit main room, taking drink orders and shuffling trays of appetizers along the way. Salmon and cheese served on toasted baguette slices, open-faced pulled pork mini sandwiches and thin-crust margherita pizza were some of the more popular platters making the rounds.

“We will have about 20 to 30 items on the daily menu," executive chef Andrea Reiter said. “This is the first brand new restaurant I’ve ever worked on, so I’m really excited. One of my favorite dishes is the braised short ribs because they have a really unique taste that’s unlike anything I’ve ever had before."

With the menu generally falling under what Reiter calls “American cuisine with a twist,” Ten 22 is family-friendly without being “kiddy."

While kids are most certainly welcome, Ten 22 has an impeccable variety of adult beverages. As expected, the bar area’s tap selection rivals most actual bars in town, with 24 beers available on draft and four in the bottle.

"I can’t wait until we open tomorrow," bartender Rich Miramontes said. “I start at 4 p.m. and the bar is open until 11 p.m. I love this place because there’s really nothing like it in Old Sac."

Ten 22’s uniqueness is what drew general manager Richard Beyerl to the restaurant, as did a little help from the Web.

“I actually found out about Ten 22 on careerbuilder.com,” Beyerl said with a laugh. “I had a restaurant elsewhere in the Central Valley but when we close I decided to look for something in Sacramento since my wife owned a restaurant here and we only saw each other on weekends. This restaurant is in you’re in Old Sac but you don’t feel like you are."

Among those in Old Sac Thursday evening were Mayor Kevin Johnson, who stopped by to say a few words about the new establishment.

“We are very thankful for this family,” Johnson said of the Harvego’s, including Terry’s father, Lloyd, who owns The Firehouse on the next block. “Sacramento is a city that emphasizes strong family values and a sense of community, and they truly represent this."

When asked before his speech if Ten 22 will become the new hot spot for Johnson and his fellow politicians, he replied, “Well, I have to try the food first, so we will see!"

Johnson and the rest of Sacramento will finally get a taste of something new now that Ten 22 finally opened its doors to the public at 11:30 a.m. today. Go try it for yourself at 1022 Second St.

Photo credits to Jonathan Mendick.

5th and H Cafe to open

2009-11-12T05:24:54Z

Anthony and Tracy Palombo say the place they're opening in two weeks will be more than just a restaurant.

Husband and wife want 5th and H Café to be a place for friends and family to gather around good food and a glass of wine — a space like his uncle's café in Italy, where Anthony first started out in the restaurant business one summer when he was 24.

His uncle's trattoria sits in Montepertuso, a small town hidden in the cliffs above Positano on the Amalfi Coast. The name of his uncle's restaurant: Il Ritrovo.

"That means in Italian, 'Where Friends Meet,' " Anthony Palombo said. "It's the most beautiful place on earth."

Palombo worked at the restaurant for a year and a half. He did everything he could to learn the restaurant business inside and out.

"I was working in the kitchen day and night," he said. "Those stories you hear about chefs working 16, 17 hours a day — that was me.

"From waking up early to make fresh pastas to going down on my scooter to the market for fresh fish, pretty much right out of the sea," he said. "It was something you dream of."

Palombo has dreamed of opening his own restaurant for 15 years. After moving to the area four years ago, he helped open Spataro Restaurant and Bar as the sous chef. He worked at the downtown Bistro 33 for a year, then went back to Spataro as the chef. After two more years there, he began to put his dream into motion.

Now he and his wife are opening a restaurant like his uncle's in the back corner of the historic Railway Express Agency Building, between the train station and the federal courthouse.

With minor modifications, they're taking over the space vacated by Soups in the City and leased out by Johan Otto, who restored the building with another developer, Lynn Pomeroy. The café, decorated with a terra cotta floor and walls in autumn shades, will hold 10 tables.

He has a lot of family support. He and Tracy found a new deli case through Craigslist. His uncle, an electrician, drove down from Santa Rosa to install more electrical wire. His dad, a bricklayer, may help build a brick barbecue in an outdoor patio.

The café will be much like his uncle's, he said. Palombo will run the place himself, offering friendly, one-on-one service with help from two people in the kitchen. He said he doesn't want to put a label on his food.

"I just want to be able to do what I want to do; make what people want to eat — fun stuff," he said. "I'm going to really focus on my food. There's not really a place where you can get good, fresh food around here."

The 5th and H Café will serve breakfast and lunch, along with wine by the glass and bottles of beer. The focus will be on seasonal, locally-grown ingredients, with plenty of vegetarian options, Palombo said.

His dad's garden will supply some of the produce for the café. Palombo will also use fruits and vegetables from growers like Soil Born Farms and Full Belly Farm.

The breakfast menu will include lavender waffles and apple pancakes. Lunch items will include seasonal soups made from scratch each morning, paninis, whole wheat wraps, Niman Ranch burgers and rustic tuna salad poached in olive oil with arugula and beets.

The café will also serve artisan cheeses, cured meats, housemade antipasti and seasonal fruit plates.

The restaurant will open the fourth week in November. Hours will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Catering will be offered and outdoor seating may be added in the future. Palombo said he's starting with the basics, and then will develop the menu based on what customers want.

They expect to serve travelers using the Sacramento Valley Station, judges and lawyers working in the courthouse and state workers, he said.

"I want to cater to the people around here. I want them to feel comfortable," he said. "I want this to be a place where friends around the area come to meet."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Dia de los Meurtos at Zocalo

2009-11-04T04:35:48Z

For the third annual year, local Mexican restaurant Zocalo hosted its Dia de los Muertos celebration on Monday, Nov 2.

The holiday (which in Spanish literally translates into “day of the dead”) celebrates the life and death of loved ones who have passed on over the past year. It is largely celebrated throughout Mexico, America and Canada.

As with any festival, celebrating Dia de los Muertos properly requires an exacting eye for tradition. Much like its food, Zocalo saw to it that its party was as authentic as possible.

Burning candles illuminated the large shrines in the center of the entrance to the restaurant, allowing patrons to read the names on tags hanging from numerous trees around the altar.

While dozens of such tags in honor of family members were on display, photographs of many celebrities who died recently also stood around the heavily-decorated table.

Images of Sen. Ted Kennedy, Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson were among the recognizable portraits on display.

Skulls (calaveras in Spanish) could be found all over Zocalo. Most of the waiting staff and numerous attendees even wore black-and-white face paint to embody the dead and represent skeletons.

A traditional fire dance by Martina Lopez began on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant and led a procession in a square around the premises and back to the entrance.

Lopez swung two burning globes attached to chains around her body in varying patterns, the flames tracing orange arcs through the cool autumn night.

“It’s sort of scary when you first start doing it,” Lopez said. “But then you get burned a few times and you just get used to it!"

Those burns were well worth it, she said, as Dia de los Meurtos was a lively celebration.

La Bonne Soupe reopens Wednesday

2009-10-14T05:01:33Z

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 reinspection. He spent all day Tuesday preparing to reopen the restaurant he first opened in 2005.

"Today, I came here to see how it is to work," he said. "I cooked for the family today. So I was happy to be in the kitchen again."

The restaurant had been closed for about three weeks before the initial inspection -- initially for a vacation, but then while Pont tended to his wife, who had become sick and spent several days in the hospital.

The closure and Pont's collapse pushed loyal customers to rally to his defense. While a for-sale sign quickly went up, customers left flowers and cards outside the restaurant. They sent emails and filled his answering machine with their calls. They phoned Sacramento County's restaurant inspection program to complain. They even volunteered legal assistance or help at the cafe.

"They were wonderful and that's one of the reasons I stopped the sale, for now," Pont said.

Mark Urquhart-Webb, a program manager with California Air Resources Board, stopped by the cafe at 920 8th St. to read the messages left by well-wishers. He and his wife had enjoyed the French food cooked and served by Pont, who runs the restaurant alone.

"It took nearly the full hour to get served. The food was just fabulous," Urquhart-Webb said. "It's not a Subway moment at all."

His friend, Raphael Hitzke, won a "Best of Best Film Award" at the Tucson Slow Food Film Festival with the documentary, Vive La Food!, featuring Pont and William Rolle, another French chef operating a one-man show, in East Sacramento.

Signs on the door said, "Nous t'adorons Chef Daniel," and "If and when you decide to reopen, we will be waiting for you."

Pont has worked in all facets of the hospitality industry for 52 years. His grandparents taught him to make bread and butter after the family survived World War II in France.

He opened his first restaurant, Le Ranch House, in Sonoma in the early 1970s. He went on to open Chez Daniel, La Maconais and La Maison, all in the Bay Area.

He retired, then he and his wife moved to the Folsom-El Dorado area five years ago to be close to their daughter and her family. Pont left retirement to open the cafe downtown.

Customers soon packed the tiny cafe, where Pont worked 60 hours a week, including Saturdays when he'd go in to deep clean. A small counter was the only thing separating him from customers who watched him prepare their meals, one at a time. The line outside grew longer and started earlier as word of the restaurant spread. Regulars knew they had to turn up by 11 a.m. to avoid the worst of the lunch rush.

It was at 10:40 a.m. one day that an inspector showed up in Pont's last minutes of preparation. Pont felt he was treated disrespectfully by a young inspector who refused to come back after the lunch rush. He's never been treated rudely or cited for any other problems in 70 health inspections at five restaurants, he said.

"We are not students here. A restaurant that never had any violations should not be treated the same as one that constantly has problems," he said. "They hurt me badly and I have to put it behind me."

Some people have said they thought the inspection was prompted by a complaint — possibly from someone jealous of Pont's Zagat rating.

However, John Rogers, the county's environmental health division chief, said the surprise inspection was routine and not initiated by any calls or complaints.

A copy of the inspection report shows that the inspector was on the premises from 10:40 a.m. to noon. The inspector tried to pull Pont aside but Pont said he couldn't and refused to talk to the inspector, Rogers said, adding there was no other verbal communication from the inspector.

Inspectors, who are now visiting restaurants three times a year, must inspect in the morning at least once a year to see whether people are using proper cooking temperatures and food-handling practice, as well as the cleanliness of the facility.

"We advise staff not to go in the middle of lunch. It's too hectic," Rogers said.

A supervisor present for the reinspection Friday agreed the annual morning inspection would be conducted much earlier from now on, and be finished before Pont opens at 10:30 a.m.

"It's a difficult situation to be in for all parties, and we do it as respectfully as we can," he said. "We understand we're coming into their place of business ... and that they own this establishment. They have some ownership and some pride, and people need to be treated in respect."

Pont took down a for-sale sign but said diners will have to decide the future of the restaurant.

"It's up to the customers," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Crawls unite charities, community and cuisine

2009-10-02T10:37:22Z

It started in the name of Cystic Fibrosis.

Three years ago, Darby Flynn and Brian Fischer were trying to come up with a new event for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

"CFF had more relationships in the suburbs than in the central city," Fischer said. "They wanted to grow in Downtown and educate more people in the city."

At the time, CFF had a national fundraising pub crawl event. Fischer suggested a gourmet food crawl instead.

"A week before the event, CFF canceled all the pub crawls around the country except for the Edible Crawl for a Cure because it had food and alcohol," he said.

By the second year, the Edible Crawl for a Cure sold out, with 1,000 participants strolling the streets of Downtown and sampling new restaurants.

With two years under their belts, Fischer and Flynn created their own events company, appropriately called Event'ually.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, the Jewish Federation and the Greater Broadway Partnership approached Flynn asking her if she could create a crawl to raise money for their organizations.

In two short months, three crawls bring thousands of crawlers to eat, walk and be merry in the central city.

The first crawl happened last Saturday. Eat Your Art Out toured 18 restaurants.

A lesser explored food haven inspired the second crawl. Around the World on Broadway kicks off tomorrow, showcasing 18 restaurants from a variety of cultures.

Restaurants include Andy Nguyen, Los Jarritos, New Canton, Kathmandu Kitchen, Queen Sheba, Tower Cafe, the new Iron Steaks and other restaurants in the Broadway area.

The last crawl for 2009 will benefit a number of charities. Jewish Federation Children and Family Services, Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Sacramento’s Save Ourselves Breast Cancer Center will all receive funds from the Big Nosh, a 30-restaurant crawl.

Flynn expects close to 1,500 attendees for this crawl, which will include many of the same restaurants from the Eat Your Art Out Crawl with the addition of some new ones: The Melting Pot, Aioli Bodega, Celestin's Island Eats, Le Petit Paris, Old Soul Co. and others.

After spending over 25 years in a run-down old school building in the Arden area, the Jewish Federation recently moved to 20th Street and Capitol Ave.

Being a part of a crawl was a way to "introduce ourselves to our neighbors," David Goodman, communication director of the Jewish Federation and Editor of the Jewish Voice, said. "There's a saying Tikkun Olam which means 'repairing the world." We wanted to give to other charities, helping not just the Jewish community but everyone in Sacramento."

Unlike the other two crawls which cost $35, the Big Nosh costs $36.

"In Hebrew, each letter has a numerical equivalent," Goodman said. "The number 18 is equivalent to life, so 18 times two is 36, that's kind of the idea."

"If you tried to go on your own to a few restaurants – you’d add up to $35 in two stops," Flynn said. "It really is the cheapest way to explore all the great restaurants in the central city."

Justin Llata has been to both Edible Crawls for the Cure and participated in the Eat Your Art Out Crawl. He is also planning on doing the Big Nosh.

"There isn’t one place that I wouldn’t go back to," Llata said of the restaurants in the crawls. "I love eating Downtown and Midtown."

Only locally-owned, independent restaurants are allowed to participate.

The crawls are meant to benefit everyone involved: the charities, the restaurants, the community and the participants

"We want people to discover the place in their backyard that they’re always driving by," Fischer said. "When you’re driving to work, running errands - you’re seeing all those places and then you forget about it."

"When you get out of your car you can see the architecture of the city. When people experince the walkability of Sacramento, they actually understand the layout of their city.They experience the grid.

"It allows them to create a social break in their lives, they get to actually spend quality time with a group of people – new friends, co-workers, old friends," he said. "It’s not a short event; it’s not a superficial event. It’s a day adventure. It’s a day trip in your own city."

The Around the World on Broadway Crawl is family friendly. Flynn said they wanted to be able to include the Land Park and Curtis Park neighborhoods, so there will be no alcohol for this crawl.

At the end of the crawl, Capitol Public Radio will be discussing their year-long "Around the World in 30 blocks" series at Beatnik Studios. The reception will include a slideshow and question-and-answer session about the restaurants featured in the series.

Crawlers get a taste of more than just food at the crawls put on this year. The Eat Your Art Out Crawl featured a performance by the Camellia Symphony at Brew It Up! and dancing by the CORE Dance Collective. In October, the Big Nosh will have local musicians at six locations, two of which are Autumn Sky and Ricky Berger.

Flynn and Fischer want to increase the excitement in the central city on any given weekend, not just for Second Saturday.

"We want to increase the capacity of events happening on weekends," Flynn said. "Not once a month, but every weekend."

Fischer added, "When you live in a city, it’s not somebody else’s responsilbitiy to make this city a better place, it's everyone's.

"The deeper [the] relationship, the better chance of riding out a tough economic storm because people have developed a relationship with the businesses in their backyard," he said. "And they care about them, [so] they’re more willing to help them."

For more information on the crawls and to buy tickets, visit www.crawltix.com.

Photos provided by Darby Flynn from the Eat Your Art Out Crawl.

Kanpai! 5th Annual Northern California Sake Fest

2009-09-28T16:20:45Z

"Kanpai!"

You may hear a few attendees joyously exclaim this Japanese phrase, equivalent to the English "Cheers!" at the fifth annual Northern California Premium Sake Fest. The event kicks off Wednesday at The Sheraton Grand.

North American Food Distributions — importer and wholesale distributor for Asian food retailers — hand-selected over 100 of the finest sake, shochu and Japanese beers to be presented and tasted for this event.

"Shochu is a distilled spirit," said Judy Inaba, event manager for North American Food Distributions Inc. "It is an old-style beverage, very popular in Japan." The drink can be mixed with different juices, much like vodka, for a desired taste, Inaba said.

Each attendee will receive a special commemorative sake cup at the entrance. The cup can be used for all the sake tasting booths.

"It will be like a wine tasting — but with sake," Inaba said.

Local Sacramento sushi cafes and Japanese restaurants will be providing delectable sushi samples and exclusive signature items.

"Each partner company through North American Food Distributions — wasabi, for example — will provide food samples," Inaba said. "The restaurants are very generous [with portions]; One will be providing tuna and scallop wasabi salad."

There will also be fun demonstrations. In one event, aptly named "Fast and Furious," five local chefs will prepare nigiri — sushi rice with a topping of raw fish, normally in pairs — in five minutes. The chef who prepares the most pieces of nigiri is named the winner.

Ross Dreizler, representing Sapporo Grill Japanese Steakhouse, is a first-time sushi chef contender.

"I have been a sushi chef for about five to six years," he said, "[I have] been practicing."

The winner from "Fast and Furious" will win a top-of-the-line sushi knife and bragging rights for a full year.

But the biggest draw for the evening will be the maguro — Japanese for tuna — demonstration. This popular and weighty fish, topping the scales at 200 lbs., will be flown directly from Japan on dry ice and specially prepared by Jimmy Jiang, sushi chef from Akebono.

Jiang said this is the second biggest tuna he has ever prepared.

"I will use a special tuna knife." he said. "A few [I prepared] before were around 135 lbs.," he said.

The special tuna knife looks like a small sword, with an elongated wooden handle and single edged blade, and is specifically designed to cut the delicate tuna flesh without affecting the look of the final presentation.

Jiang boasts being able to prepare a fish of this size in about half an hour, or less. The tuna slices will then be cut into smaller pieces and served to attendees.

Fresh tuna should taste like butter, Inaba said.

In addition to the maguro, local restaurants will have fish flown from parts of New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the East Coast and prepared for this event. Sacramento sushi restaurants will include Akebono, Miyaki, Sapporo Grill Japanese Steakhouse, Hashi, Nishiki, and Sushi Cafe.

Attendees will also get the chance to demonstrate their own Japanese sake knowledge. In a blind taste contest, tasters will sample favorites then attempt to guess the correct type. Prizes will include restaurant gift certificates from Sacramento sushi restaurants.

A silent auction and benefit drawing will include multiple items such as Takara Sake, Iichiko Shochu and Coedo Beer directly from Japan. All proceeds from the auction and benefit will go toward the UC Davis Children's Hospital, and local non-profit organizations such as the Asian Sports Foundation.

The Sacramento Taiko Dan drummers will provide thunderous live music.

This event will be on Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel at 1230 J St.

Tickets can be purchased in advanced for a reduced price of $55. At the door, tickets are $65. Please visit the North American Food Distribution website to purchase. Reservations can also be made via phone by contacting Judy Inaba at (916) 373-1111, ext. 120 or by e-mail at judy@nafdc.com.

An estimated 400 sake and Japanese beer connoisseurs are expected to attend.

All attendees must be at least 21 years old.

Ten 22 to Bring Stylish, Reasonable Eating to Old Sac

2009-09-05T01:35:55Z

The exclusive preview tasting at Ten 22 on Wednesday, Sept. 2 found myself, fellow Sacramento Press reporter Jonathan Mendick, and members of our local media peers Sactown Magazine, Capitol Public Radio and Sacramento News & Review happily sipping on sweet, summery cocktails on the balcony of a posh loft above the skeletal framework of the soon-to-be restaurant and bar in Old Sac. Conversation and laughs were exchanged as owner and host extraordinaire Terry Harvego gave us a preview of the tasteful upholstery of the restaurant's interior. But how did we get here?

The evening started out innocently enough as Harvego led our party of eight into the cluttered expanse of what will be the restaurant’s main room.

“This place will be 6,900 square feet,” Harvego, who also owns The Firehouse, said. “There will be seating for 16 to 18 at the bar alone. We’re also trying to get seating outside on the boardwalk, but Old Sac does not allow that at this time.”

Ten 22’s bar will be the focal point for passersby on the street.

“It’s tough to see inside the stores from the street, so we’re hoping that people will walk by and see activity in the front area of the restaurant,” Harvego said. “But if we didn’t have the thin, tall doors, we wouldn’t be part of Old Sac.”

As for the bar’s focus, it is mostly beer.

“There will be 24 beers on tap,” Harvego said. “And aside from your standard choices, most of them are local or from Northern California.”

The same goes for the wine, too, but Ten 22’s quantity of tap beers alone already rivals or completely decimates every other bar in the area.

Harvego also decided to put in a 55-person banquet room. The secret behind that number, he said, is that tour buses hold that many people. In terms of seating, it seems Ten 22 is ready for anything.

This all brings us back to the reason we were really there: free food and drink.

We retreated from the humid Sacramento air and finished our cocktails in the climate controlled dining area of the as-yet-unrented apartment that doubled as party central for the night.

Harvego’s consulting executive chef, Irie Gengler (also from The Firehouse), brought in a few bowls of freshly roasted assorted nuts, and the two asked us whether this should be a permanent substitution in lieu of bread. Opinions differed on that subject, but everyone agreed that the nuts themselves were well-prepared and excellent. The saltiness was just the right compliment to the aforementioned sugar-dipped cocktails we were greeted with, called Vanilla Slides.

As we sat around the table and looked over the evening’s menu, Gengler disappeared and Harvego produced an array of bottles from the refrigerator, one of which was a 22-ouncer of Rubicon IPA. Harvego graciously poured each person’s desired wine and beer, and we soon received our first course, baby spinach salad with roasted pecans and Granny Smith apples.

The dressing was noted as “seeming simple but quite complex in taste” by a few of the guests. The tangy juices of the apples meshed with the sweetness and the pecans added a hearty crunch to each bite. Small clumps of bleu cheese dotted the plate, rounding out a great beginning to a meal.

Our next course was a beef au jus sandwich, the aroma of which had everyone’s immediate attention. The texture of the beef was superb, just tender enough to chew easily but thick enough to be a “man pleaser,” as one of our constituents called it. A quick soak of the bread in the au jus before each bite made the dish a definite hit, and the portions were perfect for a quick but filling lunch for a worker on the move.

For our final entrée, we were treated to coriander-dusted halibut in a light leek sauce. The fish sat on top of a generous helping of mashed potatoes, which helped absorb the sauce for extra flavor. Everything was prepared to perfection and loading up my fork with a hunk of halibut, a dollop of spuds and a little dab of sauce was a joyful endeavor that combined a beautiful spectrum of flavors.

Every sip (or rather, gulp) of my beer was a joy. I’m a huge fan of IPA and the spicy hops they assault one's taste buds with, and Rubicon’s take on the style is no exception. To say it has a hop presence is an understatement. It doesn’t so much taste of the flower as it does coil a few shoots of it around a bat and whollop you over the head with it. And it’s got a finish like the Sahara. If these sound like unwanted characteristics, you probably aren’t a hophead, much like the people in the test groups before us who voted against the inclusion of Pliny the Elder on the beer list. Russian River’s flagship beer is a complex double IPA and is, in this humble beer nerd’s opinion, the finest in its class.

Nine o’clock rolled around and we realized that we had been eating, drinking and talking for an hour past the evening’s initial end-time, definitely a good sign. We piled in the elevator and headed out on the quiet boardwalk, all a little warmer and certainly more full than when we had arrived. Ten 22 is slated to open its doors on (when else?) Oct. 22, and if you want to do your part in helping our city’s burgeoning restaurant scene along, head over to 1022 Second St. and welcome another great eatery to the family.

Photo credits to Jonathan Mendick.

BikeCrawl II

2009-08-20T23:19:57Z

Rollin' on the BikeCrawl II
The 2nd "bicycle-themed" Grubcrawl is Wed. Aug. 26, promptly at 5:30 starting @ Bikes and Bites, 12th & J st, Downtown Sac..... Grubcrawlusa.com in partnership with Bikes & Bites presents the second of many Bikecrawls, rollin' spot to spot enjoying free appetizers and drink specials all night long! Soooo,....Bring your cycles, trikes, and appetites! Join us @ Brew It Up, Sofia's, Three Fires @ the downtown Marriott, Table 260,...and other Sacramento Hot Spots. See ya there!

Rent-A-Bike or bring your own!
Bring your tour cycle, beach cruizer, road or mountain bike, or tandem to the starting venue at 5:30 pm, with $25 and your appetite!

Or for an additional $15.00 borrow a ride from the fleet of rental bikes: which includes both men’s and women’s classic single speed beach cruiser style bikes, a combination lock, front and rear light set, an optional helmet, and a front-mounted basket. Call to reserve: (916) 448-1799 or visit 1013 12th st. @ Bikes & Bites.

Jump in our Pedicab!
Don't wanna ride onder your own power? Why use your OWN legs when there are plenty of young, energetic pairs of other peoples pedal pumpers to propel you and your friends around the Grubcrawl route. Dial-a-Bike Pedicab provides free, door-to-door transpo between restaurants and back to your car at the end of the night! Ride in style with Harmon (the owner and pedicab guru) and his crew of fit, fun, upbeat, & young drivers,...just be sure to tip them for their prompt and professional service!

Join the Leisurely Cyclist and the Avid Biker alike as we embark on this "Riders Romp" to the best eats & drinks Sac has to offer! We pedal "en-masse" to 5 of your favorites; for FREE APPETIZERS, DRINK SPECIALS, PRIZES, and other GIVEAWAYS,... spending about an hour at each location.

See what Sac Media Moguls have to say about the previous BikeCrawl: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/11162/Tour_de_Sac_ends_with_Pub_Crawl

Wheeeew! Thank Gawd! It will cool off for the Bikecrawl this Wed. Not only are we starting in the shady of the city after the heat breaks, the Delta breeze off the river makes this Crawl the coolest place to be in Sac! As we slide from one air-conditioned venue to another, cooling the engines with refreshing drinks and recharging the system with tasty appetizers,... The outside temp. will steadily drop... while the fun and excitement inside grows and builds, with prizes and givaways meeting and eating with the popular party crowd. Have to work Thursday??? Don't worry!!! We pull up to our last destination, 9:30 or so, for scrumptious snacks and a nightcap. If you gotto go then, in order to get to work in the morning,..say goodnite and be home by 10:00pm!! For those who can stay out past curfew, Grubcrawl is taking it till last call and you can party with us all night! Reg. now @ Grubcrawlusa.com or call (916) 730-0977.

Sweetwater Reopens in New Location

2009-08-11T02:38:34Z

Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar will have its grand reopening Tuesday, Aug. 11.

The eatery stood on 57th and J Streets for nearly five years before relocating to 19th and S. Owner Brad Ross said he is excited for the opportunities the move will bring.

"Our lease ended on the old location, and, though we loved the place, we thought it was time to move," Ross said. "The people in the new area dine out more, and it really is the next hot spot in Midtown because it is still developing. People move down here for the great places to go out."

One of the major differences between the restaurant's old location and its new spot is the layout of the main area, Ross pointed out.

"The original place was partitioned off into three different areas, but our new restaurant is one big room," Ross said. "It will be much livelier," he added with enthusiasm.

As for the new business opportunities, Ross said that while catering was never a major focus, he and his partners will have many more options because of the "huge amount of business in the area."

"Catering used to be word of mouth, with people wanting to have our food at their event after coming into our restaurant and trying it for themselves," Ross said. "We will draw much more attention being in an area where thousands of people work."

By far the biggest change at Sweetwater will be its new value-driven menu.

"We're adapting to the economy by not having any item over $17," Ross said. "Also, there will be no time restrictions on the menu. You can have a burger for lunch or dinner. We're honestly just happy people are coming in."

The new Sweetwater on 1901 S Street will open its doors at 5:00 P.M.

Thursday happy hour thriving Downtown

2009-07-29T17:40:31Z

Happy hour is alive and well in the Downtown Sacramento area on Thursday nights.

While there are countless restaurants offering discounts on food and drinks for varying days and times, eight of the grid's Thursday happy hours stood out from the pack.

Heading off the list is the Dragonfly Japanese restaurant. Located at 1809 Capitol Ave. and voted "Best New Restaurant" by SN&R, the Dragonfly offers some impressive deals during happy hour. Running from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m., the restaurant offers half-off sushi rolls, $2 sake bombs, $3 drafts and half-off well drinks.

Another good place to kick back and enjoy some good deals on food and drinks is Level Up Lounge at 2431 J St. Their happy hour runs from 5 to 8 p.m.

"Everything is $2 off," said manager Suleka Lindley. "A beer is $2 domestic, $3 premium and well is $4.50. Appetizers are $4 to $6, which include hot wings, sweet rice, lettuce wraps and the sweet rolls, which people like to get a lot."

Another laid-back spot with a great happy hour is the Fat City Bar and Cafe, which offers half-off on any appetizer on the menu. Patrons can enjoy discounted tomato basil crostini, chicken pot stickers, sweet chili chicken wings, garlic fries and crab and artichoke dip, to name a few.

One of the best happy hours in town goes to Il Fornaio Restaurant and Bakery at 400 Capitol Mall. While the $1 off drafts and well drinks and $6 glass of wine may draw people on its own, Il Fornaio's biggest appeal is its free table of appetizers from 5 to 7 p.m. These complimentary samples include pizza, Italian rolls and deviled eggs, among other finger foods.

For those interested in a little more exotic flavor for their happy hour, the Kasbah Lounge at 2115 J St. offers just that. There's a long list of discounted food and drinks, including $3 Armenian beer, $3.50 sangria and $12 pitchers, $4 white wine and $4.50 red, $5 mojito, $6 habibi, $2 hummus and pita, $2 marinated olives, $3 french fries and $3 chicken wings. Deals run from 5 to 7 p.m.

Another spot with some foreign appeal is de Vere's Irish Pub at 1521 L St. Their happy hour runs from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. and offers food and drink specials, including $3 to $5 appetizers on chips and dip and sausage rolls, $3 house drafts, $4 well drinks and $4 cider. The pub offers a wide selection of Irish beers on tap, which is their biggest draw during happy hour. This includes Guiness, Smithwicks, Harp, Murphy's Irish Stout, Stella Artois and de Vere's own Irish Lager and Red Ale, among many other beers.

For people wanting more of a variety of foods, McCormick and Schmick's restaurant on 1111 J St. is a good place to be from 4 to 6 p.m. Although they do offer good deals like the $1.95 California roll among other sushi entrees, a $1.95 pan-fried mozzarella and a $3.95 quesadilla, their best offer on the menu is an old American favorite.

"We're famous for our $2.95 cheeseburger with fries, which is something that's been in the company for a long time," said manager Richard Kyle. "We've also got sushi, and we're adding more. We got egg rolls, we got chicken wings, quesadillas and other things."

And for the lovers of microbreweries who enjoy trying the local ale, Brew It Up! Brewery & Grill on 801 14th st. brews many of their own ales and lagers, all at a discount during happy hour. Drafts, ciders, house wines, cocktails and well drinks are $1 off from 4 to 6 p.m and 10 p.m. to midnight. Also, all appetizers, including fries, onion rings and taquitos, are $3, with $5 burgers and $10 pitchers offered during the late happy hour.

Other happy hours for Thursdays, as well as any day of the week Downtown can be found at sacmix.com

Zen Sushi

2009-07-08T16:44:30Z

So I have a confession......nothing too earth shattering, mind you; I don't use Miracle Whip instead of Best Foods, or margarine instead of butter. It's a small thing in the grand scheme of life, a palatable shortcoming that gives me pause every time I'm with a group faced with the decision of where to grab a bite. Invariably, someone suggests sushi, and the majority of the group enthusiastically agrees.

Then there's me.....

I don't like raw fish; I don't like cold rice; and seaweed? Well, let's just say I'd rather eat the stuff I feed my goldfish----oh, wait; it's the same stuff.

Sushi is HOT; in fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone under the age of 70 who doesn't love the stuff. It seems that everyone's into sushi, and that I've completely missed the fishing boat on this one. Sushi's cool, and the fact it's not my nosh of choice makes me a bit of an outsider; a clod; unsophisticated, stodgy, not the least bit hip; not to mention, a fraud. I'm supposed to be a foodie; you know, as in "Pass the sweetbreads, please." In theory, sushi should totally float my boat.

This is new territory for me. Until sushi, my palate could always be relied upon to not only like new and unusual tastes, but appreciate the labor and love that goes into a dish----as in, is it Origami, or is it dinner? I've sampled dozens of elaborate rolls, with their complex sauces and artful presentations. My mouth just won't co-operate. Is it the temperature? The texture? The golfball-sized portion that must be shoved into my piehole all in one bite?

The funniest thing (in an ironic, ain't-life-funny sort of way) is that my ex-husband and my 12 year old son can't get enough of the stuff. Yep, Mr. Meat-and-Potatoes and his finicky son, dive right into whatever sushified fish dish is placed before them.

WTF?

Up until now, I've managed to keep my dirty little secret pretty well hidden. I can usually muster a weak smile and a smidgen of false enthusiasm when the consensus dictates a sushi outing. I scan the menu, looking for descriptors indicating the fish hasn't just been pulled from the icy depths of the Atlantic, sliced, diced and placed before me for my dining pleasure. 'Torched' and 'tempura'd' are my vocabularic lifeboats when it comes to a sushi menu, and until recently, sometimes even those treatments fell short of making my sushi dining experience a positive one. Until i discovered Zen....

Located on the corner of 15th and I, next to the Torch Club, Zen is housed in a fairly nondescript single-story structure. Their menu is relatively compact, with brief but thorough descriptions of the dish/roll you've got your eye on; in other words, there are no ads for hair salons on page 27 of their menu.

One of the many cool aspects of this joint is that they brought that great casual neighborhood vibe from their old digs at 18th and S (remember Taka's?) and plopped it right in the middle of downtown. In other words, they're not 'rock and roll' sushi. The food is exceptional. The flavors are bright, clean and distinct, the portions generous and the plate presentation lovely, every single time. Everything tastes fresh-fresh-fresh, from the miso soup, with it's brilliant green slivers of scallion, to the teriyaki chicken, napped with (not swimming in) a not-too-sweet teriyaki sauce, to the Lou's Roll.

Ah, the Lou's Roll, the roll that converted me from sushi ambivalance to sushi lover (one roll at a time.) Asparagus tempura and avocado, encased in rice, topped with fresh salmon; a quick tempura bath, 2 sauces, and a sprinkling of scallion. I can't for the life of me figure out how they get the salmon to adhere to the outside of the roll during the tempura process....but it's a thing of beauty, to the eye and to the palate. It's warm, with a slight exterior crunch; the creaminess of avocado, the sweetness of the asparagus, and the contrast of the silken garlic sambal aioli and the salty/sweet soy drizzle.....hey, I can do this sushi! In fact, I'll stab you with my chopsticks if you try to take my last piece!!

So although not completely won over by the siren call of the little raw fishies, I remain hopeful that there will be other sushi outposts with a roll or two that suits my discriminating palate. Until then, you'll find me at Zen

Pearl on the River serves up Northern California cuisine with a view

2009-06-10T02:14:53Z

Jeff Pooler and Matthew Jones have just about done it all in the restaurant industry. They have a combined experience of over 35 years in the business and have held positions as everything from chefs to managers and owners.

With enough experience to go at it alone, Pooler and Jones decided to combine their dining expertise and take it to the next level. In late April, the talented duo opened Sacramento’s newest waterfront dining locale, Pearl on the River.

“I’ve always wanted to open my own restaurant and [experience] helps tremendously," Pooler said. "I love coming to work, and every day is fun for me."

The pair met through the Paragary Restaurant Group several years back, but that doesn’t mean that Jones, the executive chef at Pearl who was recruited on by Pooler, was given any special treatment in the interview process.

Just like every other candidate, he was required to give cooking demos and go through an extensive interview process. Pooler feels like he made the right choice, saying the two work extremely well together.

The restaurant‘s home, located next to Chevy’s on the River and above Crawdad‘s, was the previous home of Blue Gecko Bar and Grill, but almost all evidence of the previous tenants has been replaced with a classy, yet unpretentious and upscale dining ambiance. As a bonus, the restaurant boasts two levels of scenic patio seating.

Another unique aspect of the restaurant is its “live” menu. This means the menu can change on a daily basis, depending on what is available and fresh around Northern California. This allows for the menu’s reasonable prices ( $15-$20 for large plate entrees and even less for small plates) as produce, seafood and meat items will be available seasonally.

“We’re all about local products," Pooler said. "We’re really geared toward freshness of the food as well as quality and price."

From delectable sandwiches like their grilled chicken sandwich with sprouts, crispy bacon and sweet roasted peppers piled on fresh French bread to their pork sliders on their small-plate menu, the menu features something for everyone.

Seafood selections include seared Hawaiian ahi and king salmon, prepared alone or in sandwiches, and meat lovers can choose from Niman Ranch kobe sirloin or baby back ribs from their Applewood Grill menu.

There is a kitchen centered in the upstairs dining room, set up sushi bar-style with only a glass window separating the chef and diners. Diners who order a selection from the small-plate menu can watch while their food is prepared.

Despite barely any advertising the first month, Pooler says business has gone very well so far, with around a 20 to 35 percent increase in sales per week and they're very pleased.

To help with the midday lull common with most restaurants, Pooler and Jones have come up with a happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. With any purchase of a small-plate appetizer and drink, an additional drink (well cocktails or draft beer) is on the house.

Starting Father’s Day weekend, Pearl on the River will serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

Pearl on the River is located at 1379 Garden Highway.

For menu offerings or more information, visit pearlontheriver.com.

Images courtesy of Pearl on the River

Foodies and wine enthusiasts unite at Raley's 7th annual Grape Escape

2009-06-08T01:52:06Z

Foodies and wine enthusiasts united Saturday at Cesar Chavez Park for Raley's and Seventh Annual Grape Escape, presented by Raley's and Bel Air for an evening of drinking and munching.

For $40 in advance and $50 at the door, ticket-holders took part in a three-hour taste marathon, sampling cabs, chards and merlots from more than 50 top wineries from six counties in Northern California and gourmet appetizers from Sacramento’s favorite eateries.

Award-winning wineries like San Joaquin’s Van Ruiten winery (voted Wall Street Journal’s Best Zin) and Calaveras County’s Twisted Oak winery (Gold Medal winner from the Riverside International Wine Competition) set up shop along with brewery favorites Hoppy Brewing Company and Pyramid Alehouse.

“Wonderful wines, coupled with great bites, made for a fun social outing. The weather was perfect, the vendors all very fun and upbeat, and the crowd was amazingly large. I look forward to next year's event,” said Lori Moody, who attended the Grape Escape.

Tried and true eateries served up menu samplings like Zocalo’s shredded pork and salsa, Mikuni’s popular Fair Oaks Roll and Ruth’s Chris new cold crab and asparagus summer menu offering.

Up-and-coming businesses like Pearl on the River and recently opened de Vere's Irish Pub and Mix Downtown used the event as an opportunity to plant their name in the brains of potential customers.

“We’re thrilled with the attendance and even more thrilled with the weather,” said Sheri Graciano, volunteer coordinator for the event, in reference to the clear skies and cool temperatures that made for perfect weather for the outdoor event.

While somewhat long lines formed at popular booths like Chipotle, P.F. Changs and Barefoot Wine Cellars, the park wasn’t overwhelmingly crowded and the well-organized event kept glasses filled and plates full in an orderly fashion.

Graciano explained that one of the reasons for the smooth flow of foot traffic was Raley’s V.I.P. entrance offered to its wine club members this year, which allowed a large portion of the crowd to enter an hour early.

Despite the numerous food and wine offerings, the majority of the excitement took place during the Chef’s Challenge, presented by the Institute of Technology and emceed by Mark S Allen.

Each chef was given a basket of fresh ingredients and a half hour to whip up a gourmet dish. The first round was a face-off between Grange’s Michael Tuohy and L Wine Lounge’s Ame Harrington. The second round featured Mason’s John Gurnee and Mikuni & Taro’s Taro himself.

The action culminated in a final championship round, where Harrington took first place and second place went to Taro.

Next to the stage, the Institute set up a buffet line with creations by their own skilled students with concoctions like bacon-wrapped almond rolls, pork bruschetta and blue cheese wraps.

A full range of culture was featured at the event with art for sale and on display from Patris, owner of Patris Art Center, and artists from the Capitol Art Center at S12. Makeshift music stages were set up as well featuring up-and-coming local music artists like jazz singers Jackie Bryant and Marcelle.

As 7 o' clock rolled around, the food was devoured and the wineries' bottles were emptied within the three-hour span. However, no one was left empty-handed.

Not only did each ticket-holder receive a complimentary Raley’s wine glass and many coupons for discounts on wine, but many also took home cans of garlic-seasoned olives from Lindsay Snackers, pineapples and watermelons from Raley’s disassembled display, wine openers and back issues of Sacramento Magazine, which also sponsored the event.

A great time was had by all, judging from the smiles underneath their wine mustaches.

For a complete list of wineries, restaurants and artists that participated in the Grape Escape, visit raleysgrapescape.com.

All images taken by Jonathan Mendick

Panel discusses Broadway's appeal and future

2009-05-28T23:53:32Z

“What brings you to Broadway?”

Greg Taylor, president of Sacramento’s Urban Design Alliance (UDA), posed this question to city planners, residents, professors and employees that attended a dialogue about Downtown’s popular Broadway held at the American Institute of Architects on Wednesday evening.

Taylor answered his own question by saying that Broadway has “great urban character, great bones and great food.”

Many agreed that food is Broadway’s main attraction, with popular eateries like Tower Café and Pancake Circus dotting the strip.

One woman said that Broadway is a place she feels safe to spend time after hours. Others chimed in that they enjoy perusing specialty shops like R5 Records and the Avid Reader.

Perhaps most popular was the echoed sentiment that Broadway has everything one might need and is sort of a one-stop shop with Target, Walgreens, restaurants and gas stations lining the street.

The dialogue, facilitated by Midtowngrid.com founder Brian Fischer, was a question and answer session by a team of three panelists and a room full of interested and concerned residents and stakeholders of Broadway and surrounding areas.

Attendees were welcomed to the discussion with catering by Broadway’s Bali restaurant and a display of design work created by students from UC Davis and Cosumnes River College featuring plans and highlights of the Broadway corridor.

To begin the one hour question and answer session, three panelists were given 5 minutes each to discuss different aspects of Broadway.

Tina Suarez-Murias, environmental planner, explained Broadway’s status as a sociotone and to help the audience understand the concept first described, ecotone, which forms when two different types of landscapes converge to form an “edge effect.”

In ecology, the effect occurs when elements such as soil, plants and animals are different between the two parts, which creates for a wider range of plants, animal and shelter within the effect.

A sociotone is essentially when humans develop around the sociological edge effect and Suarez-Murias explained that Broadway is a perfect example of this phenomenon, still serving and attracting neighbors from either side of the “edge” because of its wide range of diversity.

Robin Datel, an urban geographer, focused on Broadway’s rich history from the donation of land in the Sacramento City Cemetery in 1849 up through 1990 when the State of California leased the Bishop Manogue High School building to become part of the DMV complex. Datel described Broadway as a sort of “service” to its residents, not only as a shopping street but as an “urban and suburban arterial.”

David de la Pena, who is both a member of the UDA and an architect and designer, focused more on the future of Broadway.

“It’s our responsibility to acknowledge what’s there and then enhance it,” Pena said. He continued on to discuss areas that can be improved, such as accessibility and traffic issues.

After a question and answer session from the audience, Teresa Rosa of the Broadway Partnership assured everyone that change will happen organically and stressed the importance of Broadway and its diversity.

“There are many Broadways. There is a Broadway-Monday-through-Friday. There is a Broadway-at-night and Broadway-on-Sunday-morning...It’s not pretentious and each of us can relate to it,” said Rosa.

The Urban Design Alliance holds planning meetings on the first Tuesday of each month. For more information about upcoming events visit uda-sacramento.org.

Below are highlights from the question and answer session with the panelists

Tina Suarez-Murias

“[We need to] look at physical barriers and one little step at a time tear them down”
-In response to an audience member in a wheelchair who noted difficulty accessing the street

“We can’t design for just one slice of community, have to design for it all”
-Responding to a concern about Broadway losing it’s small-town feel and low-priced restaurants

“It’s unique that we are making use of area under a freeway”
-Commenting on development opportunities

Robin Datel

“More signs, self-guided tours, organized walking tours, naming districts”
-Discussing ways to bring more attention to Broadway

“Because the freeway is so high, there’s a lot of back and forth and opportunity with that”
-Commenting on development opportunitiesDavid de la Pena

“More energy needs to be put into the designing process”
-In response to the current involvement with development

All photos by David Watts Barton

Activists, Vegetarians Descend on Downtown Sacramento for Film Premiere

2009-05-23T00:23:04Z

Let’s face it: Sacramento is rarely visited by celebrities. But on Wednesday night, actor Martin Sheen visited the Crest Theatre to help State Senator Dean Florez welcome about 200 guests to a screening of the new documentary film Food, Inc. Sheen does not appear in the film, but he clearly shares a passion with Sen. Florez for fixing our broken food system.

Food, Inc. offers a critical look at the way America grows, distributes and eats its meals. A food system dominated by a few mega-corporations and unevenly regulated by the government is making us sick. This system has wrought havoc on the environment, and many farmers, ranchers, and laborers are trapped in a hopeless spiral of debt. Still, the film makes clear that it is ultimately the consumer who has the power to change this bleak landscape.

Food, Inc. is co-produced by Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and takes source material from Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. To the delight of many in the audience, Schlosser and Pollan appear prominently in the film. And the author of this article was secretly hoping one or both of them would pop up unexpectedly from the crowd, but it was not to be.

The audience, made up of food system activists, local foodies, farmers, and vegetarians, was treated to a lively panel discussion after the film. Sheen, first introduced as West Wing’s President Bartlett, was a witty and engaging participant. “I can feel the anger in this room. Anger can be good. Anger can motivate us to push for real change. Anger is only bad when we push it down and swallow it,” Sheen said.

Chef and food activist Alice Waters spoke about the vital importance of providing America’s children with fresh, wholesome food every day. She also described the battle between the corporate fast food, quick profit system we now have and a healthier system of localized grower-eater relationships as one in which there can be “no compromise.” Waters, co-owner of Berkeley’s Chez Panisse restaurant, reportedly visited Sacramento’s Grange Restaurant and Bar on her visit and called the restaurant “an Oasis.”

Carmen Hirkala, a lab technician and teaching assistant at Sacramento City College, was in the audience for the film and for the discussion. She thought the film was very effective and hit all the right points, but wondered how extensively it would be seen by those who are not already educated on the current state of the food system. Hirkala also challenged Waters’ no-compromise attitude toward food. “I have a lot of respect for Alice Waters, but she has to understand that for a lot of people, food is just something they have to eat for sustenance. We have to think about better ways to reach those people as well. I hope this film helps.”

Food, Inc. opens Friday July 3rd at The Crest Theatre.

For more information:

Food, Inc. Official Website: href="http://foodincmovie.com

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan: http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php

Chez Panisse: http://www.chezpanisse.com

Grange Restaurant and Bar: http://grangesacramento.com

Crest Theatre: http://www.thecrest.com

Local restaurant Jim-Denny’s celebrates 75th anniversary Saturday

2009-05-18T07:21:02Z

“These guys are nuts. I really hope no one throws up. Care for some hamburger with your water?” I thought to myself as I watched eight men sitting in a row, stuffing Jim-Denny’s half-pound hamburgers down their throats, one of who proceeded to dip his half-eaten burger and patty into a cup of water between bites.

On the stage behind them stood the emcee, Sacramento's local music guru Jerry Perry, with a mic in hand, watching with everyone else to see who would clean his plate first.

Pedro Alarcon won the Jim-Denny’s superburger-eating contest at 3 minutes and 41 seconds. Perry handed him a T-shirt for his accomplishment and suggested the rest of the men take their leftovers home. Then the party continued—the 75th Jim-Denny’s anniversary celebration, that is.

Even in the blazing heat, the landmark hamburger joint drew an impressive crowd Saturday to celebrate its many years of feeding Sacramento, providing $3 breakfast and lunch buffets along with a beer garden and live entertainment.

Anyone patient enough to wait in the long buffet lines indulged in Jim-Denny's favorites such as "tiny Jim" pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, and hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch. Locals and non-locals, regulars and new customers alike showed up throughout the day. The restaurant's co-owner of more than four years, Patsy Lane, said she had never worked with such a wide variety of customers.

Restaurant patrons such as Lee Innocenti, who said he's been eating at Jim-Denny's for 10 years, and Mike Newcomer, who said he'd been eating at the restaurant since 1985 when Denny supposedly still owned the place, were among regulars who came to the event.

While looking for attendees as old or older than the establishment itself, Perry found 86-year-old Scotty Harper from West Sacramento, who surprisingly said he had never eaten at Jim-Denny's before in his life.

Aside from hamburger-eating contests and buffets, bicycle motocross stunts and live music also entertained the crowd throughout the day.

Sacramento’s 2-year-old Cap City BMX stunt team showed off its unique talent before lunch, with riders balancing on their bike pegs as they twirled and flipped their bikes on the asphalt.

The music lineup included bands such as Ol' Cotton Dreary, the Tattooed Love Dogs, the Regulars and the recently formed, young brother/sister duo, Who and the What Now.

Ol' Cotton Dreary even performed a song dedicated to the restaurant, singing a chorus that went something like, "You don't need teeth to eat all meat...Jim-Denny's."

Well-fed and entertained, people lounged beneath umbrella-covered tables and tents late into the afternoon.

Lane, appearing exhausted yet happy by the time she finally had a chance to sit down after the lunch rush, said all the proceeds from the event would go toward an outdoor patio for the restaurant.

Yet another day of serving Sacramento was accomplished-—long live Jim-Denny's.

For a preview article written about the event, see: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/7681/JimDennys_celebrates_75th_anniversary

The River City Saloon opens doors to public and brings patrons back into time

2009-05-11T06:13:02Z

Before opening to the general public, Old Sacramento's western-themed River City Saloon hosted two preview parties late last week for two nights of wild wild fun. The saloon officially opened its doors on Saturday, May 9.

On Thursday, the Saloon hosted an open house with 25-cent beer and free appetizers. The next night was an invite-only soiree for friends, family, and neighboring businesses. The cash registers were ringing and the bartenders got plenty of practice in preparation for business in coming days. The parties, held in the evening, were aimed mainly at the over 21 but patrons of all ages showed up to sample their bar and menu offerings.

While the first night of business was rather mild, owner Sean Derfield is looking forward to increased business as the word is spread around. The saloon will be hosting a grand opening celebration next Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16 and a restaurant and bar industry party on Sunday.

It's easy to forget that 2009 lies just outside the entrance. Even the bar has historical significance, coming from a hotel in New York in the early 1900s. Before it was demolished, the Brunswick bar was rescued and brought from an Atlanta auction to its final destination in the saloon. Barrels line the wall as makeshift bar tables and billiard tables at the back are waiting to be played.

The staff play a major role in transporting patrons back into time as well, with waitresses decked out in cocktail dresses and feathers in their hair and waiters donning suspenders. The costume department has pulled out all of the stops for the employees on hand to pose for pictures with customers. The ladies are outfitted in bustles, petticoats and ringlets on top of their heads and the male characters sport top hats, trousers, and monocles.

After selling his half of Citrus Heights' popular bar Shakers Pub, owner Sean Derfield decided to invest in the saloon. The building, nestled in Old Sacramento's historic district, was previously home to Earl Gray Tea Manor before Derfield came across it and decided to turn it into the saloon. It neighbors a variety of tenants, such as Candy Land candy shop, Fulton's Bar and Grill and Cali 10 clothing shop. The saloon is also only a street away from the California Railroad Museum, making the bar and eatery a prime location.

The saloon's MySpace page boasts a "family friendly time during the day and a rocking good time for adults at night." To welcome tourists and families into the bar during the daytime, Derfield has plans to have staff dressed in period attire pass out wooden coins good for soft drinks once doors have been opened for a little bit longer.

He's already gotten to work on the "rocking" part for the nighttime scene as well. In addition to a piano to entertain the daytime set, the bar will host bands from many different musical genres at night. There are several live-music performances lined up for the next couple of months, including a Bob Marley tribute on May 16 and funk/reggae group "The Bad Fish Band" on May 22.

Not just a watering hole, the saloon’s menu offers an extensive spread of sandwiches and burgers to go with its beer, whiskey, and wine offerings. The saloon also has Sarsaparilla on draught for only a quarter, which is a drink similar to root beer, for those under 21. Baskets of peanuts are on the bar with hopes that shells will be discarded on the ground. While there are only a few lonesome piles of peanut shells on the ground so far, it is likely that the floor will be completely covered in the next few months.

The River City Saloon is located in Old Sacramento at 916 2nd St. For information on upcoming music performances, visit myspace.com/therivercitysaloon.

Downtown dinner and a movie for $30

2009-04-27T05:55:59Z

With Esquire IMAX Theatre's summer dinner deal, Netflix and Blockbuster rentals might sit around unwatched for a few extra days.

Starting Sunday, May 10, diners who have spent $20 or more at any downtown or midtown restaurant can see one of three movies for only $5. Dinosaurs Alive 3D, African Adventure 3D and Under the Sea 3D are all available for $5 as long as guests bring along their receipt from dinner.

For the other films that are being shown, including Monsters vs. Aliens 3D, Night at the Museum 2, Star Trek or Transformers 2, guests can receive a $5 discount off the full-price ticket.

The offer lasts until Monday, August 20, and is valid all days of the week except Saturday at the Esquire IMAX Theatre in Downtown Sacramento.

The IMAX tickets need not be purchased the same night as the restaurant dinner, however, tickets must be purchased within seven days of when the receipt was received.

The maximum amount of discounted tickets is four for one receipt.

The Esquire IMAX Theatre is located at 1211 K St. For more information, call 916-443-IMAX or visit the website at www.imax.com/sacramento.

January - March birthdays can celebrate at Fats

2009-03-06T20:27:41Z

Did your birthday pass recently, but you long to celebrate it a few more weeks? Pout no longer, because if you were born in January, February or March, you can receive a free entrée and a slice of banana cream pie from any Fat’s Asian Dining restaurant with their Chinese New Year birthday special.

According to Jerry Fat, president of Fat’s Restaurants, the Fat family has been doing this promotion for at least the last four or five years.

"January and February are usually slow months because it's right after the holidays," Fat said. They extended the promotion through March as a way to accommodate the tough economic times. Fat compared it to what others have been doing on “Furlough Fridays.”

“Unlike the American New Year which is celebrated on one day only, Asians like to celebrate Chinese New Year for weeks,” Fat said.

The “Chinese New Year” has a floating date because it is based on the lunar calendar, so it typically falls sometime between the end of January to the end of February, according to Fat.

In order to receive a free entrée and slice of banana cream pie, just show a valid driver's license or birth certificate. The promotion is for parties of two or more and ends March 31, 2009. The maximum discount diners can receive is $18.

For a complete listing of the Fat’s Restaurants locations, visit fatsrestaurants.com.

New Year's at the newest urban center: 10th and J

2008-12-31T02:01:07Z

Still no new year's plans? For once, you don’t have to plan anything much. Just drive downtown to 10th and K to see the new year in at Sacramento’s newest nightlife center: 10th Street between J and K.

This New Year’s Eve will mark the official debut of Sacramento’s newest, and in some ways, finest, nightlife block. While the moaning and arguing continues about the K Street Mall between 7th and 9th, a single block of 10th Street between K and J is poised to impress.

With this month’s opening of the Citizen Hotel and its gorgeous, elegant restaurant The Grange - following the November opening of The Cosmopolitan, with its restaurant, bar, upstairs club Social and theatre the Cosmopolitan Cabaret - that one block of downtown is not only promising, it’s downright inspiring.

And with a New Year’s Eve ball drop planned for tomorrow night, Sacramento is going to get to see what is too often ignored: Sacramento’s growing, first-class core. You’ll have to pass a few sketchy looking characters to do it, but have you been to Union Square lately? Get over it! Nightlife and urban decay go hand in hand. Be real!

With the funky chic of Parlare Euro Lounge, which opened earlier this year, and wonderful Temple Coffee and Tea, as well as the more down to earth Japanese restaurant Megami, that single block of 10th Street can entertain for an evening, even a day. Even, with the Citizen, an overnight.

All that’s really missing is people. And Wednesday night’s ball drop should bring them in droves. I took a look at the intersection today (Tuesday) and there was no sign of preparations for a ball drop or anything else. But it’s on, nevertheless. And for suburbanites anxious about braving the “urban core,” there’s a nice big parking garage just a block away at 10th and L Streets. Enter on L Street, and enjoy.

The opening of the Citizen Hotel and The Grange restaurant are particularly promising, the crossing of a Rubicon of sorts. I had drinks there last night, and while one didn’t measure up, most (at $10 a pop, I cadged sips) were delicious. And the setting is absolutely stunning, with high ceilings, beautiful wood and fabric features and above it all, a private banquet room that is spectacular.

The Citizen and The Grange are extraordinary. The most unique hotel in downtown Sacramento, the Citizen has none of the big box fixtures that make the Hyatt and even the Sheraton rather cookie-cutter. The Citizen, with its elegant entryway and cozy, labyrinthine lounges and consistently clever government (malfeasance) theme, makes full use of the old 1926 building, down to the old room directories that still stand in the lobby. It's marble and carved plaster, wood and heavy curtains, comfortable chairs and carpets of red and black and gold. Stunning.

This is a Manhattan-worthy hotel, and visitors are instantly transported to a different era, and a different sense of space. The lobby is lined with old law books, some turned on their sides to create a greater sense of space, and the upstairs bar Scandal features a terrific series of six cartoons by Sacramento Bee cartoonist Rex Babin. A classy joint from top to bottom. Go see it yourself. This New Year’s Eve may be a great time to start.

Sarus Vietnamese /Chinese Restaurant

2008-12-03T06:50:07Z

Sarus opened up in the former site of First Choice Chinese Restaurant. I have eaten there four times now--two lunches and two dinners. Like curry? The chicken curry is great--subtle flavor, generous portion and reasonably priced as are all menu items The plate of deluxe vegetables is varied and can be ordered with or without curry. The Mongolian beef is flavorful, tender and juicy. The huge bowl of noodles with chicken is tasty and the egg flower and sweet and sour soups are among the best I've had. I like my Asian foods HOT and they have three choices or all three if you want some hot oil, hot tomato chii or bottled hot sauce. I prefer the first two. Both bring out the flavor. The special Vietnamse lunch sandwich at $2.99 cannot be beat. Served on a large fresh French roll, your choice of sliced chicken, pork or beef is tender and seaoned. Instead of lettuce the greenery consists of cilantro and cucumbers. Deep fried banana with coconut sauce and crushed peanuts make for a "to die for" dessert. Tea, beer or wine are available upon request

Dawn the owner who also does much of her own cooking and the male cook whose name I'm sorry to say I cannot recall, do everything they can to make a customer happy. He is there at lunch an dinner and Dawn is there at dinner time because she holds down two other jobs.

The ambiance and attentive service is rare. Those who like loud music, drunk and shouting customers at nearby tables or blaring TVs will be disappointed. Those who welcome background music as pleasing as fine wine is to a dinner will enjoy a unique and varied mix of instrumentals, ranging from oldies, some with a Latin beat and movie favorites to classical--even a song or two from Carmen or La Boheme in the evenings--what you might hear if you were dining in a first class restaurant in Southeast Asia or Europe. TRY IT! YOU'LL LIKE IT>

Your views on Nicholas Jeff

2008-11-21T01:49:03Z

As an experiment, and as a personal interest to myself, I brought the Nicholas Jeff Story from my personal blog, www.pyersedandridge.com, to this site. The idea is to see if a serial story would work on this online newspaper.

Nicholas Jeff uses satire to explore the life and job of busser Nicholas Jeff through his point of view and thoughts. This shows the stupidity and foolishness of the restaurant industry, which seems to focus more on brown-nosing customers and employees as opposed to motivating and strengthening hardworking employees, like Jeff.

But what do you guys think of this? Does serial story work on this site? Or if serial story do work, does Nicholas Jeff work well for this site? What type of serial stories interest you? Also, what direction would you like see Nicholas Jeff take?