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

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

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

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

It seems there are new restaurants popping up all over Sacramento. Many of these restaurants fall victim to the economy and fail within a year and a half, some only last several months. Fairly new to the scene is Red Lotus Kitchen and Bar where we decided to stop in last night. The decor is eclectic and modern and aromas of dim sum and dipping sauces creep up the nose when you enter the dining room. As we sat ourselves and looked over the menu we were approached by our server Isabel. As Isabel began going over some of the menu with us I noticed we were the only table in the restaurant in the middle of Happy Hour, as a matter of fact the only other people in the room besides the staff were

I got the chance to visit a place I have been curious about for some time now. Celestin’s Island Eats & Cajun Cuisine. This place is everything Caribbean and touches on just about every type of cuisine in those waters. It was nice to see Tostones on the menu which was a childhood favorite growing up in Brooklyn, Tostones are fried and pressed plantains which if made correctly are to die for. As you walk into the restaurant there is a very comfortable feeling as you are surrounded by lots of tropical colors on the walls and Reggae music on the sound system. It was Friday night and the patio was completely packed while the inside was moderately seated. Our server Jack appeared to have tabl

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

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

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

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

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

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