Oh, Dad. How I’m so very sorry I never met you until now. Dad’s Kitchen is an amazing, fun, homey place to drink yourself into beer heaven. I had no idea just how extensive their beer selection was until I saw it for myself. Unfortunately, this post has absolutely nothing to do about beer, but I’m sure I’ll partake in their beer at some point, and post a glowingly drunken review. But today, I’m going to posting a glowingly fat review.

With the closure of two of my brunch staples, Restaurant Thir13en, and the eclectic Bows & Arrows, I lost two of my favorite brunch spots in one fell swoop. However, now that I’ve experienced Dad’s, I will most certainly end up there with friends and family.

Receiving a text at 8:30 am on a Saturday may seem criminal to some, but I was awake, and since it was from a very close friend of mine, I decided to take a break from Words With Friends and see what she wanted. And what she wanted to grab brunch there. Awesome! I thought. I’d never been there and had been wanting to give it a go. So, off I went.

Located off busy Freeport Blvd, which is also 21st, in case you’re wondering, parking can be tricky. But try your luck along the residential streets nearby if you can’t get one of the coveted spots in the parking lot directly in front. Oh, speaking of which, there’s a Pilates/spinning/barre/who-knows-what-else studio right next door if you feel the need to work off some of your indulgence at Dad’s, Subway (or not), Freeport Bakery, or Marie’s Doughnuts, all of which, are within twenty steps. Dangerous days, we’re in, people!

Dad’s has an awesome back patio, which is enclosed and armed with heat lamps for cooler weather and fans in the warmth. I do suppose it also expertly keeps away pesky flies, mosquitoes and other sorts of flying rodentia. A roll-up door separates the bar from the patio, considerably opening up the place.

One of the coolest things about Dad’s is that they use grass-fed beef, local produce, free range, organic… pretty much everything a hipster could ask for. This can, however, cause a bit of confusion when the hamburger comes out a wee bit pink in the middle. Apparently this is caused by the fact that the beef is grass-fed and something about the oxidation. I don’t know the veracity of this explanation, but I’m going with it. If any of my dozen readers know the answer, please elucidate!

At any rate, here’s what was on the table that morning!

Coffee (with creamer served out of baby bottles… not quite sure what they’re saying about us who use creamer!) that was really great (I had two cups, and was still able to go to bed that night, miraculously), a mimosa, and a bloody mary(which was spicy, and a generally good bloody) were the beverages, and here are the meals… well, after the photos of the bevs…!

Clockwise:

Meatless Marvel: A breakfast sando with hard fried eggs, avocado, tomato, and spinach, stuck to sliced sourdough bread with cheddar cheese and a pepper plant sauce, and served with their signature “breakfast tater,” which is diced potato somehow combined with garlic and/or onion, and fashioned into a large tater tot-looking thing.

Dad’s Gone South of the Border: two eggs, any style (although this was fried), atop their housemade meat or veggie chili (appropriately called “Dad’s Damn Good Chili”), home fries and cheddar, all weighing down on a poor ol’ tostada shell.

Dad’s Burger: This was apparently featured on the Food Network episode of “Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.” And OH-EM-GEE. If I was eating meat, this would most definitey be something I’d be ordering! It’s a 12 oz. patty of aforementioned grass fed beef, that’s encrusted with bacon, and topped with bleu cheese, along with the usual accoutrements of tomato, lettuce, and red onion with an allepo chilip spread. Another cool thing about Dad’s? They’ve got gluten-free breads provided by Pushkin’s, located at 29th and S, although they hadn’t gotten their shipment quite yet when we were there.

Vegetarian omelette: This is a pretty standard omelette, with mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes, with jack cheese and served with homefries and one of their homemade biscuits. I had this. It wasn’t any kind of fireworks-immediately-write-home-to-mom kind of omelette, but it was yummy, cooked well, and just perfect for what I wanted. The homefries are about what you’d expect: cubes of potato with onion, bell peppers, and seasoning. I was a little disappointed in the biscuit; it was rather dry and flat. But, honestly, I didn’t care!

Bottom line, Dad’s is a fun, easy, comfortable place, with affordable food, a great waitstaff, and enough beer to keep a beer-aholic satisfied for quite some time!

Bottom line, if you’re a beer-fan, a food fan, or just a fan of comfy food, come on over to Dad’s! Next up, Mother… then Orphan. Haha.

Food: 4/5
Ambience: 2/5 (it’s a casual place!)
Cost: $$/$$$$$ (affordable, everyday kind of place!)

Dad’s Kitchen
2968 Freeport Blvd.
Sacramento, CA  95818
916.447.3237

There’s a new “kid” on the block… and by “kid,” I mean awesome brewery! In a really obscure and off the beaten path lay Device Brewery, a true mom and pop organization that is run by the ridiculously attractive husband and wife team of Ken and Melissa Anthony. And by “off the beaten path,” I mean it. It’s off Power Inn Road and 14th Avenue, which at this point, resembles a forgotten road in the middle of rural Pennsylvania. But, just a block off busy Power Inn lay Device. This part of Sacramento one might consider the “industrial” area. It’s filled with warehouses, manufacturing plants, body shops, and other businesses of that ilk, with an after work crowd who are much more inclined to grab a pint than a glass of chardonnay! In the corner spot, you’ll find this brewery. There’s plenty of parking and a relaxed, comfortable feel to the place, where I imagine there will be a “Norm” and “Cliff” very soon, if there isn’t already.

Acquired in spring of 2013, the small, but comfortable tasting room opened late last year. Serving up a small, but craft selection of IPAs, stouts, amber ale, and who knows what else may be coming, this is the definition of hand-crafting. Now, I don’t go to very many breweries, and I’m sad to say I haven’t even checked out New Helvetia and I know nothing about beer week… there is such a thing, right?! I know, bad Sacramentan, bad Sacramentan! But, please, don’t judge me! I’m a wino, through and through. However, I certainly can tell a bad beer from an average one… and these are anything but average!

When I ventured over there, I had a sampling of one of their two stouts, and a mild IPA. The stout was a bit much for me, as stouts can be, and on the sweeter, chocolatey side, but it was delicious and I would have had a small glass if I’d been ready for dessert… or a stout, I suppose. So I was poured an IPA that was mild on the hop. Unlike my palate for wine: chewy, multi-layered, complex and maybe a bit confusing, I like my beer like my men: simple… aren’t they all? Haha. Seriously, though, I prefer pilsners, witbiers, and the like. I shy away from IPAs, and haven’t met one I’d like to spend the night with. However, I think I could have had a go of it with this IPA. Who knows, maybe my beer palate is moving beyond cloudy, pee-hued stuff.

I don’t know what else they plan on serving, but I’m very excited about this place. It’s close to where I work, friendly, affordable, and about as local as they get. As for food, there are only pretzels to be had, however, I did see a party bring in food, so it would appear they’re amenable to that. I don’t know if they plan on, or have the facilities for food service. But check their website for service, as food trucks do make a stop there.

I’m hoping they expand into lighter beers, offering a larger spectrum, and if they could do a good gluten-free beer, I have several friends who would instantly fall in love with them!

My point? (“I have no point. I often have no point. It’s part of my charm.” If you know that   modified quote, dinner’s on me! Haha.) Get there when you can!

Device Brewing Company
8166 14th Avenue
Sacramento, CA  95826
http://devicebrewing.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DeviceBrewing

Thursday: 3-7
Friday: 3-8
Saturday: 1-7